Question Home

Position:Home>Books & Authors> Is Charles Dickens the greatest writer of all time?


Question: Is Charles Dickens the greatest writer of all time!?
Mr Dickens wrote his novels over 100 years ago and people are still reading them!. The BBC are covering them and how many movie versions of A Christmas Carol are there!? There is a theme park based on his works in Kent!. There are festivals to remember him and a Museum in London!. Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I think for his particualr genre, there is not other like him!. He wrote stories that have a certain theme and look!. For example, today if you are describing a scene and you say it is "Dickens", automatically, you see a frozen pond with people ice skating with women wearing full dresses and bonnets and muffs!. No other author's name alone describes a particular theme like that!. Generally it is the theme we like to connect to Chrismas because the theme is always snow covered!. But I don't know if this makes him the greatest author of all time but he definately is legendary in what he did!. Maybe he is the best Christmas writer!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm a fan of Dicken's, even more as a person than as a writer!. However I think there is bettter writing out there!.

Anyone who can get themselves associated with Christmas, tends to be disproportionately famous!. No-one would seriously argue that Slade's Merry Xmas or Cliff Richard's forgettable christmas No 1's are even their own best work!. Dicken's wrote several books with a christmas theme, which were not successful, so Christmas Carol was an exception for him!. Writing about children also appeals to a larger audience than most adult themes!.

Dicken's has also had the advantage of having had two of his books turned into masterpieces by possibly the greatest film director of all time, Sir David Lean!.

Dicken's was the world's first artistic superstar, but he could not have reached such a great audience without the prosperity of the British Empire!.

Whilst Dicken's is undoubtably a great author, I alway's wish that he would be equally remembered for is work against poverty and slavery and his promotion of education!.

To answer you question about "A christmas carol", there are about twenty film versions in English!. That does not include short cartoons, lampoons and comic sketches, of which there are many!.

There are other story's which might compete with christmas carol!. Cyrano de Bergerac for example!. Cyrano tends to be retold in a contemporary setting nowadays!. "Roxanne" (Steve Martin,Daryl Hannah), "Student Prince" (Robson Green,Tara Fitzgerald), and "The truth about cats and dogs",(Uma Thurman, Ben Chaplin) are some of the better known versions!.

Wikipedia has a partial list of Christmas Carol productions (see link)

http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/List_of_A_C!.!.!.

=======

My personal feeling about Shakespeare is that he was a great wordsmith with a great body of work to his name!. However his rewriting of history, for political reasons was deplorable!. For that reason alone, I would want to look elsewhere for "The Greatest Writer"!. It pains me to say it as an Englishman, but Voltaire would be a better candidate!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

He's definitely maintained a certain amount of esteem!.

But as far as being the greatest writer of all time, that'll be different for everyone!. I personally think that King is the most amazingly fantastic writer ever, and I don't even like half of his stories!. That man's mind is full of magic, and I respect his work regardless!.

Can't deny Dickens his due, but I've never considered him to be among the greats just because he's on syllabi!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I don't know about the greatest writer of all time, but his work reflects society of his time!. He was a advocate of better living/working conditions of the poor, and these can be seen in his books!. If you ever want to know what conditions were like at the time, read his books, and yes, even watch the TV/movies, and he's a lot easier to understand than Shakespeare !.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Plank,

There are too many 'great' writers out there to choose from!. Many of 'them' will be read 100 years from now, too!. Writers like Dickens are equally remembered the same as the great painters of long ago!. There are some great artists in the world today, but there are very few people (in my mind that is) who can actually name just a few!. Thomas Kinkade comes to mind for me!.

Yes, Charles Dickens was a great writer, but I wouldn't go as far as saying the greatest!.

PJ MWww@QuestionHome@Com

You could argue that!. You could also argue that it's Shakespeare, or Austen, or one of the Bronte sisters, or Tennyson, or Wordsworth!. There's really no such thing as "the greatest writer of all time" - it's down to personal taste!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The movie versions of Christmas carol were very interesting but i did enjoyed "bleak expectations" a radio comedy show that parodied charles dickens's great expectation!Www@QuestionHome@Com

God is the greatest writer of all time!. His books have sold more copies around the world than all other writers put together with readers from all sections of the world!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

One of the greats, yes; greatest ever, no!.

I personally would rate Shakespeare and Tolstoy as better writers!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

William Hazlitt is my new favourite!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

After Shakespeare!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

he's just one of them!. what about Shakespeare, Bronte sisters, Jane Hausten, Wordsworth, Www@QuestionHome@Com

He is among the first 5!. Wonderful writing!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

You know, I've never read them!Www@QuestionHome@Com