themes of charles lamb's essays

10 Best Charles Lamb Essays You Should Read

Charles Lamb, one of the most prominent essayists of the 19th century, possessed an uncanny ability to blend personal anecdotes, humour, and thoughtful observations into engaging prose. His essays, most famously collected in “Essays of Elia,” offer a window into his soul, his environment, and the society he lived in. Lamb’s style is notable for its intimacy, charm, and accessibility, which not only captivated his contemporaries but continues to enchant modern readers.

Lamb’s works often transcend the mundane, transforming ordinary subjects into profound literary explorations. Whether he is humorously dissecting the discovery of a roast pig or poignantly dreaming of the children he never had, Lamb’s essays resonate with an emotional depth that is both entertaining and insightful. He wrote during a period of significant societal changes in England, and his works reflect a keen awareness of the evolving human condition, interweaving personal experiences with broader social commentary.

To immerse oneself in Lamb’s essays is to take a delightful journey through a landscape filled with wit, wisdom, and warmth. The following list of his best essays showcases the range and richness of his talent. From nostalgia for his school days to reflections on retirement, Lamb’s essays offer a multifaceted view of a man deeply engaged with the world around him. Readers will find humour, empathy, and profound reflections on life, all crafted with the gentle touch of a master essayist.

1. Dream-Children: A Reverie

In “Dream-Children: A Reverie,” Lamb engages in a fanciful dialogue with children he never had. He paints an idyllic picture of family life, filled with love and tender moments, only to reveal in the end that the children are mere figments of his imagination. The delicate fantasy is constructed with a wistful longing that reaches out and touches the reader’s heart.

The essay is deeply autobiographical and provides insight into Lamb’s personal life and his unfulfilled desire for a family of his own. It’s an exploration of dreams and reality, a melancholic yet beautiful reverie that stands as a testament to Lamb’s ability to move his readers.

2. A Dissertation upon Roast Pig

In this whimsical essay, Lamb concocts a fictional origin story for mankind’s love of a roasted pig. It’s a delightful tale that is at once absurd and profound, bringing together cultural commentary, satire, and humour in a way that only Lamb could.

“A Dissertation upon Roast Pig” serves as a humorous reflection on culinary tastes, human discovery, and societal norms. Lamb’s masterful storytelling and playful language make this essay a feast for the literary palate, engaging readers with its inventive narrative and underlying wisdom.

3. Old China

“Old China” is a delicate and sentimental reflection on Lamb’s past, viewed through the lens of his favourite china pieces. He explores the connection between these material objects and the memories they evoke, weaving a rich tapestry of emotions, thoughts, and experiences.

The narrative also delves into a dialogue between Lamb and his sister, touching on themes of wealth, simplicity, and change. Through “Old China,” Lamb provides a touching portrayal of the human tendency to cling to the past and the often complex relationship we have with the objects around us.

4. The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers

Lamb’s compassionate view of society shines through in “The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers.” This essay paints a vivid picture of the young chimney sweepers, acknowledging their hardship while celebrating their innocence and joy.

What sets this essay apart is Lamb’s humanizing portrayal of these children, often overlooked and marginalized in society. By offering praise and understanding, he gives dignity to their existence and invites readers to reflect on social injustices and our shared humanity.

5. The Superannuated Man

Retirement and freedom are at the core of “The Superannuated Man.” In this reflective piece, Lamb examines the transition from a life of labour to one of leisure, articulating both the joys and anxieties that accompany this significant life change.

His profound insights into the human need for purpose and balance provide a timeless meditation on aging, work, and personal fulfilment. It’s a contemplative essay that speaks to anyone who has ever pondered the complex relationship between work and identity.

6. The South-Sea House

“The South-Sea House” is a vibrant depiction of the London South Sea House, where Lamb briefly worked. Through keen observations and intricate details, he paints a vivid image of this place and its peculiar inhabitants, making it come alive for readers.

This essay showcases Lamb’s descriptive prowess and his talent for capturing the essence of places and people. It’s more than a mere description; it’s a window into a world filled with character and history, reflecting Lamb’s astute understanding of human nature.

7. The Old and the New Schoolmaster

In “The Old and the New Schoolmaster,” Lamb contrasts two types of educators: the stern, traditional teacher and the modern, compassionate figure. Through this comparison, he explores changes in educational philosophy and practice, highlighting the evolving needs of students.

