Charles Dickens and Stoic Humility

In todays episode of the female stoic podcast we are discussing Stoic Humility in the novella A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The original publication date for Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is December 19, 1843. It was an instant success, with the first edition selling out by Christmas Eve.  

Like many of Dickens’ other works, A Christmas Carol was written as a work of social commentary. Dickens had a lifelong devotion to helping the underserved due to his own family’s experiences with debtors prison, which forced him to drop out of school as a boy and work at a factory.

As Dickens’ biographer Michael Slater said the author thought of A Christmas Carol as a way to, “help open the hearts of the prosperous and powerful towards the poor and powerless…"

And we could argue this is a Stoic approach to that same sense of loss that Scrooge had. But Dickens triumphs here, because he, as an author, is in alignment with his purpose.  He was proactive in his response to something as devastating as loss and poverty. He chose to align with his Higher self.

So, as we approach Thanksgiving, we begin to think about Gratitude, and how it attracts a sense of Humility.

And what better a literary masterpiece to talk about than A Christmas Carol which was written by Dickens over a period of just six weeks. What an achievement. What a commitment.

So what is Humility?

In Metaphysical and Spiritual Belief Systems, humility is considered a high-frequency emotion that vibrates at a higher level than negative or ego-driven emotions such as pride, anger, fear, guilt, or shame. And as stoics, we understand those emotional responses to external forces, are chaotic, fleeting and have little agency in the protection of our inner peace. 

So, in A Christmas Carol, we have Scrooge working at ground level as it were, where we first see him his exists in a dark and dank place - a metaphorical pit.

And as we travel back in time with the Ghost of Christmas Past, we come to see that this is a result of the ego driven choice, and he wasn’t always languishing at this level.

This is because he has made life choices as a result of an emotional reaction to external forces.

And you might say, well, is greed an emotion?

And I would argue yes, greed is a complex emotional reaction that stems from a desire for more and a dissatisfaction with never having enough, which in this case is linked to  Scrooge’s insecurity and fear over the vulnerability he experienced as a young boy, and his attempt to take control of that.

And of course, this is vibrating at a much lower level than gratitude because it is based on reactivity, and reactivity can only be negative because it relies on the energy of external forces to feed it.

This is not control. This is not protection. This is allowing the walls of out inner citadel to crumble and let the external forces in.

So here in this story, we have Scrooge, with no walls left. And Belle whose walls are stacked high.

Belle is a character I’m pleased to say inhabited on stage a few years ago, and loved every minute of it – SEE PHOTOS 

In Charles Dickens’ timeless novella, she plays a pivotal role that deeply influences Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformative journey. she symbolizes the life Scrooge might have embraced—a life filled with warmth, family, and meaningful human connection. The life of a less reactive man. Her character challenges us to consider what is truly valuable and sets in motion the internal conflict that eventually leads to Scrooge’s redemption.

Belle embodies the gentle voice of morality. Her departure underscores the cost of Scrooge’s choices, providing a clear contrast between a life rich in reaction and one marked by Stoic Virtue.

Now you might say, well, Scrooge experience great loss, and to feel deep pain and make choices as a result of that, is part of the human experience, isn’t it?

And I would say in response, of course. And as Stoics, this does not mean we lack compassion for those who have experienced such pain, or the extreme way they react to that pain. If you are hit, you will smart. Of course. If you are hit again, you will smart again. And then, over time, you will come to understand that being hit is part of life. And the only thing e can control, is how deeply over how long a period of time we allow ourselves to react to that.

Scrooge suffered the hit. He was unloved, poor and lonely. But Dickens is teaching us, his emotional response in not equal to the hit, it is in fact over exaggerated and unnecessarily prolonged.

As Stoics we have the capacity to feel sorrow just as intensely. We know it will be disabling at times. We are not negating the poignancy of this. If anything, we have the power to rationally perceive the true implications of such experiences. And it is because of this that we choose proactivity over reactivity. Because otherwise we know there will be no end to the pain. No resolve, no peace, no ease.

As I have said so many times – this is war. And we must arm ourselves.

And this is what Belle represents. A feminine façade, a pretty covering for an iron citadel. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens portrays her as patience personified. She practises Stoic Acceptance and a true understanding of who Scrooge is. But she understands that her commitment to her inner virtue, her humility which steers her away from greed, and her Stoic refusal to be blindsided into following the same path as the one she loves, mean she can live with herself. She can be at peace.

And that for me, is one of the loudest messages in this novella – humility the understanding of one's place in the world, one’s purpose.

Humility - the quality of having a modest view of one's value or importance.

We are all important in so much as we are part of a bigger picture. A larger force. And if we are vibrating at the right level, if we are in alignment with our true purpose, we understand this and refuse to be drawn into reactivity which leads us away from this.

So, as we think about the power of Humility and how this relates to stoic philosophy, consider re-visiting my free tracks on insight timer meditation app – Christmas with Dickens – A Christmas Carol  to take a trip down memory lane this season and hear about the life Scrooge could have had if he had not been corrupted by greed and the ego.

So to go back to Stoic Philosophy,

If we refuse to be humble, we are in danger of believing we already know the answers, and we are negating the value of our ability to focus on purpose over personal advancement. Through Belle, Dickens uses the virtue of humility to critique the excessive materialism of Victorian society, suggesting that true richness lies in human connection, love, and contentment, not in the pursuit of wealth. 

And so Belles ‘purpose’ here, fulfils the patriarchal role for women, you could argue.

But looking at the narrative from a stoic, less reactive point of view, we can say she is an essential narrative element used to set a juxtaposition between inner peace, and inner turmoil

And we will end today with a quote from one of my favourite authors of all time – C S Lewis, who is quoted as saying,

Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.

If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.²

And to conclude, I think its important to understand as humans we are multi faceted. We may align with more than one purpose. But A Christmas carol teaches us, the true, most powerful, most significant purpose is to love and be compassionate to those closest to us, and practise a humble acceptance of our limitations in order to honour who we are, and what we can give to the world in acceptance of that.