Why should you read Charles Dickens? - Iseult Gillespie

[@jam-tg3jv]

The unique thing about Dickens is his characterization. He knew people inside out and portrayed characters in such wonderfully quirky and dramatic ways that no other author can touch.

[@ClariceAust]

Great comment; that is exactly what struck me as the genius of Dickens, too!

[@kuroyami84]

Balzac.

[@jam-tg3jv]

@@kuroyami84 thanks for putting me onto another great writer.

[@kuroyami84]

@@jam-tg3jv No problem. Balzac obviously had a huge influence on Dickens. I sincerely encourage you to read Balzac, a monument of french and maybe universal litterature, surely the most productive of his century.

[@robertfranklin8704]

True, albeit at times his characters are not convincing; are mere caricatures.

[@spiritedrenee9895]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

[@zarkahameed8470]

Description Untitled " A tale of two cities" :-) indeed a book worth reading...

[@carlotamorgan3182]

Description Untitled sorry I forgot my poem

[@JonatasAdoM]

And I'm bored already with such redundancy.

[@johnmacleod2482]

What

[@jovennonan]

Woah!tale of two cities!

[@joshsanjurjo3182]

Can we talk about the beautiful animation of this video though?

[@poonamgarvan1833]

It reminded me of the '' Tale of Three Brothers”.

[@noahcross9853]

No kidding, I was in awe.

[@but-1212]

Yes

[@TheDogMotherOfJen]

rightly observed man...!

[@ismail_zaidi]

It's truly amazing

[@margo3367]

I love Dickens. The narrator forgot to mention how beautiful his writing is; and how every character, no matter how important or obscure, is ultimately connected.

[@stephenmaniloff8493]

Hello Aunt Becky…

[@ClariceAust]

Another great comment; wonderful how all the myriad threads ultimately resolve!

[@koleyw932]

My life has been deeply enriched by writers like Dickens.

[@antonlaureta412]

​@@koleyw932 ❤

[@whosafraidoferiknrding4470]

When I was 20, I sat down with a dictionary and challenged myself to read ‘David Copperfield’ over the span of six weeks. It was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my youth and have me the courage to read Dostoyevsky and Schopenhauer.

[@blondiesanjuro2696]

Dostoevsky is much easier, or at least Crime and Punishment is. I’m reading Gogol’s Dead Souls before I finish Dostoevsky’s work, which is also great btw.

[@janetestherina7169]

That's good for you!

[@KruthiNair]

I read David Copperfield in the 5th grade. My ten year old self finished it in 3 days and didn't know what to make of it. The only thing I remember is that EVERYONE dies......I guess that's the result of being a precocious reader.

[@YapCentral3]

I think i want to try doing that i'll start after christmas break.

[@presiqnqnkov8391]

Read game of thrones lol

[@yarah28]

“Reading Dickens is the best of time for the reader while being the worst of times for his characters” .. couldn’t have worded it better !

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

3:41 3:53 agreed

[@DriveLaken]

The first time and the word reader in your sentence should be times and readers. I think that would be an improvement.

[@Deggar5]

The plot dickens

[@juliawburn2352]

Yes!! I'm gonna use that

[@lyn7424]

Beautiful

[@frankupton5821]

.....the pace quickens, the reader sickens......

[@Sweetumskitty1789]

David Gohmann Ehyyyy!!! 👈😎👈

[@sherbafi]

I love it.

[@a.g.719]

People may live for some time...But their Works remain Alive Forever....

[@lewishay7180]

A. G. Jn9

[@ichigoichie369]

Nah! Everything will one day turn into oblivion.

[@kyrlics6515]

Not when we all die

[@ForteExpresso]

Karma

[@anuradhainamdar8967]

I agree, Charles Dickens works are immortal.

[@pamboo7786]

I’ve only read two books of his at the moment. The first was Great Expectations; second is A Tale of Two Cities. By the first book alone, he instantly became my favorite author! His stories have all the elements I consider as great in a book!

[@priyadarshiashokgautam2455]

Is the pfp from Chihayafuru?

[@pamboo7786]

@@priyadarshiashokgautam2455 yesss 😄

[@c.a.savage5689]

I went through a very dark period in 2015 when l lost my job. The events surrounding it, left me shattered, deeply depressed and temporarily unemployable. What held me together was reading Charles Dickens. All of Dickens. I lost myself in the trials and tribulations of his characters. Wept with them, laughed with them and ultimately, I found a new faith in the human race. Long live Charles Dickens.