The essay serves as both a social critique and a personal reflection on education. Lamb’s thoughtful observations and engaging style allow readers to ponder the essential qualities of good education and the role of the teacher in shaping young minds.

8. Christ’s Hospital Five and Thirty Years Ago

Christ’s Hospital, where Lamb was educated, is fondly remembered in “Christ’s Hospital Five and Thirty Years Ago.” The essay is imbued with nostalgia as Lamb recounts the customs, traditions, and people that shaped his formative years.

With a deep sense of affection for his alma mater, Lamb provides a rich historical perspective, weaving personal anecdotes with broader insights. It’s a loving tribute to a place that was integral to his development as a writer and a human being.

9. New Year’s Eve

In “New Year’s Eve,” Lamb muses on the passage of time, eloquently reflecting on the bittersweet nature of saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new. His contemplative voice resonates with readers as he explores themes of hope, continuity, and the inexorable march of time.

This essay, rich in metaphor and emotional depth, is a timeless meditation on the human condition. It encapsulates the feelings that many experience as one year transitions into the next, making it a piece that continues to resonate with readers of all ages.

10. The Old Benchers of the Inner Temple

“The Old Benchers of the Inner Temple” brings to life the legal figures of London’s Inner Temple. Lamb’s descriptive skill and keen eye for detail present these characters with warmth, humour, and humanity, turning what might be a dry subject into a delightful narrative.

Each character in the essay is carefully sketched, creating a colourful portrait of this unique legal community. Through this essay, Lamb not only offers a glimpse into the legal world of his time but also showcases his exceptional talent for turning ordinary subjects into engaging literary explorations.

Charles Lamb’s essays are a masterful collection of literary art, filled with personal reflections, humour, social commentary, and timeless wisdom. From whimsical tales to profound musings, his works reveal an author deeply in tune with the human condition, capable of transforming ordinary experiences into extraordinary narratives. His keen observations, empathetic portrayals, and elegant prose continue to make his essays relevant and resonant.

The essays highlighted in this article offer a comprehensive view of Lamb’s literary genius, showcasing his ability to engage, entertain, and enlighten readers. Whether exploring societal norms or delving into personal dreams and memories, Lamb’s essays invite readers into a world filled with insight and imagination. His legacy as an essayist is a testament to the power of words to transcend time and place, providing a bridge between the author’s 19th-century England and the universal human experience. His works continue to be a source of inspiration and enjoyment for readers, confirming his place among the great English writers.

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Essays of Elia by Charles Lamb – review

A humble clerk with the East India Company for much of his life, Charles Lamb (1775-1834) came into his own writing essays "under the phantom cloud of Elia". This assumed name, borrowed from another clerk, enabled him to put the full resources of his wit at the service of a form to which he was temperamentally suited, and made his own.

Tragic domestic circumstances bound Charles to his sister Mary, with whom he lived "in a sort of double singleness", after she stabbed their mother to death in a fit of madness. Contrasting his tastes in reading with those of his sister, who "must have a story – well, ill, or indifferently told", Lamb confides that "out-of-the-way humours and opinion – heads with some diverting twist in them – the oddities of authorship please me most". Montaigne, whose presence hovers over the Essays of Elia (1823), would have approved.

Lamb's nimble, cadenced prose, with its occasional antiquated turn of phrase, exhibits the same curious mixture of erudition and colloquialism, of seriousness and jest, as that of his French predecessor. For his unruly "little sketches", Lamb, like Montaigne, quarries his own experience, his circle of acquaintances and relatives thinly disguised beneath initials and pseudonyms, just like Elia himself.

Evoked with rare sensuality, the minutiae of everyday life – a card game in "Mrs Battle's Opinions on Whist", the ritual of saying "Grace Before Meat", the perils of lending books in "The Two Races of Men" – are all grist to his mill. Essays of Elia certainly lends itself to repeated reading, and when Lamb's popularity was at its height, his Victorian and Edwardian readers could recite entire passages. Thanks to this elegant new Hesperus edition, Charles Lamb's forgotten masterpiece is ripe for rediscovery.

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Charles Lamb as an essayist

Charles Lamb, born in 1775, is a distinguished English essayist whose life and work left an indelible mark on the literary landscape of the 18th century. Amidst personal challenges such as familial responsibilities and intermittent struggles with mental health, Lamb found a creative outlet in collaboration with his sister, Mary Lamb. Together, they produced a collection of essays that showcased Lamb’s unique blend of wit, humor, and profound insights into human nature. Lamb’s essays, notably compiled in “Essays of Elia,” reflect a personal touch, weaving autobiography seamlessly with literary criticism and social commentary. His writing style is characterized by a warmth and intimacy that draws readers into his reflections on everyday life. As an essayist, Lamb’s contributions transcend his era, capturing the complexities of the human experience with eloquence and enduring relevance.

