About the Charles Dickens: Storyteller of Victorian London Walk in London
This three-hour tour of London focuses on the life and work of Charles Dickens, a critical figure in English Literature in the middle of the 19th century. By connecting a number of his works to the places related to his life and characters, we'll paint a portrait of Dickens, his era, and the social context in which he lived.
Charles Dickens called London his 'Magic Lantern', not only his inspiration but almost a character in one of his novels. He tramped the streets alone from an early age and was himself a wonderful mimic of the living 'characters' he found there.
We start our walk near Temple, discussing Dickens' early years as a young worker in the Blacking Warehouse, and the influence that they had on characters like Oliver Twist and Little Dorrit. We'll discuss the geographic division of the city and the presence of the famous rookeries- 19th century slums-in the heart of London.
After a short walk, we'll find ourselves in the area Covent Garden. Here, we'll discuss Dickens' c
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This three-hour tour of London focuses on the life and work of Charles Dickens, a critical figure in English Literature in the middle of the 19th century. By connecting a number of his works to the places related to his life and characters, we'll paint a portrait of Dickens, his era, and the social context in which he lived.
Charles Dickens called London his 'Magic Lantern', not only his inspiration but almost a character in one of his novels. He tramped the streets alone from an early age and was himself a wonderful mimic of the living 'characters' he found there.
We start our walk near Temple, discussing Dickens' early years as a young worker in the Blacking Warehouse, and the influence that they had on characters like Oliver Twist and Little Dorrit. We'll discuss the geographic division of the city and the presence of the famous rookeries- 19th century slums-in the heart of London.
After a short walk, we'll find ourselves in the area Covent Garden. Here, we'll discuss Dickens' connection to the place both as a child and as a famous writer. From here we may head towards Bloomsbury - center of literary London and home of the Dickens family from 1837 to 1839, or delve into Marylebone where the writer lived for over ten years. Then again we might explore the area around Saint Bartholomew, Newgate and Holborn, scene of many exciting episodes in his novels.
The characters described by Dickens are intrinsically linked to his life in London as a writer and publisher and as a direct witness of the terrible social conditions of the 19th century. As a result, our walk will look closely at the social and economic events of the 1800s and paint a portrait of time in this context. Our walk will also offer us ample opportunity to discuss the influence of the city and its history on the style and on the personal life of Dickens and his contemporaries working in other disciplines. By the end of our time together we'll emerge with a very vivid painted portrait of the time in this context.
