Hard TimesWritten deliberately to increase the circulation of Dickens's weekly magazine, "Household Words, Hard Times" was a huge and instantaneous success upon publication in 1854. Yet this novel is not the cheerful celebration of Victorian life one might have expected from the beloved author of "The Pickwick Papers" and "The Old Curiosity Shop," Compressed, stark, allegorical, it is a bitter expose of capitalist exploitation during the industrial revolution-and a fierce denunciation of the philosophy of materialism, which threatens the human imagination in all times and places. With a typically unforgettable cast of characters-including the heartless fact-worshipper Mr. Gradgrind, the warmly endearing Sissy Jupe, and the eternally noble Stephen Blackpool-"Hard Times" carries a uniquely powerful message and remains one of the most widely read of Dickens's major novels. |
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agen asked Bank believe better Bitzer Boun Bounderby of Coketown Bounderby's brother called Charles Dickens Childers considered coom cried curtsey dark daughter dear door eyes face fact father fellow G. K. CHESTERTON gentleman gone hand hard head hear heard honour hope horse James Hart James Harthouse Josiah Bounderby Jupe Kidderminster knew lady light porter looked Louisa M'Choakumchild ma'am manner marriage married Merrylegs mind Miss Gradgrind mother muddle never night nine oils observed old Bounderby old woman Powler Rachael returned round seemed seen shaking Sissy sister Slackbridge Sleary Sleary's smoke Sparsit Stephen Blackpool Stone Lodge stood stopped street sure tell thee there's thing Thomas Gradgrind thou thought Thquire took town turned voice wait walked Westminster School whelp window wonder word young