Written by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol was published first in the year 1843 in Chapman and Hall. The story narrates the emotional, ethical and ideological transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge after he experiences supernatural visits from Jocob Marley and Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Yet to Come. This novel written by Dickens gained extensive success and popularity and was widely acclaimed by critics.
The novel has been written and published in the earlier days of the British Victorian era. This was the time Britain was experiencing an interest in Christmas traditions that had been forgotten and also the time when the customs of Christmas tree and greeting cards were introduced. Several distinct sources have been used by Dickens in the tale. The primary sources among these are the humiliating experiences of Dickens in his own childhood, his sympathetic behavior towards the poor the Christmas stories from Washington Irving. The story of A Christmas Carol was immediately adapted on the stage. It has been credited with restoring holiday to festivities and merriment in America as well as Britain after a time of somberness and sobriety. The fact that the book is even in print on the present day explains the huge popularity that it received from all over the world. Besides the stage, it has been adapted in opera, film and some other media.
The book from Dickens provided a great influence to the rejuvenation of old traditions involved in Christmas in England. The novel urges the reader to have images about warmth, life, joy, light and at the same time it also reminds about the images of despair, death, coldness, death and darkness. Brilliant plotting and characterization supported by the magical writing of Dickens, has placed A Christmas Carol in the list of top 10 novels everyone should read.
