SOCIAL INEQUALITY AND INDUSTRIAL CRITICISM IN HARD TIMES: A STUDY OF VICTORIAN SOCIETY AND HUMAN VALUES
Keywords:
Social inequality, industrialization, Victorian society, utilitarianism, human values, working class, Dickens.Abstract
This article examines the representation of social inequality and industrial criticism in Hard Times by Charles Dickens, focusing on how the novel reflects the socio-economic realities of Victorian England. Through its portrayal of class divisions, utilitarian philosophy, and dehumanizing industrial practices, Dickens critiques the moral and social consequences of rapid industrialization. The study explores the contrast between fact and imagination, the exploitation of the working class, and the erosion of human values. Ultimately, Hard Times serves as both a social document and a moral critique, advocating for empathy, compassion, and the restoration of humanity in an increasingly mechanized society.
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