The Battle of Life

The Battle of Life: A Love Story, published in 1846, is the fourth in Charles Dickens' series of "Christmas Books," five novellas with strong social and moral messages that he published during the 1840s. It is preceded by A Christmas Carol (1843) The Chimes (1844) and The Cricket on the Hearth (1845) and followed by The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain (1848). The story takes place in an English village that stands upon the site of a historic battle. In this village, Dr. Jeddler, a good-natured widower, lives with his two daughters, Grace and Marion, and their servants, Clemency Newcome and Ben Britain. The story opens on the anniversary of the battle, a day which is not only Marion's birthday but also that of her betrothed, Alfred Heathfield, in the doctor's ward. Alfred is leaving the village to complete his studies and hopes on his return to claim Marion's hand. Three years later, Alfred's Christmas homecoming is marred by the discovery that Marion has vanished and is believed to