Charles Dickens was a quintessential Victorian author known for his great contributions to classic English literature through his epic stories, vivid characters, and exhaustive depictions of contemporary life. He was born into poverty but became very successful as a writer after his early experiences working in a factory inspired some of his best known novels like David Copperfield. He began his career as a journalist before publishing his first successful work, The Pickwick Papers, in 1836, which launched his career as a renowned author.