[@rakesh.m3775]

My favorite classic is "A tale of two cities".

[@conniejiang9426]

rakesh .m I cried when they were walking to the gallows ! That maid !

[@rakeshkumbhare2164]

Is it available as pdf

[@beca2603]

I had to read it for school and didnt really like it :/

[@shanhussain6114]

I was 8 when I read Oliver Twist. It really struck me.

[@Saralcfc]

Noooooo, Sydney's death was uncalled for! And what happened to Me. Defarge after his wife died? It left me with more questions than answers

[@benjaminalexander8836]

Charles Dickens is my most favorite author, It's a hereditary in my family. My grandfather used to read a lot of his books and used to love his novels. My Dad is also his fan And even he is my favorite too. I don't like him just because it's my Hereditary but I genuinely like Him. My dad told me that even my great grandfather too was his fan. Love from India 🇮🇳🇮🇳

[@lyra9767]

This is amazing😍

[@arikking5893]

Amazing❤️✅

[@nikkitikki2701]

Hey,which book will you recommend to someone who wanna read book from this author very 1st time ?

[@lynn99anna]

​@@nikkitikki2701I know I'm a year late for this reply but wanted to answer your question. I would highly recommend starting with " A tale of two cities" or " Oliver twist" or "a Christmas Carol" good luck on your Charles Dickens journey! 🤍

[@IOxyrinchus]

Dickens is like the Bach of literature: in the same way that Bach meticulously interweaves multiple melodies into a piece of music, so too does Dickens thread characters, plots and sub-plots together into a seamless narrative.

[@Lawrence2525]

It makes me so happy to see so many people still reading Dickens's books today, it feels like he's still with us and we're reading contemporary literature

[@phantomfragments]

Lawrence2525 you may like this video I recently made about Charles Dickens. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZTUm6apjahpiLM

[@manuelpalmeira7278]

His work is still relevant to us.

[@davidmehnert6206]

Monsour Palmeira - more than you know!

[@jesseholliday3480]

Great video, but I ain't reading a dickens book

[@misakinishimya6115]

Boring? Who said that???! His books are so humorous and breathtaking!!

[@starsfire_93]

The book that brought me into the world of Charles Dickens was "Great Expectations." I absolutely loved it and I have been a dedicated fan ever since.

[@aclusterofhope]

A Christmas Carol is on my Christmas reading list, I've read Oliver Twist twice too. Love his stories and the way he tells it.

[@kaseo1708]

Did you end up reading it?

[@gatto3030]

Yeah, his work is pretty interesting and reflects the Britain during that time well. The animation in this video is very stunning by the way.

[@ahmedsafaa1000]

Next video: why you should read Fyodor Dostoyevsky

[@halaa3565]

ahmedsafaa1000 i totally agree! both dickens and dostoevsky write about humanity!

[@Sameer_Hussain_007]

ahmedsafaa1000 edit: Next video: why you should read Fyodor Dostoevsky, the greatest author of all time.

[@ep6927]

Victor Hugo anyone?

[@maryann7619]

@@Sameer_Hussain_007 He kept a portrait of Dickens above his desk wherever he lived.

[@maryann7619]

Look up the debate of who is greater. It's here on YT.

[@memetik192]

Really well done Animation

[@shaimaasamir7074]

oh yes, the animation is amazing!

[@myleemartin4297]

I totally agree

[@Bossdevail123]

kzbin.infoSZ_gQGueZjM?feature=share

[@joshuaeden539]

Dickens is one of my favorite writers & inspirations.

[@phantomfragments]

I too spoke of the importance of Charles Dickens in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZTUm6apjahpiLM

[@joshuaeden539]

Never said anything about that, or asked about your video. Just said I liked Dickens.

[@eveningtsar]

Don't forget the beauty of his language- his descriptions are unmatched, he was a master of both understatement and hyperbole, he's the only writer I know who can pile on subordinate clauses, and not only make them readable but wonderful. He had a deep understanding of human nature, and understood psychology before psychology was a thing. He had a deep and contagious sympathy for all of humanity, in all our glorious imperfections. In what made us awful, and what made us marvelous. . .

