Dickens' Hard Times is set against the backdrop of England in the era of industrialization. It was a period in which facts and statistics were preferred over whims and fancies. The protagonist, Thomas Gradgrind is a stickler for facts and figures. He brings up his children with the same values and takes decisions for them based on materialistic gain. Trouble begins with his marrying off his daughter to a wealthy man who is old enough to be her father. In search of love and affection his daughter is an embittered individual who attempts seduction of an unprincipled politician. She returns to Gradgrind who realises his mistake. Gradgrind's cup of woes continues to flow as his son driven by greed embezzles his employer's money and is forced to flee the country.
Dickens proves his unparalleled ability to present the social and industrial problems of Victorian England. He tells his story with characteristic sharpness and clarity of views.
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