Sketches - Classic Text | Alexandria
Sketches by "Boz" stands as Charles Dickens's first published work, a collection of literary sketches and short pieces that appeared initially in various London periodicals between 1833 and 1836, before being compiled and published in book form. The pseudonym "Boz" (rhyming with "rose," not "oz") originated from Dickens's playful nickname for his younger brother Augustus, whom he called "Moses" after a character in Oliver Goldsmith's The Vicar of Wakefield. The nickname, pronounced through the nose, became "Boses" and was later shortened to "Boz."
The sketches emerged during a pivotal period in British journalism when periodical publications were gaining unprecedented popularity among the growing middle class. First appearing in publications like The Monthly Magazine and The Evening Chronicle, these observational pieces captured the kaleidoscopic nature of London life during the 1830s. The collection, published as Sketches by Boz, Illustrative of Every-day Life and Every-day People (1836), marked Dickens's transition from journalist to novelist and established many of the themes and character types that would later populate his major works.
The work consists of numerous vignettes divided into four sections: "Our Parish," "Scenes," "Characters," and "Tales." Through these pieces, Dickens demonstrated his keen eye for social observation and his ability to render both comedy and pathos in his descriptions of London's diverse inhabitants. The sketches range from humorous portraits of local personalities to poignant observations of urban poverty, laying the groundwork for the social criticism that would become a hallmark of his later novels.
The enduring significance of Sketches by Boz lies not only in its historical value as a document of Victorian London but also in its revelation of Dickens's emerging literary voice. Modern readers continue to find in these early writings the seeds of what would become his characteristic style: the sharp social observation, the blend of humor and pathos, and the unforgettable character studies. The work remains a fascinating window into both the development of a literary giant and the vibrant, complex world of early Victorian London, inviting contemporary readers to explore how Dickens's journalistic apprenticeship shaped his evolution into one of literature's most beloved novelists.