Thomas carlyle biography. Thomas Carlyle: biography, writings

Thomas Carlyle

Carlyle Thomas (1795-1881), English publicist, historian and philosopher. He put forward the concept of the "cult of heroes", the only creators of history.

Carlyle Thomas (1795/1881) - English philosopher and historian, author of journalistic works. Carlyle created the theory of the "cult of heroes", who, in his opinion, are the only creators of history.

Guryeva T.N. New literary dictionary / T.N. Guriev. – Rostov n/a, Phoenix, 2009 , With. 122.

Carlyle Thomas (1795-1881) English bourgeois philosopher and historian. Promoted the German idealistic philosophy and reactionary romanticism, close to pantheism. Carlyle applied Fichte's doctrine of active activity of the subject as the creative beginning of the world to society, substantiating the "cult of heroes". The history of society, according to Carlyle, is the biography of great people. Carlyle is a supporter of the historical cycle of theory. His critique of capitalism is close to "feudal socialism". Modern bourgeois philosophers and sociologists use the legacy of Carlyle to fight Marxism-Leninism. Major works: "Sartor Revartus" (1834), "Heroes, the veneration of heroes and the heroic in history" (1840), "Past and Present" (1843), "History of the French Revolution" (vols. 1-3, 1837), " Modern Pamphlets" (1850).

Philosophical Dictionary. Ed. I.T. Frolova. M., 1991 , With. 182.

Philosopher

Carlyle Thomas (December 4, 1795, Ecclefehan, Dumfries, Scotland - February 5, 1881, London) - British philosopher, writer, historian and essayist. Born in the family of a bricklayer. He was brought up in the spirit of severe puritanism, in respect for a sense of duty and worship of work. From the age of 5 he studied at the local village school, starting from 1805 - at the "Latin school" in Annan. In 1809 he entered the University of Edinburgh. After completing the preparatory course (which included the study of languages, philosophy and mathematics), he abandoned the plan to take a course in theology. In 1814 he became a mathematics teacher at Annan. Here Carlyle became interested in literature, studied the German language. In 1816 he became friends with the later famous preacher E. Irving; headed a boys' school in Kirkkaldy. From December 1819 he lived in Edinburgh, studied law at the university, gave private lessons. In 1818-20 he contributed to Brewster's Encyclopedia of Edinburgh, and in 1822 he received a job as a home teacher. The first significant publications were devoted to German literature: in 1822, Carlyle's article on Goethe's Faust appeared in the New Edinburgh Review, and in 1823-24 in the London Magazine, a series of articles entitled Schiller's Life (separate ed. 1825). In 1818-21 he experienced a spiritual crisis, which he explained by the fact that the spirit of research, driven by love for the truth, inspired him with knowledge that was contrary to the faith of childhood. Carlyle characterized his condition as a loss of hope and faith, which is everything in a person's life. The whole universe, including his own "I", seemed to him a mechanism that did not know freedom. Carlyle was tormented by his weakness, which, as he understood, could only be overcome by action, while action required awareness of one's strength, the ability to resist the necessity of a dead nature. In June 1821, Carlyle experienced a spiritual rebirth, overcoming the "nightmare of unbelief", getting rid of fear and acquiring contempt for evil. In the 1820s actively engaged German philosophy and poetry, was fond of Goethe , Schiller , Novalis , Fr. Schlegel , Fichte And Schelling. I saw my mission in the promotion of German culture. Carlyle's worldview took shape in the era of associationist psychology, utilitarianism in ethics, and individualistic political economy dominating the spiritual life of England. Carlyle called this kind of philosophy "the mechanical philosophy of profit and loss." Carlyle rejected systems in philosophy; mysticism, romanticism, subjectivism and activism in worldview were close to him. In the 1820s recognized the logical impeccability of Holbach's "System of Nature", believed that the world is an insensitive mechanism hostile to the human "I" as a source and bearer of freedom, rebelling against the world. Recognizing the correct materialistic view of the world, Carlyle understood that it is based on the thesis of the reality of matter in time and space. Acquainted through Novalis and Fr. Schlegel with Kant's teaching on the phenomenality of space and time, Carlyle changed his views on the natural world. However, unlike Kant, he is convinced of the substantiality of the soul as a source of strength and creativity. The inner strength of the soul is manifested in the spiritual and bodily existence of a person, but Carlyle now considers the entire material world as a form of manifestation of the highest internal power - God, deifies matter as the garment of God. The eternity of God is manifested in the eternity of the past and the eternity of the future, the meeting of which constitutes the present. All history for Carlyle is a continuous revelation, and every person who seeks God and preaches about him to others is a prophet. Both nature and history, Carlyle believes, deserve reverence and an "eternal Yes." October 17, 1826 Carlyle marries Jane Walsh, until 1828 lives in Edinburgh. Publications in the 1820s devoted mainly to German literature: in 1823 his translation of Wilhelm Meister was published (Carlyle sent it to Goethe, a correspondence began, which became more and more meaningful; it was subsequently published; Carlyle's Life of Schiller was published in German with a preface by Goethe), in 1827 - article on German literature, in 1828 - articles on Goethe, Hein and Burns, in 1829 - essays on Voltaire, Novalis and the article "Signs of the Times", in 1830 - an article on history, in 1832 - three articles on Goethe, in 1833 - three articles about history, the novel "Sartor Resartus". In the years 1828-1834, due to financial difficulties, he lived on the Kregenpattock estate, where he worked on the Sartor Resartus. In 1831, while in London in connection with the troubles surrounding the publication of the novel, Carlyle met J. S. Millem. In 1833 he met R. W. Emerson, an American philosopher influenced by Carlyle; thanks to Emerson, the book "Sartor Resartus" was published as a separate edition in America (1836, in England - 1838). In 1833-34 the novel was published in Fraser's Magazine.

