Hard Times: For These Times is the tenth novel by Charles Dickens, first published in 1854. The book surveys English society and satirises the social and economic conditions of the era. Hard Times is unusual in several ways. Hard Times is set in industrial England at a period when utilitarianism seemed the order of the day. Dickens introduces us to a world of harsh realities and cold, loveless relationships, where still remains an array of humble people of great vitality, who demonstrate how life-denying utilitarianism can be.  Criticizing the materialistic world, this Victorian novel throws light on the value of emotions and the human heart. It has undergone several film and theatre adaptations.