Showing results for "Thomas Carlyle" in Literature & Fiction

The French Revolution: A History was written by the Scottish essayist, philosopher, and historian Thomas Carlyle. The three-volume work, first published in 1837 (with a revised edition in print by 1857), charts the course of the French Revolution from 1789 to the height of the Reign of Terror (1793–94) and culminates in 1795. A massive undertaking which draws together a wide variety of sources, Carlyle's history—despite the unusual style in which it is written—is considered to be an authoritative account of the early course of the Revolution. Volume 1 is titled 'The Bastille'

On Heroes, Hero Worship, and The Heroic in History by Thomas Carlyle, is a collection of six lectures given in May 1840 about prominent historical figures. It sets out Carlyle's belief in the importance of heroic leadership, his view of how the world would be if powerful and inspired men were to have the power he thought they deserved. The collection includes figures ranging from religion to literature and politics, and the figures chosen were presented by Carlyle as archetypal examples of individuals who had dramatically impacted history for good or ill.

A short biography (1902) of a famous writer (Carlyle) by another famous writer (Chesterton). The first half exhibits Chesterton’s sly wit as he ruminates upon Carlyle’s work; the second half is straightforward biography. There are a great many pictures and portraits in the physical text. - Summary by David Wales

In the years preceding the French Revolution, the reputation of Queen Marie Antoinette was severely harmed by the publication of details relating to a certain "scandal," involving a Roman Cardinal, a Royal jeweler, and an unscrupulous young woman looking for wealth and prestige. Carlyle, in his typical, wonderfully colorful prose, relates the tale of "The Diamond Necklace" for posterity in this small volume. In his own words: "My attempt was to make reality ideal; there is considerable significance in that notion of mine, and I have not yet seen the limit of it, nor shall till I have tried to ...

The second volume of this famous and idiosyncratic history covers events from October 1789, after Louis XVI has been 'persuaded' to leave Versailles and take up residence in Paris, through to August 1792. By the end of this time, Louis and his family have tried, unsuccessfully, to flee the country, France has been invaded by foreign powers, and anti-royalist French militia have brutally massacred a corps of Swiss Guards seeking to defend Louis and his family in their Paris residence. Louis is imprisoned, and it is clear to all that a three year effort to establish a constitutional monarchy ...

Of this third, and final, phase of the French Revolution, including that period known as The Terror, Carlyle comments "It is unfortunate, though very natural, that the history of this Period has so generally been written in hysterics." Carlyle's own account of the prominent personalities and "two great movements" that dominate this phase of the revolution — "a rushing against domestic Traitors, a rushing against foreign Despots" — spares us none of the drama, yet is surprisingly compassionate and understanding from an author whose own society was riven with social inequalities that might ...

Subtitled "The Bastille", Volume 1 of Thomas Carlyle's three volume "The French Revolution: A History" was first published in 1837, and covers the events of the French Revolution up to the forced move of Louis XVI from Versailles to Paris. While a modern listener not already familiar with the events described here may need some time to get their bearings amidst a sea of unfamiliar names and allusions, Carlyle's idiosyncratic yet justly famous present-tense, quasi-firsthand narrative quickly builds into a gripping, highly dramatic story which contemporary scholars still regard as being ...

Discover the intriguing life of Thomas Carlyle through the lens of another literary giant, G.K. Chesterton. This engaging short biography, originally published in 1902, begins with Chestertons clever and humorous reflections on Carlyles literary contributions, before transitioning into a straightforward account of the authors life. Enriched with numerous illustrations and portraits, this work is a delightful blend of wit and insight that brings Carlyles legacy to life. - Summary by David Wales

Sartor Resartus is one of the most unusual, even quirky, British novels to emerge from the first half of the 19th century. Published in 1836, its varied heritage reflects the earlier eccentricities of Sterne and Swift, mixed with influences from Goethe. Its subject matter is strange: it concerns a book called Clothes: Their Origin and Influence by one Diogenes Teufelsdröckh, a German philosopher. Though Thomas Carlyle became a household name in his lifetime, his comic novel Sartor Resartus would prove to have a lasting effect on contemporary writers.

Part novel, part philosophical treatise, part satire, Sartor Resartus is a masterpiece of 19th-century literature, following in the footsteps of Swift’s Tale of a Tub and Sterne’s Tristram Shandy and a key influence on Melville’s Moby-Dick. Bubbling over with ideas, humour and inventiveness, it is—on the surface—a long-suffering British editor’s skeptical account of a German philosopher’s book, Clothes: Their Origin and Influence, which itself is steeped in German idealism.

This is an essay from the Favorite Essays collection.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was a Scottish philosopher, social commentator, satirical writer, essayist, mathematician, and historian. Latter-Day Pamphlets is a series of essays published in 1850, in which he harshly denounces the political, social, and religious injustices and stupidities of the period. The target of many of the essays is the effect of greed on the culture. Carlyle also attacked the British parliament, democracy and the prison system.

Though uncompromising, polemical and argumentative, Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) made a lasting impact on 19th-century culture as a multi-talented man of letters. And though his lengthy history of the French Revolution proved his major scholarly legacy, On Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History remains perhaps his most popular and accessible work. It presented his deep-seated belief that ‘Universal History, the history of what man has accomplished in this world, is at bottom the History of the Great Men who have worked here’.  

Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Norse history as composed by the Icelanders during their long winters. Their meticulous record-keeping and exquisite penmanship have preserved the sagas of the early Norwegian Kings, filled with drama, valor, and intrigue. Drawing from these sagas, Snorro Sturlesons History of the Norse Kings stands as a testament to the poetic fervor and historical accuracy of these narratives. This podcast is a compilation of these narratives, offering a fascinating glance into a world that was. These notes, adapted from Thomas Carlyles preface by Karen Merline, ...

Here, in this unusual collection, are some of the greatest essays in Western literature. Witty, informative and imaginative, the topics vary from starvation in Ireland, fine China, the extension of railways in the Lake District, and the tombs in Westminster Abbey. A little like after-dinner monologues, they are passing thoughts expressed as journalism. Neville Jason reads with urbane clarity.