Reconstructing Fragments of Charles Dickens’(Auto) biography through “David Copperfield”

Abstract

It is said that Charles Dickens managed to reveal through his literary work more than any historian could have ever revealed through historical documents: the Victorian society with its values and needs. But the writer, too, was part  of this society that he described. The paper is an attempt at identifying (auto)biographical data in Dickens’novel “David Copperfield”, with a view to shaping the man behind the novel, the writer who corresponded with his readers,   but also the child who visited his father in the debtors’ prison, briefly, the man in relation to the age he lived in. The first part of the paper will focus on introducing the key concepts, the second part will deal with (auto)biographical data in “David Copperfield”, and the last part will contain the conclusions.

Cuvinte-cheie: lucrare, societate, date (auto)biogratice, roman, concept

REZUMAT

Se spune că Charles Dickens a reuşit să dezvăluie prin opera sa literară mai mult decât orice alt istoric ar fi putut vreodată dezvălui prin documente istorice: societatea victoriană cu valorile şi nevoile sale. Dar şi scriitorul făcea parte din această societate pe care a descris-o. Lucrarea reprezintă o încercare de a identifica date (auto)biografice în romanul „David Copperfield” de Charles Dickens, în vederea conturării omului din spatele textului, scriitorul care coresponda cu cititorii săi, dar şi copilul ce şi-a vizitat tatăl în închisoarea datornicilor, pe scurt, omul în relaţie cu epoca în care a trăit. Prima parte a lucrării se va concentra pe concepte-cheie, a doua va fi dedicată datelor (auto)biografice din romanul „David Copperfield”, iar ultima secţiune va conţine concluziile.

LANGUAGE OF PUBLICATION

English

UDC: 821.111-31.09”18”(092)

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Received: September 10, 2009 | Reviewed: September 20, 2009 | Accepted for publication: October 5, 2009

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