[@zarkahameed8470]

Oliver twist was the first novel I have ever read .. I was 12 i guess and I still remember myself crying on oliver saying"sir I want some more" ....and how he had to work with the coffin maker...it is still so clear in my mind🙃

[@tehreemraza123]

I was around 10 when I read David Copperfield and Oliver Twist. I cried for weeks.

[@avanshikasaini2094]

Well...I am not that small (19 now) and currently reading Oliver twist...and yes I am loving it and crying too...🌼 Such a beautiful story and amazing writing ❤️

[@yeet8627]

same I’ve read it at 13 and i loved it so much

[@sromonasengupta9-c512]

Did you read the abridged version or original one?

[@aperson_1852]

I just finished writing my Master's degree thesis about Dickens' Bleak House! One of my main points was that there is great value in reading literature like Bleak House. ♥️♥️♥️

[@oikabirakittheaa]

I'd love to read your thesis, to be honest!

[@jeanbartrum2773]

My daughter is doing it now for her degree ..any tips ?

[@aperson_1852]

@@oikabirakittheaa Sorry I didn't see this comment until now! I think you can find it in Google scholar or ProQuest. Just search "Charles Dickens' Bleak House: How the Complexities of Disgust Lead to Elevation"

[@aperson_1852]

@@jeanbartrum2773 oh nice! Good for her. It's really important to be precise, clear, thorough, and well organized, especially if the topic is not focused on something fashionable like gender or race. And use feedback from thesis advisors. They're the ones who approve it in the end.

[@duthebestlion]

Charles Dickens was a great writer. A tale of two cities should win him a Nobel prize in literature if the award existed in his days.

[@danielaberg3472]

Artists need more recognition and credit.

[@funki4902]

Great Expectations: The most facinating story I have read, after *The Count of Monte Cristo*. And it's interesting to note that both authors were contemporaries

[@BloodAniron]

I love count of Monte Cristo. I read it ages back but I still remember it vividly.

[@暧昧-u8e]

I love the Broadway and movie, yet to read the book yet though!

[@WhiteBloggerBlackSpecs]

You should also read Alexandre Dumas

[@luisdireito]

Coincidentally, I just finished Great Expectations and will be reading The Count of Monte Cristo next :) Great Expectations is a masterpiece. I can't wait to start The Count of Monte Cristo!

[@stiltzkinvanserine5164]

Please do "Why should you read Les Misérables" next!

[@frankupton5821]

Hugo first!

[@johnprovince5304]

Yes!

[@ZoraTheberge]

You shouldn’t. It’s really only interesting if you’re into really niche French History. If you want the story, watch the musical.

[@avantikagargya4656]

@@ZoraTheberge The movie is brilliant, yes!

[@wut8345]

I respect people who've read Lés Misérables. It was impossible for me to go further after all that history rant. I slept through it. It was heartbreaking.

[@AutomaticGaming.]

Please never stop making these videos, I discovered them about a year ago and have now see them all. Thank you.

[@jamesscott1189]

Read Dickens at age 15, had Excellent Effect on my writing style, thank you, Mister Dickens

[@kamalindsey]

It is cool that he was so contemporary to his time but his work still remains timeless.

[@jamalmaarouf8258]

Big part of my thesis this year is on Charles dickens and his contribution to the reformation of Middle class perceptions of the working class, the guy is an absolute legend

[@jamesmullaney5841]

In addition to his storytelling prowess, Charles Dickens was a genius prose stylist.

[@susanneyuk-pingpong8705]

This was incredible; the music, graphics and voice kept me hooked. I'll be finishing Great Expectations because of this.

[@thecker99]

I know it sounds pretentious but I’ll read Dickens before anyone else. Not trying to dismiss anyone’s work but nobody hooks me like Dickens.

[@kyrlics6515]

@@user-yi5mt2df5q it sounds neither, just exaggerative

[@Teresa-pe4yg]

how old are you?

[@achakrabarty1115]

The 'Why should you read...' series on Ted-Ed, on youtube is such great initiative to encourage people to read the classics of English Literature. Hope it continues. Also, it opens up such a huge possibility of making similar series for classics written in other languages as well (eg. classics of Bengali literature like the works of Rabindranath Tagore). Wish to see that happening in the near future.