Table of Contents

Essays of Elia

Charles Lamb’s collection “Essays of Elia,” which was published in the early 1800s, is regarded as a literary masterpiece that perfectly captures the spirit of Lamb’s unique essayistic approach. Published under the pseudonym Elia, the collection provides a varied and detailed examination of Lamb’s social observations, literary criticism, and personal views. The essays in this collection, which range from lighthearted tales to deep reflections, give readers a multifaceted and frequently funny viewpoint on the complexity of human existence.

Read More: Romanticism in English Literature

A few of the essays in “Essays of Elia” have received special recognition for their literary value. Notable examples are “A Dissertation upon Roast Pig,” a charming and sarcastic investigation of culinary indulgence, and “Dream-Children: A Reverie,” where Lamb expertly combines fiction and meditation on the truths of life. Lamb’s ability to combine a charming sense of humor with deep intellectual insight is evident in these and other essays, which have left a lasting impression on the literary world and solidified his reputation as one of the greatest essayists of all time.

Use of humor and wit

One thing that unites Charles Lamb’s essays is his grasp of wit and comedy. This sets his works apart in the field of English literature. One of Lamb’s best examples of humor is in his essay “A Dissertation upon Roast Pig.” In this essay, Lamb investigates the Chinese guy Bo-bo’s inadvertent discovery of roasted meat in a hilarious way. Along with engaging readers with a subtle sarcastic remark on human indulgence, Lamb’s humorous narrative and the strangeness of the circumstance produce a hilarious effect.

Lamb’s essay “Mrs. Battle’s Opinions on Whist” is another excellent illustration of his wit. In this essay, he humanizes the game of whist by giving the cards human traits and viewpoints. In addition to being witty, Lamb’s deft use of satire offers a funny reflection on the societal conventions surrounding card games in his day. The essay turns into a lighthearted investigation of how we prefer to give inanimate objects meaning and personality.

Personal and autobiographical elements

Essays by Charles Lamb are distinguished by an overabundance of autobiographical and personal details, which give his work a cohesive and approachable feel. An important illustration of this is the essay “Dream-Children: A Reverie.” In order to explore the issue of unmet familial bonds, Lamb imagines a fictional family and muses on his own childless state. As Lamb struggles with his own circumstances, the autobiographical touch is evident and adds an emotional mix of longing and nostalgia to this narrative. Lamb crafts a thorough examination of the intricacies of family and human connection by incorporating his personal experiences into the essay’s narrative.

Read More: Romantic Age in English Literature

Lamb’s personal touch can also be seen in “Old China.” He recalls his bonding with an antique set of china dishes in this essay. Lamb expresses his emotive attachment to inanimate objects through this seemingly unimportant topic, giving readers a peek into his distinct outlook on life. This essay’s autobiographical components highlight Lamb’s gift for seeing the meaningful in the everyday.

Reflection on everyday life and human experiences

Charles Lamb’s essays demonstrate his astute ability to analyze the broader context of daily existence and draw lessons from seemingly ordinary events. In the essay “The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers,” Lamb raises a mundane occupation—that of the chimney sweeper—to the level of a metaphor for childhood’s innate innocence and purity. He provides a moving remark on social perceptions of labor and the strength of the human spirit. An other example of Lamb’s contemplation on ordinary existence can be found in “New Year’s Eve.” Here, reflecting on the change from one year to the next, he thinks on the passage of time and the cyclical nature of human existence. Lamb’s findings are universally resonant because of his introspective examination of the temporal flow, which captures the essence of shared human experiences.

Use of allusion and symbolism

A master of literary style, Charles Lamb uses a range of techniques to enhance his writings and leave a lasting impression on the readers. In “Dream-Children: A Reverie,” he emphasizes the concept of unachievable familial pleasure by referencing biblical and classical themes, such as the weddings of cousins Adam and Eve. The subtle anchors provided by these allusions encourage readers to explore wider cultural and philosophical settings, which enriches Lamb’s narrative. His works are also full of symbolism. For example, in “Old China,” the ancient china dishes have a symbolic meaning that relates to the enduring connections he discovers in inanimate items. 

