Catherine Dickens

Catherine Dickens
Full name	Catherine Thomson "Kate" Dickens
Species	Human
First appearance	Mario's Time Machine (1993)

“Such a silly question! I would venture to say that the whole world knows of Charles by now! You may know him by his pen name, "Boz." I, as his wife, perhaps know him best.”

—Catherine Dickens, Mario's Time Machine (PC)

Catherine Thomson "Kate" Dickens (née Hogarth) was the wife of English novelist Charles Dickens. They married in 1836, and stayed together until their separation in 1858 after accusations of infidelity. Together, they had ten children: Charles Jr., Mary, Catherine Elizabeth, Walter Landor, Francis, Alfred D'Orsay Tennyson, Sydney Smith Haldimand, Henry Fielding, Dora Annie, and Edward. In Mario's Time Machine, she meets Mario after he travels back in time to London in 1843 to return an Inkwell that was stolen from Charles.

History

Mario's Time Machine

According to Mario's Time Machine, Anne Hathaway lived in London in 1843. While she is at a butchery to buy some food for her Christmas dinner, she is visited by Mario. Mario first asks her if she knows the owner of the Inkwell in his possession. She then says that it looks like it belongs to Charles Dickens, who she described as a famed author. Mario asks if anyone knows about Charles, and Catherine incredulously replies that everybody knows him, most of all her since she is his wife. Mario then asks her how life is like as his wife. She mentions their ten children (despite six of them only being born after 1843) and Charles's various works, including The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, and David Copperfield (despite this last novel only being published in 1849), their content often exposing the harsh living conditions in England with a touch of humor and bringing to light the truth about the lives of the rich and poor. Mario is fascinated by this, but despite Catherine wanting to talk more, she is concerned that she does not have enough time to prepare her dinner and goes to leave. Mario then gives her a Watch, and, satisfied that she is not running late, talks to Mario some more. She mentions that Charles is currently working on "The Christmas Carol" (actually A Christmas Carol) and in the spirit of giving, she gives Mario an entire Turkey for free. Mario says that Charles sounds great, but Catherine replies that, despite being an enjoyable person to spend time with, he grew up in a large family with little money and had to work in a factory at a young age; due to his hardships, he wants to give back to the poor. Mario asks if he does so by donating money, and Catherine says that he does that as well as write stories that can affect people's emotions. She ends the conversation by describing Charles as the greatest writer since William Shakespeare.