Amit Mandal HARD TIMES

RC COLLEGE Charles Dickens

Charles John Huffman Dickens(1812-1870) was an English writer and social critic. He belongs to the
novelist of Victorian era. He was born in Portsmouth and left the school to work in a factory as his father
has sent to jail for the debt. Dickens literary success began with the publication of 'The Pickwick papers'
in 1836. His notable works are Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Bleak house etc. His most famous novel
'Hard Times For These Times'(1854) in English Literature had a rich and controversial tone. This novel is
dedicated to Thomas carlyle, a British historian, philosopher, mathematician, in the victorian era.

The setting of the novel cocktown, a fictional town of 19th century in England. This novel is about
industrial revolution that takes place in England. Actually it was the new manufacturing process in
England between 1820-1840. It is a transition from hand production methods to machines., new
chemical manufacturing, iron production, and factory system.

In the opening chapter we find Mr Thomas Gradgrind and his philosophy of Fact. He has five children
named Tom, Lousia, Adam Smith, Malths and little jane. His statement 'this is the principal on which I
bring up my own children’ shows that he, in his life, wants fact, nothing but fact.The three books sowing
reaping Garnering indicate that thomas grangrind is the farmer and his children become the crops. He
has sent his two children Tom and Lousia in a school that was plain., monotonous, and vault of
schoolroom. The phrase spuare forefinger, square coat suggest the mechanical nature of his education
al philosophy. He asked sissy jupe(cecelia) whose father works in a circus about the definition of a horse
but she failed to answer. This same question is answered by Bitzer, and his definition is Quadruped and
Graminivoruos. Although sissy can’t make the answer but she has the free spirit. The school is
conducted by Mr. M'choakumchild who is the minister of the public house Millennium. When
Gradgrind is walking towards his home Stone Lodge from the school, he amazed to see of his two
children peeping the circus. He harshly scolded them. Later in the novel josieph Bounderby is
introduced as a rich man, banker, merchant and manufacturer. He calls his working people by giving
them the title Hands. He dehumanized the working class people. He is a self-made man. By his
statement ‘to be tumbled out of doors, neck and crop it is clear to us that he also believes the
philosophy of fact. Mr Gradgrind has decided that Louisa should marry Mr Bounderby. Mr bbouderby
has accepted this proposal in order to raise their business-partnership. It is obviously a love-less
marriage as Louisa is not willingly marry bounderby. She has agreed to marry him for the security of his
brother Tom. Tom, very cleverly, uses this opportunity for his own benefits. He is addicatd in gambling
and thus he would stray from the path of virtue. He is in great debt. Tom has entered bounderbys bank
as a junior clerk. He has robbed the bank.

Louisa and bounderby, they go to France for the honeymoon, not for any romantic reason but to study
the factory system. James Harthouse, the younger brother of an MP, pays an attention to Lousia. And it
is not his lust for Lousia rather he wants to relieve his boredom. He seduces Louisa and further urges her
to elope with him. Louisa has nodded his head but reached his own home. She tells everything to Mr
Gradgrind what has happened to her. This incident brings a lesson to Mr Gradgrind of his system of
education. Gradgrind finally realises that he is responsible for Lousias present misery and he admits that
there is a wisdom of head as well as wisdom of heart.
Now in the novel we find a new character named Stephen blackpool. He remains always frustrated with
his drunken wife who has become a prostitute in order to gain money. In his hard times, , racheal, his
co-worker with whom he has fallen in love, holds his hands. He can’t divorce her as it costs a mint of
money. Everyone accuse Stephen blackpool as a theft. Everyone believe that he has robbed the bank as
he is found near the bank. On the other hand, bounderby,after knowing all of this, gives the ultimatum
that ‘if she doesn’t return to her home by the next day, she had better not to return at all. Bounderby
offers twenty pounds for the arrest of Stephen blackpool. Stephen blackpool represents a mixture of
fact and fancy. The fact of his existence as harsh as a poor and the fancy in his life is racheal. Sissy jupe
also plays a vital role to Stephen blackpool and his friend racheal who is distraught over his disappear
ance for the charge of robbery from the bank. Racheal has sent a letter to Stephen to arrive in the place
but Stephen fails to do so. Sissy and racheal they discover that Stephen has fallen down from the mine-
shaft. A reports that he is seriously injured and claims that his name be cleare and Tom can provide an
explanation. Now, Gradgrind realises that his son is guilty and learns from Lousia that he is hiding at Mr
slearys circus. When gradgrind confronts his son and asks him sorrowfully why he committeed the
crime. Tom answers him that he has learned all of this from gradgrind school of hard facts. Bitzer arrives
and seizes Tom and announces that he intends to hand him over to justice. Gradgrind pleads bitzer to
show compassion for Tom but bitzer is responding in the terms of fact. With the help of sleary, Tom
makes his escape.