[@yellowstarproductions6743]

Me too

[@keithdean9149]

A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite books. One of the things I enjoy about reading books from over 100 years ago is that it gives you a small insight into how people spoke, lived, and thought at that time. It helps you understand the past. It's why I hate people who complain that any particular book offends "modern" sensibilities.

[@Bossdevail123]

kzbin.infoSZ_gQGueZjM?feature=share

[@pagetastic5532]

'...brooding settings, plot twists, and mysteries... colourful characters... intricate social backdrops... sparkling language and panoramic world-view continue to resonate' - they do indeed! Great summary, and fab animation and sound. Particularly liked the use of the marionette imagery in relation to Pip in Great Expectations. Thanks for the watch!

[@vsmoonchildmahir283]

'A Christmas Carol', was the biggest gift I'd gotten in my childhood Thank you for making this 💜

[@kcelestinomariakcelestinom8656]

One of the secrets to immortality is art, and literature is a prominent part of this

[@wiraaj1059]

Dickens has a lot of creativity

[@philjamieson5572]

I think this is a well presented and beautifully animated piece. I love Dickens' stories. Rereading The Pickwick Papers in Winter , in a warm pub, and with a pint of bitter to keep me company is a little bit of Heaven. To all you fellow Dickens lovers, I say, "Cheers!"

[@kristopher1799]

I took on "Bleak House" once upon a time, a few years back. It took me a month to read it all the way through, and when completed, I literally gave myself a pat on the shoulders, so proud was I. I then started reading it again. It's my favorite, aside from "David Copperfield".

[@sayanchakraborty3720]

Thanks, Ted-ed! It is truly the best of times, always watching your lessons!

[@Bossdevail123]

kzbin.infoSZ_gQGueZjM?feature=share

[@dandybruma4455]

Bleak House,Oliver Twist and Christmas Carol are my favorite books written by Dickens

[@user-ok9ds1ej4w]

*Oliver twist; one of my favorite novels! so sad and so dramatic novel ✨💔!!*

[@Lifegoeson576]

Please make these kind of videos about the authors and poets of all time ✨

[@anthonywhelan4660]

Dickens is my favourite author. Much of his work was poetic, such as the death/train passage from Dombey and Son.

[@stevebarlow3154]

Dickens spent a great deal of his time on the train and was involved in a train crash with many fatalities, whilst travelling with his mistress.

[@kimquinn7728]

Speaking of the names of his characters, loved the Boffin's, Silas Wegg, Gaffer, Rogue Ryderhood, Sloppy and Jenny Wren of Our Mutual Friend. First saw the production with Anna Friel as Bella Wilfer and Steven Macintosh as John Rokesmith / John Harmon, then heard a reading of it and loved it even more. His last work and so much dark humor, sentiment without sentimentality and two great, great characters who face off- Rogue Ryderhood and the doomed Bradley Headstone. Genius!!!

[@حسينحبيب-ج8ص]

When I read "The haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain", I felt that the translator could teach me how to speak and I used the highlighter so many times. In "Our mutual Friend", no one could guess that the schoolmaster was the bad guy and the lawyers were the good guys

[@elshabi4080]

Are you from sudan or not

[@حسينحبيب-ج8ص]

Saudi Arabia

[@nmuphelps1]

Like Shakespeare, Charles Dickens was a GENIUS!!!

[@TheGroovyGuitarDude]

That is not how I expected the word Dickens’ to sound

[@christinasharon7687]

How did u expect it to sound ? I used to think it was disk-ens as a kid

[@rustyshackleford4076]

The Groovy Guitar Dude - Daily Guitar Lessons Dickens’=Dickens’s=“Dicken-sis”

[@MATRIXDEMI]

@Philip Friesen kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5m4mYSijcZ_i6s

[@rileyayeshaflores8271]

pretty sus if you ask me

[@thecrystalunicorn1946]

3:43 What I look like when I'm dancing

[@nyaluogowalter136]

I've read Oliver Twist three times, the simplified version for school kids, the first edition and the audiobook, I love it.

[@casonator]

Great expectations is probably my most jaw-dropping moment as a reader. Reading it on a plane, I sat slackjawed for probably 5 minutes in awe of the plot twists that came to light.

[@smitra5901]

As a person who grew up reading Dickens, this is by far my favourite video by TED-ed. Undoubtedly, Charles Dickens is one of the best authors ever lived.❤️

[@somenounsmaybe838]

This video is perfect! The content, the animation and of course music! Splendid work!

