Supernatural Elements and Social Criticism in Charles Dickens’s The Chimes

Charles Dickens incorporates supernatural elements in his realistic works. He, therefore, refers to opposite religious and scientific explanations for the existence of unearthly phenomena that prevailed in the Victorian period. However, in The Chimes, one of his ghost stories, he focuses on scientific attitudes to supernatural beings rather than conventional views. He generally relates the main character’s mind and uncanny visions to social problems and inequality which traumatize underprivileged citizens. This study examines the work in relation to the depiction of the supernatural. After a brief discussion of the Victorian attitudes to the eerie and the unknown, it discusses the ways in which Dickens employs supernatural figures, blending them with social criticism.

Cite this article as: Öztekin, S. (2022). Supernatural Elements and Social Criticism in Charles Dickens’s The Chimes. Journal of Literature and Humanities, 69, 94-99.