A social protest novel of the nineteenth century, “Hard Times” portrays the tough times that the Hand class and other classes of the British society had to face.
Dickens divide the book into three parts of which the two parts “Sowing” and “Reaping” represent the most significant reality of life that we reap what we sow in life. The third book “Garnering” is paraphrased from the book of Ruth in which Ruth garnered grain in the field of Boaz.
The Nineteenth Century was the age of transformation when the medieval society was into the modern society. The 19th Century was the age when science progressed the most, it was an era of modernization, industrialization, change in government and literature and most importantly, 19th Century was the time when classes such as the hand class struggled to obtain its desired status in the society.
theworks.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENTS:
It was for the first time in history that the suppressed men raised their voices against the government thus rising into power and prosperity. The literature of the period is romantic but what is remarkable about the period and what is beautifully portrayed by the novel by Dickens is the struggle of the oppressed classes of the society and also the ruthlessness of the oppressors.
The oppressors sacrificed their spiritualistitc and materialistic values in oppressing the weak sections of the society. The struggle of the downtrodden is the theme of the novel and dickens has beautifully portrayed the theme. The readers are mesmerized by the writing and can really feel the pain of these oppressed classes when they read about their conditions. There was a time when false religious dogmas prevailed in the society and thus class distinction was considered to be obvious.
What was made clear in this age of transformation was the fact that it is the birth right of every human being to enjoy an equal status in the society and he or she is equal in the eyes of law. People overthrew the capitalist system and equality was now established.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Industrial revolution and political, economic and social unrest is visible in the society of 19th Century. Dickens has portrayed the struggle of the oppressed. This scenario is still true for the people who today are poor and have to live according to the wishes of the rich.
The poor people are forced to work for low wages because they have no other means of livelihood. The novel “Hard Times” has a deep hidden meaning. Each and every human being has to face struggle at one point of his or her life. If that individual decides to give up a miserable life awaits and if that individual decides to fight the adverse circumstances, victory is sure to happen. Dickens in a way motivates the readers not to give up at any point of time to succeed in life.