The story of the surprisingly fluctuating critical reputation of one of
the great writers of the English language.
Undoubtedly the best-selling author of his day and well loved by readers
in succeeding generations, Charles Dickens was not always a favorite
among critics. Celebrated for his novels advocating social reform, for
half a century after his death he was ridiculed by those academics who
condescended to write about him. Only the faithful band of devotees who
called themselves Dickensians kept alive an interest in his work. Then,
during the Second World War, hewas resurrected by critics, and was soon
being hailed as the foremost writer of his age, a literary genius
alongside Shakespeare and Milton. More recently, Dickens has again been
taken to task by a new breed of literary theoristswho fault his
chauvinism and imperialist attitudes. Whether he has been adored or
despised, however, one thing is certain: no other Victorian novelist has
generated more critical commentary. This book traces Dickens's
reputation from the earliest reviews through the work of early
21st-century commentators, showing how judgments of Dickens changed with
new standards for evaluating fiction. Mazzeno balances attention to
prominent critics from the late 19th century through the first three
quarters of the 20th with an emphasis on the past three decades, during
which literary theory has opened up new ways of reading Dickens. What
becomes clear is that, in attempting to provide fresh insight into
Dickens's writings, critics often reveal as much about the predilections
of their own age as they do about the novelist.
Laurence W. Mazzeno is President Emeritus of Alvernia University,
Reading, Pennsylvania.