Charles & Catherine: A Scandalous Marriage reveals the shocking private life of Charles Dickens, the most famous writer of the Victorian era, and the author of A Christmas Carol and David Copperfield. To the public, Dickens appeared a champion of kindness and morality, but behind closed doors, he treated his wife, Catherine, with a cruelty that stunned those who knew the family. After more than twenty years of marriage and ten children, Dickens suddenly turned on her with no warning. He began openly criticizing her weight, ridiculing her looks, and even calling her a pig in conversations with friends. He forced Catherine out of their home with very little money, stripped her of almost all control, and kept most of the children for himself.
Dickens was secretly involved with young actress Ellen Ternan, nearly thirty years younger. Dickens hid Ternan in private apartments rented under false names. He paid all her expenses, bought her gifts, and moved her whenever rumors got too close. Dickens built an entire secret life designed to protect his image while keeping Ternan hidden from the world.
He spread the story that she was unstable, emotional, and unfit. Friends later admitted Dickens even tried to have Catherine placed in an asylum—a move her sister refused, knowing Catherine was completely sane. Dickens then used the newspapers to control the narrative, publishing public statements that blamed Catherine, defended himself, and silenced anyone who questioned him. He had the fame, the money, and the power, and he used all of it to control the story.
The scandal did not end with the separation. When Dickens died he left the real money to Ternan, while Catherine—the mother of his ten children, was pushed aside with far less than she deserved. Catherine was left to rebuild her life alone, carrying the weight of a marriage destroyed by betrayal, secrecy, and public humiliation.