Exploration of Lamb’s use of irony and satire

Lamb’s essays are further characterized by a clever use of satire and irony that lends a degree of complexity and critique to his reflections. In “A Dissertation upon Roast Pig,” Lamb uses satire to ironically examine social conventions related to food preparation, parodying human nature and excesses through accidental discovery of roasted pig. His use of irony is particularly evident in “The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers,” in which he satirically extols the merits of chimney sweepers to draw attention to the social inequities these unrecognized laborers endure. By using these techniques, Lamb shows that he has a deep understanding of the ability of satire and irony to reveal more profound truths while also drawing readers into a thought-provoking investigation of human behavior and cultural standards.

Examination of his prose style and language choice

Furthermore, a close reading of Lamb’s language choice and prose style reveals a unique and compelling narrative voice. The conversational tone of Lamb’s writing entices readers into an intimate and personal interaction. His use of words demonstrates a wide vocabulary and a deft touch between eloquence and simplicity, resulting in a literary texture that appeals to readers of all ages. Lamb’s ability to seamlessly blend literary devices with a captivating prose style contributes to the enduring appeal of his essays as both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant works of literature.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Charles Lamb emerges as a distinguished essayist whose influence echoes down the halls of literary history. His essays, which stand out for their singular fusion of wit, humor, and deep reflection, have left a lasting impression on the annals of literature. Lamb’s examination of both the common and extraordinary, along with his astute observations of human nature, established his position as a key figure in the development of the essay as a literary form. 

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Charles Lamb

Charles Lamb was an English poet, essayist, antiquarian. He is famous for his essays Elia and books tales of children from Shakespeare. He co-authored Tales of Shakespeare with his sister, Mary Lamb.

Lamb was a prominent figure of major literary circles in England. He was a friend with notable literary celebrities such as Robert Southey, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Hazlitt, and William Wordsworth. His principal biographer E. V. Lucas referred to him as “the most lovable figure in English literature.”

Charles Lamb Biography

Charles Lamb was born on 10 th February 1775, in London. In 1782, he attended Christ’s Hospital at the age of seven. It was a free boarding school to educate poor children. He befriended his school mate Samuel Taylor Coleridge. In 1789, he left school. He was appointed as a clerk in the East India Company, and he worked there for the next thirty-three years of his life.  

Lamb’s sister Mary Lamb stabbed their mother who died in a moment of fretful anger on 22nd September 1796. Mary was temporarily insane and put her in the custody of Charles. In 1799, their father died, and Mary Lamb started living with Charles Lamb for the rest of her life. The only time when Mary was not living with Charles was when she was put in the asylum for the treatment whenever her illness recurred. Lamb was a lifelong guardian of Mary and did not marry because of her. In 1795, he also spent six weeks in an asylum during the winter. His life was badly shattered, and he became an alcoholic. It was his guardianship and responsibility to his sister that he could get a hold on his own sanity.

In 1796, Lamb started his literary career with the publication of his four sonnets by Coleridge in his first volume, Poem on Various Subjects . Lamb published A Tale of Rosamund Gray, a sentimental romance, in 1798 with Charles Lloyd in a volume Blank Verse . Lamb started contributing short articles to newspapers in London by 1901. He had also started writing plays in an attempt to overcome his poverty. He published a blank verse play John Woodville   in 1802, which was not successful. In December 1806, Lamb’s two-act circus play, Mr. H. , met great admiration at the Drury Lane Theatre.

Charles and Mary together published a collection Tale from Shakespeare in 1807. The collection was a prose adaptation of the plays of Shakespeare for children. The collection was admired by both young and old readers. With the success of this collection, Charles published a children’s version of Homer’s Odyssey and The Adventures of Ulysses in 1808. Another collection in collaboration with Mary was published in 1809 titled Mrs. Leicester’s School, and Poetry for Children .

In 1808, Charles Lamb started a new career by editing the collection Specimens of the English Dramatic Poets Who Lived About the Time of Shakespeare. His comments on this work established his reputation as a critic, and revival in the study of Shakespeare’s contemporaries was started. In 1881, he published other critical books such as “The Tragedies of Shakespeare,” and “On the Genius and Character of Hogarth” in the journal of Leigh Hunt. He published a two-volume collection, The Works of Charles Lamb, in 1818. It is ironic that his literary career has not begun yet.