[@saunsiaraybroussard9967]

Very interesting and true! I'm so glad that I've read some of his books!

[@petrichorals]

“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast -Charles Dickens The Pickwick Papers

[@lipsachhotray1021]

illustartions were awesome and ceative! The background music and the narration... hooked me to the video!

[@ishaanvyas6186]

As a 13 year old, I'm pleased that I've read Oliver Twist. The book (no extracts) all of it. Word to Word.

[@artofthepossible7329]

I'm starting to see why non-bookworms call a 150 page book long and exhausting.

[@aet5807]

That’s such a great book. All the scenes with the thieves are so great and memorable.

[@OliverQueenisme]

Charles dickens is my favorite author hands down!

[@anandvijaygurung3817]

"Something will turn up," Mr Micawber in Dvid Copperfield. This is one of the most enduring and warm characters of world literature

[@allienold4590]

Something very interesting is that many of his novels center around poverty in some way, but dickens was actually quite rich himself.

[@channelchannels494]

Allie Nold he was poor when we was young though. Wasn't he?

[@jacklesloverforevers5477]

Allie Nold Did you not watch the whole video mate? They told you about his childhood working in the factory. Watch again, with volume up.

[@gmah26]

He became "rich " by hardworking. he experienced poverty, richness and the duality of the city he tales.

[@fredbarker9201]

Allie Nold you should learn the context. He grew up poor and got into rich property like Pip from Great expectations. But Dickens criticises/satirises Victorian society

[@glen7318]

No he wasnt. He was very poor as a boy, worked hard and rose to a comfortable position in middle class society

[@JohnnyLodge2]

There is just something captivating about the settings of his stories. Like caught between the old and modern world.

[@misakinishimya6115]

Me when I saw the title: Well, because HE IS THE BEST! currently reading his first The Pickwick Papers and I am totally entranced! Can express enough how fond I am of his books!!

[@tls12200]

Yes i love Charles Dickens!♡

[@giwrgosretalis4279]

this animation is an aesthetical masterpiece

[@rogersledz6793]

Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is helping me get through the pandemic!

[@lccoffeeholic2967]

Charles Dickens was mandatory read in high school (SoCal)!! So was Shakespeare.. I don't know about now...

[@kristopher1799]

A Tale of Two Cities and Romeo and Juliette for me, respectively.

[@stevebarlow3154]

I enjoyed Dickens at school, but found Shakespeare hard going. It wasn't until I saw Shakespeare performed on the stage that I started to enjoy his works.

[@philjamieson5572]

In November. Rereading 'The Pickwick Papers' (For the umpteenth time) by a roaring fire, in a Wiltshire country pub, with a pint of bitter and all the time in the world is just bliss for me. I love Dickens.

[@mr.nobody9329]

My fav is called “Oliver twist”

[@MrCushcam]

Never heard of that one, is it good?!

[@suryashekharbiswas7229]

@@MrCushcam That sarcasm though

[@MrCushcam]

@@suryashekharbiswas7229 You know it

[@saraspangler890]

I love Dickens, not only for his language, but also for his characters. Newman Noggs is such a wonderful part of Nicholas Nickelby. Jenny Wren in Our Mutual Friend; Mr Guppy, Caddy Jellyby, and Jo from Bleak House. I could go on. His longer novels are more complex, and also have some of the best minor characters. LibriVox has some good readings of his books, look for the 2nd or 3rd versions, these are free, you don’t even need a library card.

[@kennethcharlesdelarosaberm2674]

the Great Expectation was a mind blown. it's just depressing too, great writing. i wrote a blog about that book. i love it.

[@Bossdevail123]

kzbin.infoSZ_gQGueZjM?feature=share

[@am_i_blue]

I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss. I see the lives for which I lay down my life, peaceful, useful, prosperous and happy. I see that I hold a sanctuary in their hearts, and in the hearts of their descendants, generations hence. It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known. A tale of two cities

[@NhomL]

I love Charles, and there's a movie coming for him

[@phantomfragments]

NhomL I too spoke of the importance of Charles Dickens in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZTUm6apjahpiLM

[@allys744]

Olivier twist is a great story, A Christmas Carol is my favorite.

