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Let's pay tribute to a household name known around the world. He is perhaps the most beloved novelist among all British people. Charles Dickens, one of the great imaginative writers and social commentators of the Victorian period, left us with works such as "Great Expectations," "Oliver Twist," and "Tale of Two Cities." His heartfelt novels about poverty have stood the test of time, and live on centuries later. On Tuesday, the entire United Kingdom celebrated his 200th birthday.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." The opening line of "Tale of Two Cities" could still be the wake up call on the modern world that we live in. It's exactly 200 years since the birth of Charles Dickens, UK's literary giant, but his words of wisdom linger. Celebrations on Tuesday were led by Prince Charles, and some 250 of Dickens' descendants gathered in Westminster Abbey, the place where Dickens was buried.
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| Britain's Prince Charles lays a wreath on the grave of Charles Dickens at a ceremony to celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Dickens, at Westminster Abbey in central London February 7, 2012. |
Marion Lloyd, descendant of Charles Dickens, said, "The big things, like the hypocrisy of people with great power, the enormous differences between those with great wealth and those who've got very little, these big issues are still very much with us and there are parts so much of Dickens makes one think about those big things."
The Charles Dickens legacy is not only about novels. Visitors around the world flock to Charles Dickens' only surviving house in London, now a theme museum complete with official merchandise like coffee mugs and t-shirts. And of course there have been several adaptations of his work for TV, film and theatre said to have raked in around 100-million Pounds. BBC also launched an extensive season dedicated to Dickens, kicking off with a three-episode TV-movie version of "Great Expectations." According to one report, all the above bring in around 280 million pounds a year to the UK economy.
Simon Callow, actor and biographer, said, "He creates unforgettable characters, unforgettable, bizarre, sometimes just very tender and touching characters because he tells remarkable stories. That would be true even if the social dimension wasn't there. If it was just fun, or if it was just drama, melodrama, it would still be there."
Sarah Phelps, writer of "Great Expectations", BBC, said, "He suprises you constantly, shocks you constantly, moves you, but for me its the flame of anger about inequity and poverty and cruelty that's what endures for me."
The UK government now takes it as a fine example of developing the country's literature heritage. On the day of Dickens' birthday, the Prime Minister was given copies of "Hard Times" and "Great Expectations," and the leader of the House of Lords received "Bleak House." In the UK, a program of events and activities to commemorate the special anniversary will continue throughout the year 2012.
(CNTV February 9, 2012)
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