Lamb has not yet achieved his literary fame; he and Mary were much happy with life. They would invite their friends at their place at Inner Temple Lane to late Wednesday night gatherings. The gatherings would include the Romantic authors William Wordsworth, Coleridge, William Hazlitt, Robert Southey, and Hunt. Lamb also wrote the best letters to these friends in the same year that later got published. These letters were filled with critical comments and revealed the humoristic personality of Lamb.

It was these letters that prepare him for the forthcoming fame as an essayist. He wrote a series of immensely popular essays from 1820 to 1825 in London Magazine. The essays were written under a pseudonym Elia. These essays, like his letters, reveal his humorist personality, emotions, thoughts, and his experiences of life and literature. He also writes on disturbing subjects. His writing deals with past memories to create a sense of stability, calmness, and changelessness in his personality. His essays are implicitly nostalgic and melancholic, along with explicit humor, wit, and humanity. He has a bittersweet tone and remains the hallmark of his literary style. The famous essays he wrote in this time were “Witches and Other Night-Fears,” “A Dissertation upon Roast Pig,” and “Dream Children.”

Mary and Lamb adopted an orphan girl Emma Isola in 1823. Lamb shifted to London for the first time in August 1823. His health was continuously deteriorating, and his prolonged illness during 1824 caused him to retire from the East India Company. He spent his time with Emma Isola on walking trips around Hertfordshire. 

In 1833, Lamb shifted to Edmonton to take care of his sister Mary who had been receiving frequent mental attacks. In the same year, Lamb also ended his literary career by writing the last Essay of Elia. Emma Isola married Edward Moxon, a friend of Charles, in the same year, leaving him lonely and depressed. The depression and loneliness got intense with the death of his friend Coleridge in 1834. After five weeks of Coleridge’s death, Lamb also died on 27 th December 1834. 

Charles Lamb’s Writing style:

The French writer, Montaigne, was the father of the essay, and in the English language, essay writing was introduced by Francis Bacon. The essays of Bacon are very different from that of his model Montaigne. The essays of Montaigne are self-revelatory, tolerant, and humoristic. Whereas, Bacon’s essays are didactic with serious and objective style.  

With Bacon, the essay writing in England took the wrong direction, and for almost two centuries, it was slowly moving towards the original pattern set by Montaigne. However, with the essays of Romantic essayists, the essay writing became highly personal, lyrical in nature, and humoristic. And there has been no significant change in essay writing from then onwards.

Charles Lamb is one of the eminent romantic essayists . He has been referred to as the “ prince of all essayists ” of England. He is called essayist par excellence by Hugh Walker, whose essays must be taken as a model for writing essays. The existing definition of an essay is derived from the essays of Lamb, and his essay is put into criteria for judging the excellence and merit of any essayist . Though he is not as genius as Bacon, brilliant as Thomas Browne, clear as Addison, and energetic as Dr. Johnson, he is most charming of the essayists and excelled from all the essayist’s inability to catch the attention of readers.

A well-known literary figure of the 19 th century Romanticism, Charles Lamb is primarily known for his essays of “Elia.” His essays are well-known for irony and wit of common subjects . His works were noticeably known throughout the 19 th century and the 20 th century for his humorous peculiarities and nostalgia. With his essays, he brought unique warmth in prose of the English Language, which was previously considered to be dull and boring. He uses intense, screaming, and sneering sentences with rounded glow, which makes it melancholic and welcoming at the same time. Lamb uses the genre of prose for his “ personal essays .” He wrote about those things which tormented him most and extracted literary delightfulness from it. He talked about his drunkenness and resentment in beautiful sentences.

Charles’s land has a “quaint” or old fashioned style because of its strangeness. He imitated the style of 16th and 17 th writers like Milton, Fuller, Burton, Sir Thomas, and Isaac Walton. He also uses the diction and rhythm of these writing according to the subject he is dealing with, due to which, the style of every essay of Lamb is changed. He makes his style charming and prevents it from becoming tiresome and boring. Due to the continuously varying mood, his style is surprising. The following are the distinctive characteristics of Charles Lamb.

Self-revelation in Charles Lamb’s Essays

Charles persistently reveals everything about him to his readers in his essays. This is the striking feature of Bacon’s essays. The shift, from Bacon to Lamb, in the style of essays lies primarily in the shift from formality to informality and objectivity to subjectivity.

Among all of the essays, Charles Lamb is the most autobiographical. For him, his life is full of content to write the essays on. He would repeatedly say the Montaigne words about himself: -“I myself am the subject of my book”. Though, the evolution from objectivity to subjectivity in the essays was initiated by Abraham Cowley by writing the essay “Of Myself,” Charles Lamb completed the evolution. 

