Poems and Verses of Charles Dickens

by Charles Dickens, F.G. Kitton

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Fiction

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Charles John Huffam Dickens (1812-1870) was a writer and social critic who created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity.

Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors' prison. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms.

Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age. His 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol, remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre. Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted, and, like many of his novels, evoke images of early Victorian London. His 1859 novel, A Tale of Two Cities, set in London and Paris, is his best-known work of historical fiction. Dickens's creative genius has been praised by fellow writers—from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton—for its realism, comedy, prose style, unique characterisations, and social criticism. On the other hand, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth, loose writing, and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.

On 8 June 1870, Dickens suffered another stroke at his home after a full day's work on Edwin Drood. He never regained consciousness, and the next day he died at Gad's Hill Place. Contrary to his wish to be buried at Rochester Cathedral "in an inexpensive, unostentatious, and strictly private manner," he was laid to rest in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey. A printed epitaph circulated at the time of the funeral reads: "To the Memory of Charles Dickens (England's most popular author) who died at his residence, Higham, near Rochester, Kent, 9 June 1870, aged 58 years. He was a sympathiser with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed; and by his death, one of England's greatest writers is lost to the world." His last words were: "On the ground", in response to his sister-in-law Georgina's request that he lie down.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Kendalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Prose is definitely Dickens strong suite but these were enjoyable.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read Dickins' poetry in one compendium. Much of it can also be found scattered arfound his other works. Nevertheless I don't read a lot of poetry and did not find this as deep and profound as I probably ought. Someone would probably need to draw some lessons out from it. Also some formatting issues on this free Kindle ebook.

[Nanuska_153]

The book it's made of many fragments published all through Dickens career. I give it only 3 stars because some of them are so out of context that they don't make much sense to be published on its own. It worth reading for the political poems that he published on newspapers criticising the Tories, which I would have rated them 5 stars if they were on it's own

[Katie Solt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book it was good

[Petra]

Read in honor of our man's birthday and like...it's not bad but he really is better at writing prose

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a poet he really was a good novelist!

[Yas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good ole Dickens is def better at prose

[Peter Longden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Day 19
#thesealeychallenge #poetry

Rousing, moving, political, Dickensian!

A reflection of the time, Dickens wrote for song and ballad, satire and narrative. A short, enjoyable insight to wealthy Victorian life with some empathy towards those without.

‘The Poems and Verses of Charles Dickens’ by Charles Dickens
Reflective of his time: in ‘Squire Norton’s Song’ — “A country life, without the strife / And noisy din of town, / Is all I need, I take no heed / Of splendour or renown.”
Not a fan of the politics of the day, his verse often an attack on Tory policy towards the country: in ‘THE BRITISH LION A NEW SONG, BUT AN OLD STORY’ — “The British Lion bold! / That was always a-going for to do great things, / And was always being ‘sold!’”
A fascinating collection that sheds light on the life and times of Dickensian England.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The majority of the poems in this collection appeared in Dickens other works - the Pickwick Papers, and several plays written with Wilkie Collins (!). I enjoyed the straight-forward verses best. NOTE: If you get the Kindle edition, you need to trick the Kindle into showing the end of several of the longer poems by highlighting the start of a verse low on the page and then using the "View Notes" to force the highlighted section to the top of the page.

[JLynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's rare for me to come across a work of Dickens that I haven't read. I think my biggest problem with this isn't the work itself, but the odd formatting of the digital edition. The flow is lost in weird page breaks and split lines.

[Fazackerly Toast · Rating 3 out of 5]

strictly incidental