Dickens frequently featured animals in his novels, highlighting cruelty, loyalty, and innocence. Beyond fiction, he supported humane treatment initiatives and charities. Victorian society increasingly recognized animal welfare, and Dickens’ work contributed to public awareness. He dramatized consequences of abuse while celebrating kindness to creatures. Animals served as narrative devices, moral symbols, and comic relief. Dickens’ advocacy reflected a broader humanitarian philosophy that extended to social reform. His concern for animals reinforced empathy, ethics, and morality across multiple domains.
Literary representation of animals promoted ethical reflection among readers.
It demonstrates the interconnectedness of narrative, morality, and social advocacy in Victorian culture.
Did you know Dickens once campaigned against street vendors mistreating horses in London?
[British Library, britishlibrary.uk]