His essays contain the bits of his life and mending together these bits, an authentic picture of his life can be obtained. There is no essayist born yet who is more personal than Charles Lamb. His essays fully revealed the experiences, whims, past associates and prejudices that he discussed. In the essay “Night Fear,” Lamb portrayed himself as a superstitious and timid boy. Likewise in his essay, “Christ’s hospital,” he revealed his disgusting experiences of school.  

He introduced his various family members in his essay “My Relation,” Poor Relations,” and the Old Benchers in the Inner Temple. He discusses his time of adolescence in the essay “Mockery End in Hertfordshire”; professional life in “The, Superannuated Man” and “The South-Sea House.” His essay “Dream Children” is full of his sentimental memories of pathos.

 He talks about his predispositions in the essay “The Confessions of a Drunkard” and “Imperfect Sympathies.” His essays “Grace before Meat,” and “A Dissertation upon Roast Pig” are his humoristic essays on gourmandize. In the essay “Dream Children,” Lamb is having a reverie about his imagined children that would have been born if he married his beloved Alice, referring to his attachments with Ann Simmons. When the reverie ends, he says that he found himself sitting quietly in his bachelor arm-chair. He had fallen asleep in the chair with a devoted Briget sitting unchanged from his side but his brother John L was gone forever. 

In his essays, Lamb is excessively obsessed with himself that made readers assume that he is egocentric, selfish, and his writing is inartistic and vulgar. Apart from this, Lamb is also egotist, which makes him write offensive accounts. However, his egotism does not have any vulgarity.

Indeed, Lamb is egotist; however, he is not aggressive. He only talks about himself in his essay because it is the only subject he knows closely, not because it assumes himself to be more important than any other subject. Therefore, the egotism of Charles Lamb is not because of arrogance, but because of humility.

The familiarity of Tone in Charles Lamb’s Writings

Charles Lamb started a trend of using Familiar tone in English essays than a formal tone. This trend was then followed by almost all of the essayists. Campton-Rickett says that there was not any other man famous in print media that Lamb and he turned the ordinary conversation into fine art. 

The button holding familiarity with Charles Lamb greatly charms the readers. He writes as if he is playing with his readers in a naughty manner, always takes his readers into confidence, and shares his feelings with them. Before Charles Lamb, there is an obvious distance between the writer and readers in the essays. Addison and Francis Bacon wrote his essays as if they were delivering the sermon to the readers standing below them. In the essays of Cowley, the distance between the readers and writer was significantly reduced; Charles Lamb completely eliminated the distance. Charles Lamb addresses his readers as “dear readers.” It appears as if he is addressing his friends.  It mocks the familiar English narrow-mindedness and talks to his readers, treating them as men and his friends. His tone of familiarity makes his essay pleasant and Lamb best of associates.

No Didacticism in Essays of Charles Lamb

Charles Lamb does not use his essays for teaching didactic purposes. Essayist before Lamb would use prose mainly for didactic purposes; however, Lamb completely shed this approach in his essays. Because of the didactic nature, Bacon calls his essays counsel civil and moral. The didacticism of Bacon is intense and needs explanations. However, Lamb does not offer nor pretend to offer moral and civil counsels. Lamb’s essays do not carry any “philosophy of life.” He gives personal opinions and views, but they are not on purpose to be examined but just to give an insight into his mind.

Camnian, in his views about Charles Lamb, says that Lamb is neither a psychologist nor a moralist; his purpose of writing not analysse, research or confess. He is nothing but an artist. By his writing, he does not aim to save the pleasure of his readers but himself. 

Lamb is not an absolute educator or didactic. However, he does have sound wisdom that he concealed under the good tolerant nature. He appears to be a fool in the play King Lear and Twelfth Night , whose apparently funny and weird words are saturated with surprising sanity. A critic states that though Lamb often put the cap and bells, he was more than a joker or jester; his jokes were full of wisdom. 

In his essay “Character of Late Elia,” Charles Lamb gives a character sketch of apparently dead Elia saying that he would include a light humor or joke in the serious decision, however, the jokes would not be irrelevant or hard to understand. 

The confused Nature of Charles Lamb’s Essays

Charles lamb essays are of confusing nature and light in touch. This marks his essay distinguished from the rest of the essayist. Charles Lamb does not adhere to the point. He is continuously moving from one point to another. He sometimes ends his essay at a point, which is totally surprising for the readers. He could easily end his essay at any point. Critics and readers criticize Francis Bacon for his distributed thought in essays. However, Lamb knocks down everyone in his outrageous freeness.

