Thomas Carlyle (December 4, 1795 - February 5, 1881) - Scottish writer, publicist, historian and philosopher, popularizer and one of the founders of the special style of fiction and philosophical historical literature - "Cult of Heroes". A very popular Victorian stylist . He had a great influence on legal thought.
A family
Born in a family of Calvinists James Carlyle and his second wife Janet Aitken, he was the eldest of nine children (pictured is Thomas's mother). My father was a mason, later a small farmer. He was respected for perseverance and independence. Severe outwardly, he had a good soul. Carlyle's family ties were unusually strong, and Thomas treated his father with great respect, as reflected in his memoirs. He always had the most tender feelings for his mother and was a wonderful brother.
Study
Parents did not have much money, so the seven-year-old Carlyle was sent to study at the parish school. When he was ten years old, he was transferred to Annan High School. His penchant for fighting led to problems with many of the school's students, but he soon showed a strong interest in learning, prompting his father to teach him to worship. In 1809 he entered the University of Edinburgh. He had little interest in studying, except for the mathematics course of Sir John Leslie, who later became his good friend.
He also read a lot. However, the greatest influence on him was not made by classical literature, but by the work of his contemporaries. Several guys who are in the same position with him saw him as an intellectual leader, and their correspondence reflects common literary tastes. In 1814, Carlyle, still preparing to become a priest, received a master's degree in mathematics from Annan's school, which allowed him to save some money. In 1816, he was appointed professor at a school in Kirkland.
Spiritual crisis
In 1818, Carlyle decided to abandon his spiritual career. He did not explain to anyone the details of the transformations that took place in him, however, his desire to abandon the dogmatic views of spiritual mentors, who were always deeply respected by him, was obvious. For some time, atheism seemed the only way out, but it was deeply disgusting to him. All this led Carlyle to a spiritual crisis, which he managed to overcome only after writing “SartorResartus. The Life and Thoughts of Mr. Teyfelsdrek ”in June 1821. He expelled the spirit of denial, and since then the nature of his suffering has been changed forever. This was no longer “nagging,” but “indignation and gloomy disobedience.” In 1819, he began to study German, which led him to new interesting acquaintances. He was much interested in German literature. Most of all he liked Goethe's works. In them, he saw an opportunity to drop obsolete dogmas without diving into materialism. They met and corresponded for a long time. Goethe spoke positively of translations of his books.
Personal life
After long courtship, in 1826 Thomas Carlyle married Jane Bailey Welch. She was from a much better-off family, and it took him several years to earn enough and get consent to marriage. They lived together for forty years, until Jane's death. The first years after marriage they lived in a village, but in 1834 they moved to London. Lady Welsh was childless, which later led to quarrels and jealousy. Evidence of this is their correspondence. Their life was difficult also due to the psychological problems of Carlyle. Possessing great emotionality and fragile psyche, he often suffered from the pangs of depression, he was tormented by insomnia, and the loud singing of birds in his neighbor's garden drove him crazy. Attacks of rage sharply gave way to explosions of exaggerated humor. He was saved only by immersion with his head in work. For this, loneliness and peace were necessary, and a special soundproofed room was equipped in their house. As a result, his wife was often forced to do all household chores alone, often felt abandoned.
Literary works
In the mid-1830s, Carlyle published SartorResartus. The Life and Thoughts of Mr. Teyfelsdrek ”in Fraser's Journal. Despite the depth of philosophical thought, the impressive validity of his conclusions, this book did not have sufficient success. In 1837, his work On the French Revolution was published, which brought him real success. From 1837 to 1840 he gave several lectures, of which only one ("Cult of the Hero") was published. All of them brought him financial success, and at the age of forty-five he managed to become financially independent. He had many students and followers. From 1865 he became rector of the University of Edinburgh.
Views on the structure of society
By the revolutionary and bitter mood of the Byron era, Thomas Carlyle, whose biography is presented in the article, contrasted the Gospel. He spoke in favor of social reform. In the struggle against a mechanical view of the world, reverence for the majority and utilitarianism, he advocated a life full of meaning, the development of the highest, supra-individual human values. The leveled power of democratic trends, Thomas Carlyle opposed the cult of heroes. He believed that only those who have an overcoming desire for power should rule in society and the state. The success of the will, leading to power, cited as an argument idealism based on the constant pursuit of personal higher goals, and this is the weakness and danger of his science, which is a mixture of Scottish Puritanism and German idealism.
In politics, he played a large role as a theoretician of imperialism, defending the idea of the historical mission of the English people to cover the whole world. From journalism, it should be noted, first of all, the philosophical and historical reflections “Heroes, veneration of heroes and heroic in history”, “On the French Revolution”, “SartorResartus. Life and thoughts of Mr. Teyfelsdrek "and others.
Philosophical views on life
Influenced by the charm of German romanticism, he left Calvinism. His passion for romantic philosophy was expressed in the translation of Goethe's book “The Years of Science by Wilhelm Meister” and the work “Schiller's Life”. From romanticism, he drew, first of all, deeply developed individualism (byronism).
At the center of Carlyle's works is a hero, an outstanding personality, overcoming himself with the force of vital activity, above all, moral. In emphasizing the advantages of the moral qualities of the hero over the intellectual, the influence of Puritanism is visible. Contrary to this, Carlyle also blindly accepted Nietzsche's anthropology.
End of being
Thomas Carlyle, whose photo is presented in the article, died on February 5, 1881 in London. After an official farewell ceremony, his remains were transferred to Scotland, where he was buried in the same cemetery with his parents.
Thomas Carlyle: aphorisms and quotes
The most famous aphorisms include the following:
- Each outstanding work at first glance seems impossible.
- Love is not the same as insanity, but they have a lot in common.
- Without pressure there will be no diamonds.
- A person who wants to work, but cannot find work - this is perhaps the saddest situation presented to us by fate.
- Isolation is the result of human misery.
- My wealth is not what I have, but what I do.
- In every phenomenon, the beginning is always the most memorable moment.
- Selfishness is the source and result of all mistakes and sufferings.
- Not a single great man lives in vain. The history of the world is only the biographies of great people.
- Endurance is concentrated patience.
Thomas Carlyle, whose quotes are full of wisdom and depth, left a bright mark on the history of philosophical thought.