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Charles Lamb: Irony and Wit Is The Common Subject of His Essays. Nineteenth Century
Charles Lamb: Irony and Wit Is The Common Subject of His Essays. Nineteenth Century
Charles Lamb belongs to Romantic age. Lamb was a poet, fiction writer
from romantic period and considers one of the most prominent essayists
of all times. He remained one of the prime members of the lake poets
and among all of the poets, William Wordsworth and S. T Coleridge was
his dare and close friends. Although he did not achieve that much
popularity as poet, however, later he utilized his full potential in writing
prose and emerged as one of the best essayist of his era. Lamb is known
for his collection of essays “Essays of Elia.” Elia is the narrator of his
essays.
Charles Lamb is considered one of the best romantic essayists. He is
known as “prince of all essayists” in London. The modern definition of
an essay is derived from Lamb essays. His essays are true example of
comparison of modern essays.
Irony and wit is the common subject of his essays. Nineteenth century
is known for humor and nostalgias theme. His sentence structure shows
that simultaneously he wind up both melancholic as well as joyful sense
of humor in his essays. Due to his distinctive writing style his every
essays is different in style and surprising. His wit did not allow the
readers to make them bored and tiresome.
One of the unique features of Lamb’s is the Autobiographical element.
His essays are basically the revelation of his personality. In addition, his
essays are informal and subjective unlike Bacon whose essays are
formal and objective. Lamb in his famous essay “Christ’s Hospital”
depicted his disgusting or futile experience of school. In his essays he is
mostly talking about himself as a result many writers and readers thinks
that he is egocentric and selfish. However, it is the only subject which he
knows in depth.
Unlike Bacon, Lamb tone is quite distinguished. His essays do not show
advice and didactism. Instead of this, his prime focus is on “philosophy
of life.” His essay does not mean to create pleasure for readers but
himself. Lamb is not an authentic educator or didactic. His wisdom lies
beneath his enduring nature.
Humor, pathos and humanity are the striking features of his essays.
The best example of all time can be observed in “Poor Relation”. He is
a keen observer of the surrounding. His essays are full of excitement and
tragic end. Sometimes he left his essays incomplete and the readers
themselves brought up with their own conclusion. Lamb had witnessed
the struggling life of “Chimney Sweepers” which made him
humoristic. Overall his essays are confusing and the reader is unable to
make distinction between tragedy and comedy.
In a nutshell, as Charles Lamb was from Romantic era so their subject
was regretting past. We saw autobiographical element and events from
his past life. He did not achieve the sovereignty as a poet but remained
an eminent essayist of all time.