His essay “The Old and the New School-master” is the best example of his outrageous freeness in essays. The essay is apparently written to compare the new and the old schoolmaster; the first two pages of the essay are an exaggerated and outrageous description of Lamb’s own ignorance. The point to ponder is what is the connection between Lamb’s ignorance and the subject of the essay? 

Similarly, in the essay “Oxford in the Vacation,” a great portion is dedicated to the account of Dyer, his friend. The essay of Charles Lamb is hardly well-patterned and artistic wholes. His essays do not have a proper beginning, middle, and end. Lamb describes his essays as “ a sort of unlocked inundated thing.”

Though the essays do not have artistic designs, they have a touch of spontaneity. This makes his essays lyrical and appealing to the readers.

Humor, Pathos, and Humanity

The humor, pathos, and his sense of humanity in Charles Lamb’s essays are the distinctive features that make him different from his contemporary writers. Lamb’s essays are rich in humor, fun, and wit. In the edition of the Introduction to Essays of Elia , the critics, Hill and Hallward, write that the terms humour, wit, and fun are confused most of the time, however, they are completely different in meaning. Wit is based in intellect, humous on sympathy, and fun is based on activeness and freshness of both mind and body. The writing of lamb has all these three qualities, however, what distinguishes him most is his humor. His sympathy is always strong and vigorous. 

A charming atmosphere is created in the Lamb’s essays with humor and associated sweetness drawn along with. The fluctuating style of essays ranges from Rabelaisian verboseness, mischievous attempts at mystification, playful pun, and ridiculous frivolity to the subtle irony which penetrates the heart of readers. The best example of his wit and humor is his essay “Poor Relation.” In the book English Humor, J. B. Priestly says that he has embodied the English humor deeply and tenderously. He does not master humor easily, but it is as if he has plucked the white flower from a dangerous nettle.

Humor is also part of the writings of other writers, however, Lamb’s humor is closely aligned with the pathos that mark it distinguishes from others. He is making fun of things, but he is also aware of the tragic nature of life (life in general, not particularly his own). That is why he has a “tearful smile.” He has witnessed the hard and struggling lives of chimney sweepers and the boys at Christ’s Hospital, which made him deeply humanistic. His descriptions of these events are really touching. However, it is also accompanied by humor, and therefore, it has prismatic effects. His treatment of events in such a way momentarily washes away the tragedy of real life. The overall effect of his essays is confusing as the readers do not know what id tragedy and what comedy is.

 Charles Lamb as a Remarkable Borrower

Another peculiarity of Lamb’s style, which belongs to him but is not his own. He remarkably borrowed his style from his predecessors. Lambs were greatly influenced by the writers of the “old world.” These writers include Sir Thomas Browne and Fuller. Though his style is archaic, it is natural. He used elongated and rambling sentences like the writers of the 17 th century. He, most of the time, uses old words if not out-dated. Charles has borrowed style, but his borrowed style belongs to him. A critic comments about his style as: “The blossoms are culled from other men’s gardens, but their blending is all Lamb’s own.”

The Chemistry of Lamb’s Literary Style

Ideas that passed through the imaginations of Lamb turned out to be fresh and unique. The style of Lamb is a mixture of many styles, and this mixture is not a mechanical mixture but a chemical mixture. His writing style extracts romantic colors from the inspiration of old writers, which is then intensified by strong imagination.

Like Wordsworth, he chooses his ordinary subject and with fanciful imagination makes it interesting and romantic. It is the process of “romanticizing” his subject that makes his essays interesting. Otherwise, the subject of everyday life would make his essays boring. He is not only a romantic essayist but also a romantic poet.

Works Of Charles Lamb

• Dream Children
• Poor Relations

Charles Lamb: Essays

By charles lamb, charles lamb: essays summary and analysis of "a dissertation upon roast pig".

The narrator opens the essay by asserting that for a long period of early human history, people did not cook their meat but ate it raw. He claims that this was hinted at in the writings of Confucius, who mentioned an era known as the "cook's holiday," implying that the Chinese did not cook animals prior to his writings. According to the narrator, Confucius' essay goes on to describe how roasting was discovered by Bo-bo , the son of swineherd Ho-ti.