[@za7a77]

My favorite Author's in the world 💜 charles Dickens and mark Twain 💜

[@amanyahmed8410]

A great writer ..his words as if touching every heart

[@guesswhoami4723]

Guys, try ready The Book Thief or Tell Tale heart

[@aditisrivastava9226]

Ohhhh, the tell tale heart is pretty intense, from the writing to the theme. You should try Mirror by Sylvia Plath.

[@guesswhoami4723]

Aditi Srivastava OMG! It’s been sooo long since I’ve read that!!!! It’s sooo fricken good! Thanks for reminding me of it! ❤️❤️❤️

[@alexm8859]

Love tell tale

[@guesswhoami4723]

Aditi Srivastava Read what Charles dickens daughter had written... Have you read Ariel before?

[@guesswhoami4723]

alexm it’s crazy, and sick.... that’s why I like it... sentences can be interpreted in several ways depending on the perspective you look at it from

[@giuliaferrero1019]

If anyone wants the trascription of the video... The starving orphan seeking a second helping of gruel. The spinster wasting away in her tattered wedding dress. The stone-hearted miser plagued by the ghost of Christmas past. More than a century after his death, these remain recognizable figures from the work of Charles Dickens. So striking is his body of work that it gave rise to its own adjective, Dickesian. But what are the features of Dickens's writing that make it so special? Dickens’s fiction brims with anticipation through brooding settings, plot twists, and mysteries. These features of his work kept his audience wanting more. When first published, his stories were serialized, meaning they were released a few chapters at a time in affordable literary journals and only later reprinted as books. This prompted fevered speculation over the cliffhangers and revelations he devised. Serialization not only made fiction available to a wider audience and kept them reading, but increased the hype around the author himself. Dickens became particularly popular for his wit, which he poured into quirky characters and satiric scenarios. His characters exhibit the sheer absurdity of human behavior, and their names often personify traits or social positions, like the downtrodden Bob Cratchit, the groveling Uriah Heep, and the cheery Septimus Crisparkle. Dickens set these colorful characters against intricate social backdrops, which mimic the society he lived in. For instance, he often considered the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. During this period, the lower classes experienced sordid working and living conditions. Dickens himself experienced this hardship as a child when he was forced to work in a boot blacking factory after his father was sent to debtors' prison. This influenced his depiction of the Marshalsea prison in Little Dorrit, where the titular character cares for her convict father. Prisons, orphanages, or slums may seem grim settings for a story, but they allowed Dickens to shed light on how his society's most invisible people lived. In Nicholas Nickleby, Nicholas takes a job with the schoolmaster Wackford Squeers. He soon realizes that Squeers is running a scam where he takes unwanted children from their parents for a fee and subjects them to violence and deprivation. Oliver Twist also deals with the plight of children in the care of the state, illustrating the brutal conditions of the workhouse in which Oliver pleads with Mr. Bumble for food. When he flees to London, he becomes ensnared in a criminal underworld. These stories frequently portray Victorian life as grimy, corrupt, and cruel. But Dickens also saw his time as one in which old traditions were fading away. London was becoming the incubator of the modern world through new patterns in industry, trade, and social mobility. Dickens's London is therefore a dualistic space: a harsh world that is simultaneously filled with wonder and possibility. For instance, the enigma of Great Expectations centers around the potential of Pip, an orphan plucked from obscurity by an anonymous benefactor and propelled into high society. In his search for purpose, Pip becomes the victim of other people’s ambitions for him and must negotiate with a shadowy cast of characters. Like many of Dickens’s protagonists, poor Pip's position is constantly destabilized, just one of the reasons why reading Dickens is the best of times for the reader, while being the worst of times for his characters. Dickens typically offered clear resolution by the end of his novels, with the exception of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. The novel details the disappearance of the orphan Edwin under puzzling circumstances. However, Dickens died before the novel was finished and left no notes resolving the mystery. Readers continue to passionately debate over who Dickens intended as the murderer, and whether Edwin Drood was even murdered in the first place. Throughout many adaptations, literary homages, and the pages of his novels, Dickens’s sparkling language and panoramic worldview continue to resonate. Today, the adjective Dickensian often implies squalid working or living conditions. But to describe a novel as Dickensian is typically high praise, as it suggests a story in which true adventure and discovery occur in the most unexpected places. Although he often explored bleak material, Dickens’s piercing wit never failed to find light in the darkest corners.

