Thomas Carlyle

Thomas Carlyle
Elliott & Fry · Public domain · source
Name	Thomas Carlyle
Birth date	December 4, 1795
Birth place	Ecclefechan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
Death date	February 5, 1881
Death place	London, England
School tradition	Romanticism, Conservatism
Main interests	History, Philosophy, Literature
Notable ideas	Hero worship, Social commentary
Influences	Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Influenced	Charles Dickens, John Ruskin, Matthew Arnold

Thomas Carlyle was a Scottish philosopher, historian, and writer who played a significant role in the development of Romanticism and Conservatism in the 19th century, influencing notable figures such as Charles Dickens, John Ruskin, and Matthew Arnold. His works often explored the intersection of History, Philosophy, and Literature, reflecting the ideas of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Carlyle's writings were widely read and discussed by intellectuals of his time, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. His ideas on Hero worship and Social commentary continue to be studied by scholars of Oxford University, University of Cambridge, and University of Edinburgh.

● Early Life and Education

Thomas Carlyle was born in Ecclefechan, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, to a family of modest means, and was raised in a Presbyterian household, which influenced his early views on Calvinism and Theology. He attended the University of Edinburgh, where he studied Classics, Mathematics, and Philosophy, and was particularly drawn to the works of Immanuel Kant, David Hume, and Adam Smith. Carlyle's education was also shaped by his interactions with prominent thinkers of the time, including Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns, and James Hogg. After completing his studies, Carlyle worked as a teacher and tutor, eventually becoming a writer and historian, contributing to publications such as The Edinburgh Review and The Quarterly Review.

● Career

Carlyle's career as a writer and historian spanned several decades, during which he produced numerous works on History, Philosophy, and Literature, including studies on The French Revolution, Oliver Cromwell, and Frederick the Great. His writings often explored the lives and ideas of influential figures, such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Martin Luther, and John Knox, and were widely read and discussed by intellectuals of his time, including Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and Charles Darwin. Carlyle's work was also influenced by his interactions with prominent thinkers, including Auguste Comte, John Stuart Mill, and Herbert Spencer. He was a prominent figure in the London literary scene, frequenting establishments such as The Athenaeum and The Reform Club, and engaging in discussions with notable figures like William Makepeace Thackeray, Anthony Trollope, and George Eliot.

● Literary Works

Carlyle's literary works include Sartor Resartus, a philosophical novel that explores the nature of Reality and Human existence, and The French Revolution: A History, a comprehensive study of the French Revolution and its impact on European history. His other notable works include On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History, a collection of lectures on Hero worship and its significance in shaping Human history, and Past and Present, a historical and philosophical study of Medieval England and the Industrial Revolution. Carlyle's writings were widely acclaimed by his contemporaries, including Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and continue to be studied by scholars of English literature and History at institutions such as Harvard University, Yale University, and University of California, Berkeley.

● Philosophical Views

Carlyle's philosophical views were shaped by his studies of Kantian philosophy, German idealism, and Romanticism, and reflect the ideas of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Friedrich Nietzsche. He believed in the importance of Hero worship and the role of great individuals in shaping Human history, as seen in the lives of Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Charlemagne. Carlyle also emphasized the need for Social commentary and critique, as reflected in his writings on The Condition of England and the Social and economic problems of his time, which were influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. His philosophical views continue to be studied by scholars of Philosophy and History at institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Sorbonne University.

● Legacy and Influence

Carlyle's legacy and influence can be seen in the work of numerous writers, historians, and thinkers, including Charles Dickens, John Ruskin, and Matthew Arnold. His ideas on Hero worship and Social commentary have shaped the development of Literary criticism and Historical scholarship, influencing notable figures such as T.S. Eliot, Virginia Woolf, and E.M. Forster. Carlyle's writings have also been studied by scholars of English literature and History at institutions such as University of London, University of Manchester, and University of Birmingham. His influence can be seen in the work of The Fabian Society, The Labour Party, and other organizations that have shaped British politics and Social policy.

● Personal Life

Carlyle's personal life was marked by a long and happy marriage to Jane Welsh Carlyle, a writer and intellectual in her own right, who was a close friend of Elizabeth Gaskell and Charlotte Brontë. The couple lived in Cheyne Row, Chelsea, where they hosted numerous literary salons and gatherings, attended by notable figures such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, and Charles Dickens. Carlyle was also a close friend and correspondent of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and was a frequent visitor to The United States, where he lectured and wrote about American history and Culture. Despite his many accomplishments, Carlyle's personal life was also marked by struggles with Depression and Ill health, which are reflected in his writings and correspondence with notable figures such as Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.