Bo-bo was one day playing with fire, as he was wont to do, and accidentally burned down his family's cottage along with the nine pigs that were trapped in the blaze. While trying to devise an explanation for what happened, Bo-bo was tempted by the smell of the burnt pigs and went to taste them. He found these burnt pigs delicious and could not stop eating them. Ho-ti was not just upset with Bo-bo for burning down the cottage, but for being enough of a fool to eat the pigs. Bo-bo eventually convinced his father to try the pig, and the father loved it too, but they agreed to keep the burnt pigs a secret. Yet, more and more frequently, a cottage fire could be seen at Ho-ti's property, at all hours of the day and night.

When their secret was found out, Ho-ti and Bo-bo were placed on trial in their town. During this trial, the jurors asked to try the burnt pig in question, and finding it delicious, they decided to let the father and son off. The judge was outraged, but a few days later there was one of those mysterious fires at his house too. Soon enough, these fires were occurring all around town, and the burnt pig became a cherished food.

Done with this history, the narrator begins singing the praises of roast pig, speaking of the crackling skin and succulent fat. He draws a humorous link between the swine—so often considered a gluttonous, base animal—and the type of man who enjoys eating that swine.

The narrator admits to enjoying all of the fine meats available, from strange foul to oysters, and sharing them with friends. He then recalls how, as a child, having nothing to offer a beggar on the street, he brought that beggar a plum cake his auntie had baked. He blames the hypocrisy of his giving spirit on the indiscretion. The essay concludes with an anecdote about how ancient people used to sacrifice pigs by whipping them, raising a moral conundrum about enjoying the meat of that animal. But the narrator seems indifferent to the conundrum, and suggests a tasty sauce made of shallots to eat the pig with.

Among the most light-hearted of Lamb's essays is this freewheeling comic dissertation on the pleasure of eating roasted pig. It features a copious use of the literary device of hyperbole, with Lamb going to all sorts of eccentric ends to extol the flavor of roasted pork. The logic of hyperbole is also evident in Lamb's use of a heightened tone to tell the absurd story of how roast pork was discovered after a house fire in China. Once again, Lamb construes literary devices and narrative forms in such a way that he manages to sneak some fiction into his essay work. The fable he constructs speaks to how odd it is that humans eat cooked animals at all.

We can see the tropes of Romanticism on full display in this essay, even though the subject of that Romantic meditation is a curious one. Lamb uses florid language and a subjective voice to give a vivid account of his experience with his subject. But whereas, for instance, fellow Romanticist Henry David Thoreau uses these techniques to describe Walden Pond and meditate on how his experience there reflects on man's participation in society, Lamb makes a culinary delight the subject of his Romantic inquiry, indulging his epicurean side and reflecting on the way good food makes friends out of those who may otherwise be suspicious of one another.

The culinary essay in and of itself is a storied subgenre. The most famous one may be Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal," which satirically advocates cooking and eating England's children. A more recent popular example is David Foster Wallace's "Consider the Lobster," which like Lamb's essay explores the delights of eating lobster but, unlike Lamb's, lingers on the inherent cruelty of cooking and eating the animal. In the case of Swift's, Wallace's, and Lamb's essays, there is an essential social component to their discussion of a specific food, and they seek to extract some wisdom about the human condition from practices of cooking and eating.

Charles Lamb: Essays Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Charles Lamb: Essays is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Which quality Charles Lamb a romantic writer?

As a Romantic, Lamb brought a key innovation to the somewhat new form, inserting his own personally to give the essays a conversational tone. His essays showcase his passions and anxieties, imbuing the non-fiction form with a personal and literary...

What is the major theme of "Poor Relation" by Charles Lamb?

The major theme is that of the "poor relation"... their irrelevance and unpleasant place in one's life.

Explain the theme of the essay ''A Dissertation upon Roast Pig''.

The essay describes the discovery of the exquisite flavour of roast pig in China in a time when all food was eaten raw. This is really a light hearted theme speaking to how odd it is that humans eat cooked animals at all.

Study Guide for Charles Lamb: Essays

Charles Lamb: Essays study guide contains a biography of Charles Lamb, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Charles Lamb: Essays
• Charles Lamb: Essays Summary
• Character List

Essays for Charles Lamb: Essays

Charles Lamb: Essays essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Charles Lamb: Essays by Charles Lamb.

• Charles Lamb and Spaces Separate from Rationality

Wikipedia Entries for Charles Lamb: Essays

• Introduction
• Youth and schooling
• Family tragedy
• Religious views

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Charles Lamb's essays

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