Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870) was one of the foremost writers from the Victorian era and remains a popular widely-read author today. During his lifetime he produced 15 novels, five novellas, and a large number of shorter stories and essays. He wrote from personal experiences and concerned himself with a number of contemporary social issues whilst supporting numerous charitable causes, giving assistance in time, money or personal effort. Our archive of over 400 Charles Dickens quotations are organised by both source material, i.e. the work or speech in which it originally appeared, and also grouped thematically. In this archive, we have collected quotations from Charles Dickens works on the theme of Women.
Click on a quotation for more information, including links to original source, the context in which it appeared, related material and the ability to give each quotation a rating and help us compile the very best Charles Dickens quotations.
Background. “A great many very young girls grown into bold women before they had well ceased to be children.” is a quotation from The Amusements of the People (Part 2). The Amusements of the People was an article, written by Charles Dickens, exploring popular theatre. It was first published in Dickens own weekly magazine Household Words […]
Background. “A lady of what is commonly called an uncertain temper—a phrase which being interpreted signifies a temper tolerably certain to make everybody more or less uncomfortable.” is a quotation from Barnaby Rudge (Chapter 7). Barnaby Rudge was the fifth novel from Charles Dickens, first published in 1841. It is the first of Dickens’s two […]
Background. “Your sex have such a surprising animosity against one another when you do differ.” is a quotation from Bleak House (Chapter 54). Bleak House was the ninth novel by Charles Dickens, intended to illustrate the evils caused by long, drawn-out legal cases in the Court of Chancery. Context. This is quotation is said […]
Background. “There is something about a roused woman: especially if she add to all her other strong passions, the fierce impulses of recklessness and despair; which few men like to provoke” is a quotation from Oliver Twist (Chapter 16). Oliver Twist, subtitled The Parish Boy’s Progress, is the second novel by Charles Dickens, published in […]
Background. “A little dry, brown, corrugated old woman, with a small face that might have been made of walnut-shells, and a large mouth like a cat’s without the whiskers.” is a quotation from Great Expectations (Chapter 11). Great Expectations is Charles Dickens‘s thirteenth novel first published between 1860 and 1861. Context. Description of Miss Sarah […]
Background. “I have made up my mind that I must have money, Pa. I feel that I can’t beg it, borrow it, or steal it; and so I have resolved that I must marry it.” is a quotation taken from Our Mutual Friend (Book 2, Chapter 8). Our Mutual Friend was Charles Dickens‘s fourteenth and […]
Background. “But what was a girl to Dombey and Son! In the capital of the House’s name and dignity, such a child was merely a piece of base coin that couldn’t be invested – a bad Boy – nothing more.” is a quotation from the novel Dombey and Son (Chapter 1). Dombey and Son was Charles […]
Background. “A good uniform must work its way with the women, sooner or later.” is a quotation from The Pickwick Papers (Chapter 37). The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, more commonly now known as simply The Pickwick Papers was Charles Dickens‘s first novel, published between 1836 and 1837. Have Your Say. Give your view on […]
Background. “Miss Knag still aimed at youth, although she had shot beyond it, years ago” is a quotation from Nicholas Nickleby (Chapter 17). The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, more commonly referred to as Nicholas Nickleby, is the third novel by Charles Dickens, originally serialised between 1838 and 1839. Have Your Say. Give […]
Background. “Both ladies had trembled very much, and been marvellously polite – certain indications that they were within an inch of a very desperate quarrel” is a quotation from Nicholas Nickleby (Chapter 20). The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, more commonly referred to as Nicholas Nickleby, is the third novel by Charles Dickens, originally […]
Background. “Every woman in ‘the gardens,’ who has been married for any length of time, must have had twins on two or three occasions; it is impossible to account for the extent of juvenile population in any other way.” is a quotation from Sketches by Boz, Scenes, Chapter 9 (London Recreations). Sketches by Boz is […]
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