B.A.

Discuss the life and works of Oliver Goldsmith.

Discuss the life and works of Oliver Goldsmith.

Discuss the life and works of Oliver Goldsmith.

Discuss the life and works of Oliver Goldsmith.

Ans.

LIFE AND WORKS

His early life and education-Goldsmith was the second son of an Irish clergyman. He entered Trinity college, Dublin, as a poor student in 1744. Once he ran away from the College in consequence of punishment from his tutor. But he returned and graduated in 1749. In 1751, he failed to get an appointment in church. He then studied medicine. During 1755-56 he wandered about in France, Switzerland, and Italy. He reached London in 1756 in utter poverty. There he supported himself with difficulty first as a doctor, then as an usher, and later still by hack-writing. Gradually he achieved the distinction of a good and versatile writer.

His prose work-In 1759 Goldsmith published his “Enquiry into the Present State of Polite Learning.” Earlier, he had contributed articles to The Monthly Review and to several other periodicals. During October and November 1759, he published his little periodical The Bee. His famous “Chinese Letters” appeared first in the Public Ledger, a magazine, and were published later in book form as The Citizen of the World.

His other works-Goldsmith was a versatile writer. He tried his hand on almost every kind of composition, and he was quite at ease in all that he attempted. Apart from his journals, we remember Goldsmith for his famous novel The Vicar of Wakefield, which was sold in the manuscript for only sixty pounds, in order to save him form arrest for debt. It was published in 1766. Of his two famous longer poems. The traveler appeared in 1764 and was received well by the public, the Deserted Willage, a narrative poem of great charm, appeared in 1770. His first comedy, The Good-Natured Man, was produced at Covent Garden in 1760 and was a moderate success. His second comedy, she Stoops to Conquer, was played at Covent Garden in 1773 with great success. Apart from these celebrated works of literature, he has left be hind several books on history.

His association with Johnson-Goldsmith made the acquaintance of Samuel Johnson, The literary dictator of his time. This in itself is a grat tribute to his genius. But it is even more important that Dr. Johnson held Goldsmith in high esteem. When Goldsmith died in 1774, it was Dr. Johnson who wrote the epitaph for him, stating that he adorned whatever be touched.

 

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Salman Ahmad

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