[@Misc-Deo]

thank you 🙏🏼

[@flowersandragons]

I tried reading Great Expectations, but his writing style is completely different from what I'm used to and it's hard to adjust to it. There are also a bit too many difficult words for me, so I decided to give it a try later again lol

[@sirmeowthelibrarycat]

Iris de Graaf 😺 Well done! That is exactly what you should have done. Let time pass and experience grow, then try again. You should never feel that you have to like Dickens or any author. I am a now retired English teacher but I cannot read Jane Austin! Oh dear! All I would ask is that you never give up reading; it is one of our greatest intellectual achievements.

[@user-yi5mt2df5q]

Just keep reading! Not only will learning his sentence structures and vocabulary keep you motivated; but you will be able to read even more complex work by other authors. I myself had a lot difficulty with Dostoyevsky but I adjusted to his vocabulary and was able to completely understand the book in it's entirety.

[@flo6051]

You could start with Hard Times, it's shorter and lighter imo, and the plot is so good!

[@ludmilamaiolini6811]

English is my second language, but I’m quite comfortable with it, and I’ve been reading some classics in English for awhile. Great Expectations was the first book I ever had to by in my native language in order to understand the story. That was a blow to my self steam 😂 But now I’m reading Oliver Twist without too much difficulty. Maybe Dickens’s earlier work is easier? Just a theory

[@stevebarlow3154]

@@ludmilamaiolini6811 Hi Ludmila, I think it is more likely that your understanding of English has improved to the point where you can fully understand and enjoy classic Victorian British novels. I read 'Great Expectations' at school when I was 14 or 15 and really enjoyed the book. I'd suggest you try reading 'Great Expectations' again when you have time and use a good quality dictionary like 'The Shorter Oxford Dictionary' (paperback version) when you come across words you don't fully understand.

[@albertgainsworth]

My favourite book is "The Pickwick Papers." It is not typically Dickensian, but I love it for Dicken's portrayal of an England that was already outdated in his time and for the gentle humour. He has a few sly digs at established institutions but it is freer of criticism of the establishment that made him famous. We owe a huge debt to Dickens for exposing the evils of the Victorian age.

[@sagapulastation1711]

Dostoevsky when?

[@justanotherbohemian3827]

aa aaa Yeah and Tsechov!!!

[@NotEvenCaring]

YO! Can I just say that the MUSIC in this video is absolutely amazing!! Everything fits perfectly. Great animation as well!

[@PaoloDiBello98]

I am reading Hard Times right now

[@ohyeah3036]

You guys mean School?

[@sangeetamallick997]

Well I'm reading hard times too right now 😊

[@svs4305]

@@sangeetamallick997 me too

[@snowflakes1008]

Is it good? I'm about to start reading it

[@Sirrajj]

Background music was so eerie... amazing!

[@RoronoaZoro-vy5ft]

Ted-ed could you plz make a video about “why you should read the sound and the fury” by William Faulkner Thank you

[@richardranke3158]

The Dickens books I read include Christmas Carol(9),David Copperfield(10),Oliver Twist(13),Tale of Two Cities(14) and Great Expectations(15).

[@somadas4994]

I must point to the fact that Your videos are one kind of masterpieces themselves. ☺️

[@drawmeasheep9684]

PLEASE MAKE MORE OF THESE

[@113dmg9]

INCREDIBLE ANIMATION!

[@TheRandomView]

I really love the artistic style of the images. Stunning work!

[@jothompson8362]

The animation truly is Dickensian💯💯

[@justinhopkins7703]

Dam this animation is good. The music to go along with it is great. Well done👏🏽

[@RohitSoniB]

Please do a version of difference between intellectual person and intelligent person

[@annabarbaraserejo6712]

Amazing! I love TedEd’s Literature videos!

[@WiseQuotesLS]

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.„ _Charles Dickens

[@mhail7874]

I have never read any of Charles Dickens books before. But, I happen to have a book of all his short stories that I haven’t touched yet. Got it free from the shelf of free books at the library and I’m pretty excited to crack it open. This video couldn’t come in a better time.

[@treserstreib4204]

Why you should read lovecraft!

[@stevebarlow3154]

HP Lovecraft is one of my favourites and, although probably the greatest horror writer of his time, isn't in the same league as Dickens!

[@treya7165]

PLEASE MAKE MORE OF THESE.