He was educated when he was young. It is a year of pleasure, b Children didn’t go to school and worked long hours for a low wage to help support their families who barely had enough money to buy food. A Christmas Carol is the first of Dickens's 'Christmas books,' which were published annually in periodicals for several years. Men, women and families were separated and those who were physically able were expected to work for their keep. A Christmas Carol celebrates Christmas as though it was universal, but this was not true. In A Christmas Carol these include Christmas, redemption and social injustice. Historical Context of A Christmas Carol The impoverished state of London in Dickens’ lifetime is a big influence of the story. Workers had to toil for long hours and for little money. Flashcards. Help your students understand one of Charles Dickens' most famous works with this His Father was sent to Marshalsea prison. Social class. A collection of context lessons - helping students to make links between texts and historical and social contexts. Spell. A Christmas Carol is an allegory about a penny-pinching misanthrope, Ebenezer Scrooge, who on Christmas Eve receives an unexpected visit from the spectre of his long-dead business partner. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. A Christmas Carol - Context. debt and sent to prison. The main causes of death were polluted drinking water, damp and tuberculosis, which claimed between 60,000 and 70,000 lives in each decade of Queen Victoria's reign. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Be careful not to confuse context with setting, especially where a text has been set in the same time and place as it was written. Context. English Context AO3. Ignornace has caused problems in society. 1812-1870. 3 February 2015. A Christmas Carol Historical Context During the Victorian era Britain was the most powerful nation. Dickens disagreed with this, and believed that wealthy people had a responsibility to help the people less fortunate than themselves, Dickens thought that many of the problems in Victorian Britain (crime, poverty and disease) were caused by a lack of education. These radical middle class ideals eventually spread to the not-quite-so-poor as well. Being seen to be civilised and adhering to a strict set of morals was important to high society in the Victorian age. Pre-1914 Prose A Christmas Carol How does Charles Dickens use the Character of Scrooge to deliver his themes about Christmas and the treatment of humanity … Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The British Government introduced the Poor Law Amendment Act in the year 1834, known as the New Poor Law, which led to the establishment of workhouses, one of Dickens’ most detested social constructions. Historical Context: A Victorian Christmas. Industrial Revolution made many businessmen and factory owners rich, and created new jobs in the cities, but for the factory workers, they lived in extreme poverty with little money, In 1798, Thomas Malthus wrote that the human population would always grow faster than food supplies.This meant that overpopulation would lead to many people, especially the poor, dying because they were starving for so long, and Malthus said that poverty was the result of overpopulation because the poorer and worst off people got less and less, Malthus wanted people should have families later in life, and have less children to prevent the population growing bigger, Dickens believed that he was wrong and there was plenty of food, but only if the rich were generous to the poorer people, he believed that the poorer should not suffer because the richer were too selfish to share their wealth with them. Ignorance and Want. GCSE English Literature A Christmas Carol learning resources for adults, children, parents and teachers. Dickens opposed it as inhumane. The main ideas in a text are called themes. Malthus and others believed that the existing poor laws were too charitable, and encouraged laziness. Jacob Marley warns Scrooge that three further spirits will haunt him. In the context of religion in A Christmas Carol, this eternal now is distinctly transcendental, almost spiritual. Be careful not to confuse context with setting, especially where a text has been set in the same time and place as it was written. It stated that all unemployed people would have to enter a workhouse in order to receive food and shelter. Historical Context Examples in A Christmas Carol… Paul Davis (1990) refers to A Christmas Carol (ACC) as a ‘culture-text’ and whilst these are part of our students’ cultural capital, it is important to ensure students understand the novella within the context of its genesis, and not just the awarding organisations specifications’ definitions of context. Test. Upper class believe poor are waste and something to be disposed of. In 1834, a new poor law was introduced to reduce the financial help available to the poor. Dickens' father inherited some money, and Dickens attended. Dickens also deals with the themes of family and forgiveness. Terms in this set (50) Dickens' father was arrested for. Match. Dickens was 9. Take a quiz about the important details and events in Context of A Christmas Carol. His Father stayed there for 3 months until his mother's will entitled him to £450. A Christmas Carol was written in 1843 at a time of great change in Victorian Britain. A Christmas Carol Context Worksheet - Christmas is actually a time that a lot of households specifically youngsters look forward to. Write. He was sent to work at Warren's blacking factory when he was 12. From 1780, factory owners began to use coal fired steam engines to power the machines in big factories, Before, Britain was much more rural and farming was the most common and obvious way of making a living, The industrial revolution is where most people went from farming to manufacturing, Many cities had terrible living conditions such as slums, overcrowded housing, with improper drainage or sewage systems, and many families were forced to share only one toilet and tap, People starved, many crimes were committed and there was lots of disease around Britain. Christmas Carol Context. 4.6 34 reviews. Sentimental do-gooders like Charles Dickens wrote books like "Christmas Carol", published in 1843, which actually encouraged rich Victorians to redistribute their wealth by giving money and gifts to the poor - Humbug! 'people below them...another race of creatures'. Their children didn’t work and were educated. Share this. The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. Gravity. Allegory. •Remember that in Stave 1 Scrooge wants to Last updated. •Through Scrooge, Dickens criticises the Poor Law (1834) –the requirement for harsh workhouses to be set up to take the poor in every parish. Dickens tries to tell society they need to change. This pack includes resources on: A Christmas Carol An Inspector Calls Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Shakespeare (Useful for both Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet) The Sign of Four Power and Conflict With more to come! The historical context of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. There was no healthcare at this time and if you got ill and couldn't work, your whole family was at risk of death. Context •Published in 1843. Though A Christmas Carol is not the origin of these customs, it is credited with helping disseminate them throughout Britain and much of the English-speaking world. Those who could not pay their debts were sent to debtors' prisons such as Marshalsea, where Charles Dickens' father spent time. A Christmas Carol: Context. Dickens' beloved novella A Christmas Carol was written in 1843, with the intention of drawing readers' attention to the plight of England's poor. The Historical Context. The ''A Christmas Carol'' Literary Context chapter of this ''A Christmas Carol'' Study Guide course is the most efficient way to study the contextual facets of the book.