What is the setting of Hard Times by Charles Dickens?

Hard Times is set in London during the Industrial Revolution. Because the novel deals with the societal issues of the time, particularly the plight of the working poor, the novel has two distinct settings which include the setting for the working poor (Coketown) and the middle class. Coketown is perhaps the more distinct of the two settings. It is described as dark, dirty streets of identical red brick buildings. The uniformity and pollution make it impossible to differentiate between the hospital and the laundress. Perhaps what is most striking about Coketown is the black smoke (often described as “serpentine”) that billows from the factory smokestacks. This smoke not only represents the industrialization of London, but on a symbolic level, represents the blindness of the business owners (like Bounderby) who, in their pursuit of wealth, have ignored the plight of their working class.

On the flip side, the Gradgrinds and Bounderbys live in relative wealth. They have large estates surrounded by woods, fields, and plenty of fresh air. However, even though these families have the money to “buy their happiness,” their homes are described as cold and unwelcoming.