“Hard Times” is a social novel written by Charles Dickens during the 19th century outlining the difficulty conditions as well as the people of the time who were shaped by the awful living conditions. The century when the novel was written was characterized by industrial revolution. The industrial revolution was productive, however, provided hard economic times. Dickens’ novel nuances capitalism which benefited a few, utilitarianism as well as class stratification and social mobility.
Industrialization is characterized by exploitation and desperation for the poor people. Charles Dickens’ novel revolves around a city, Coke town, which is supposed to represent the England cities during the industrial revolution. According to Dickens, “Soot falls from factory chimneys covering everything in a blanket of gray ash, while forlorn workers trudge to work in the morning before sunrise,” (11). The factories at the Coke Town reflected the poor working conditions for laborers during the industrialization. On David Perdue's Charles Dickens Page; during the industrial revolution, the poor were forced into working at low wage that only sustained their survival and not development (web).
During industrialization, there existed intellectual and spiritual disturbance within the society and the individuals. Dickens reflects the disagreement that existed between the people that encouraged and promoted material prosperity and those people that strongly believed it was attained out of human exploitation. This was done at the expense of spiritual principles. According to Dickens the Protestants were overpowered by stronger and vigorous Roman church Catholics. He explains the Sleary’s Circus to expose how the common man fight for the Sabbath observance suffered a blow. They were only allowed a day off on Sunday to worship sacrificing their Sabbath observance principle whereby they were to go to church on Saturday. During the period people believed in utilitarianism which was only idealistic. The practical applicbility of what they were told as theory was impossible. Dickens notes that, the prevalence of utilitarianism especially in the education system exacerbated the contempt between laborers and the owners of the mills where they worked (47).
Even though industrialization was productive, it caused human degradation by offering hard conditions that made marriages expensive as well as breaking them. The major improvements in the conditions of working were not intended to benefit the workers but it was what the workers themselves fought for in a longtime. Their employers played what can be referred to as industrial slavery of the ninetieth century as industrial revolution expanded. Dickens in his work, “Hard Times” looks into the cause for divorces and incompatibility that formed the industrialization period marriages of the time. Dickens highlights Stephen Blackpool, his wife and their unstable marriage (76). His wife drinks heavily but Stephen cannot divorce her in order to marry the love of his life, Rachel, since it was really costly to divorce bearing the hard economic times let alone the legal complications. Furthermore was believed to be socially wrong during the 19th century, the century of industrial revolution. Utilitarianism was a self centered philosophy that was combined with capitalism to benefit a few in the education during the 19th century.
Essay two
The industrial revolution marks a very important turn out in the history of many European countries. It was a productive revolution that resulted into greater improvements in the major cities characterized by technological and machinery innovations. During the revolution people shifted from use of hand tools to new and better machines in the chemical manufacturing as well as the iron industry. This was a transitional period that was marked with change from use of firewood to other fuels such as coal. The period lead to the increase in average income as the people experienced a sustainable growth in their economies starting from the Great Britain then to the rest of the Europe and America countries (Hudson 22).
The industrial revolution made major strides in essential industries such as water system. There was efficient water supply as better water wheels were developed after experiments and research by great scientists such as John Smeaton from the Great Britain. The transport sector was not left behind during the historical industrial revolution. Initially water transport was only possible on navigable rivers as well s roads only. Railways had been widely utilized as a means of moving coal but after the industrial revolution canals was constructed. In Britain for instance, a turnpike road was developed indicating major advancements. This facilitated the quick movement of finished products as well as raw materials between the market and the factories. Much production was realized within a short period time and this proved really great success in industrialization.
There has been much success realized following industrialization but the success has been possible at the cost of liberty, equality and fraternity. They are very minimal instances of success in the industrial revolution. Industrialization in Europe was associated with capitalism; the holding of wealth and resources of by a few hands. According to Kemp, the workers received better conditions after their own initiatives for better conditions (19). They were paid subsistence wages which were not enough to see them rise above their normal living standards. Quoting the work of Phyllis, capitalism resulted into inequality, insufficient liberty as well as fraternity (45). According to the “Now, the Twenty-First Century” article, industrialization in Europe is forecast to be characterized by technological advancements with the digital generation. Machines are going to be developed that have only been technologically advanced as opposed to new inventions. The industrial revolution will still remain relevant in the future though to a limited perspective of technology advancements and digitalization.
Works Cited
Deane, Phyllis. The First Industrial Revolution. Cambridge [Eng.: University Press, 2005. Print.
Dickens, Charles. Hard Times. London: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print.
Hudson, Pat. The Industrial Revolution. London: E. Arnold, 2002. Print.
Kemp, Tom. Industrialization in Nineteenth-Century Europe. London: Longman, 2007. Print.
Perdue, David. "Hard Times." David Perdue's Charles Dickens Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2013.
