Write the introduction to Charles Lamb.

Ans.

Birth and Parentage: Charles Lamb was born in Crown office, on 10th of Feb., 1775. His father, John Lamb was a clerk to a member of parliament. John Lamb was gifted with seven children of whom only three got blessings of God to remain in this world. Charles Lamb was the youngest child of the large family. John Lamb (1763-1821) was the elder brother of Lamb. Mary Anne (1764-1847), the Bridget Elia of the Essay was the elder sister of Lamb. His mother, Elizabeth Field, was the daughter of “The great grand mother Field.’ She lived in a great house. She was a housekeeper in Norfolk. Though she was not its owner, she lived in such a way as if she herself were the owner of the great house. Lamb has referred to her beautifully in his remarkable pathetic essay “Dream Children’.

His education and early surroundings: Lamb got his education at Christ’s Hospital (also called, the Blue Coat School and it was well endowed and admitted homeless children) from 1782 to 1789. Here he developed his friendship with S.T. Coleridge and this friendship proved to be gain of this period. Besides Coleridge he began many of those friendship which were to form the chief solace and pleasure of his later life.

The poverty of his family and infirmity of speech disallowed him to become a Clergyman as was expected from boys sent from the school to the university. The hardship of family, stood at his face, compelled him to earn his livelihood. So, as soon as it was possible he moulded himself for early circumstances. He was ready to face the very challenge by making some durable support. Before leaving school, he had learned some Greek much Latin and mathematics and general knowledge enough for his career as an accountant.

His disappointment in love and insanity: Little is known for his life during the years 1792-1795. During one of his frequent visits in Hertfordshire, he came in emotional contact with a young lady and turned to her with purpose of sharing his joys and sorrows of life. Canon Ainger has identified this lady with Ann Simmon, who married subsequently a pawnbroker named Bartram, residing in prince’s street, Leicester Square. Canon Ainger’s identification is now universally believed as correct.

Lamb, in his essays, calls her Alice Winterton but in his poems he refers her as Anna. His first sonnets were addressed to her.

At the end of 1795, his mental state was disturbed for Six weeks. So he had to be confined to an asylum, Hoxton. The cause of this misfortune probably was an unsuccessful love affair with Ann Simmons, the Hertfordshire maiden. It seems that his tender feelings and emotions were hurt and carried him to insanity.

Family Surroundings: Tensions, worries and hardships were prominent in his family. In 1796, Lambs were residing at 7. Little Owens Street, Holborn. His father felt weakness of mind caused by old age. His mother was a confirmed invalid. John did not support his family. He was indifferent towards them. He lived separately from them.

Closing Years: At Islington, Charles and Mary had been residing in their own house, but the great cares of house-keeping compelled to change their dwelling at Enfield in 1826. In the same year, they had to suffer with an unimagined loss at the death of Mr. Randal Norris. The Norrises had long been their neighbours in the temple, and Mrs. Norris was a native of Wid Ford, where Mrs. Field, Lamb’s grand mother was buried. In 1833, the Lambs moved again but last to Edmonton, whence Maxon published the second series of the essays ‘The Last Essays of Elia”.

Lamb was always youthful. Even the hardships, his sister’s increasing malady, and other sufferings never made him feel old. The total responsibility made him much more energetic. Death of Coleridge in 1834 came as a bolt from the blue to him and perhaps, affected him very deeply to his own death.

Lamb’s Works

Lamb had early leaning dedication to literature. His first appearance of four sonnets, in association with Coleridge and Charles Lloyd, published. A Tale of Rosamund Gray and Old Blind Margaret, came into light in 1798. A Five-act tragedy, John Wood appeared in 1801.

London Magazine under a fictitious name Elia: In 1820. Lamb started to contribute to London Magazine under the signature of Elia. His essays achieved a phenomenal gain and popularity. This provided him a genius figure and abiding place in literature. The first of his essays. The Sea House, successfully established Lamb as a character delineator. He gave recollections of his brief clerkship there. This essay was a good example of Lamb’s power of visualizing memories. His art of recollecting rare memories, after so long period of 28 years, seems wonderful and interesting. In this essay, he introduced with the feel of real life. The fictitious name was adopted from the surname of a fellow-clerk. His liking to chew the cud of memory was remarkably seen in this essay. Charles Lamb had always kept in mind a strong affection for him. Charles Lamb retained his dullness. expressed pathetically in his essay ‘Dream Children’, and Lamb meditative mood, reminds, “How he used to carry me upon his back when as a lame footed boy, and how in after life he became lame-footed too.”