The novel Sartor Resartus. The Life and Thoughts of Herr Teufelsdrock is a complex literary work, replete with symbols and allegories. In the image of the protagonist, who wrote the work "Clothing, Its Origin and Philosophy", Carlyle traces the development human soul to freedom. In the chapters "Eternal No", "Center of Indifference" and "Eternal Yes", he depicts his own spiritual experience of the years of crisis. Carlyle claims that God and own soul are the only support of man. Everything that exists is related to our spiritual being and, like it, comes from God. Therefore man must love the whole creation. The novel outlines Carlyle's thoughts about the world, about eternity and time, about nature, man and mind, about society, religion, the Church, symbols, ideals, immortality, past and future, etc. The philosophy of "clothing" turns into a real worldview. Space, time and everything that is in them are only symbols of God, behind which one must see the Divinity itself. But the world, the dress of God, is not dead, it is his living garment, and everything that happens in the world symbolizes the eternal activity of God. The spirit of each age burns in the flame that devours it, but instead of the end of things, the phoenix is ​​reborn. Behind the smoke we see the Divine. Therefore, a person's attitude to the world cannot be purely contemplative, he must contribute to the birth of a new phoenix. At the end of the book, Carlyle satirically depicts a modern society that has lost its inner essence, having degenerated into symbols, both on the part of the ruling classes and on the part of the proletariat.

Since 1834 Carlyle has been living in London. Here he is working on the "History of the French Revolution" (publ. 1837). In 1835 he met D. Sterling, who in 1839 wrote an essay on Carlyle's worldview - the best, according to Carlyle, of everything written about him (published in the appendix to the Russian edition of Sartor Resartus). Sterling emphasizes in Carlyle's worldview the requirement of a reverent attitude towards the world and man, treating them as a miracle; the assertion that the highest form of a person's relationship to the world is religion, which is based on a sense of the divine; this latter is itself the highest form of the divine in human existence. Carlyle also highly appreciates poetry. The main task of a person is not so much knowledge as work, creativity, which reward noble efforts. Through the confusion of past and present, one must be able to consider the foundations of human actions. Reverent observation, however, will horrify a person from evil, untruth, weakness, collisions. The moral support of a person in such a situation should be labor, courage, simplicity and truthfulness.

After the publication of Sartor Resartus, Carlyle gradually loses interest in literature, which he had not previously considered as a goal in himself, seeing in it a way to comprehend the world and man. Carlyle's worldview is developing in the direction of the philosophy of history. In the works “Signs of the Times” (1829) and “Characteristics of Our Time”, his critical position was expressed in relation to public institutions, contemporary social philosophy; Carlyle considers modern society to be sick, argues that people are too preoccupied with their "I", too worn with their problems; the most serious disease of society is the excessive wealth of some and the poverty of others. The current situation is worse than before because of the lack of faith and ideals. People do nothing intuitively, from the depths of their essence, everyone is guided by hardened recipes. They have lost faith in themselves, in the effectiveness of their own efforts, they care not about internal improvement, but about external adaptation, they are chasing external transformations. Meanwhile, reforms are premature without self-improvement, without achieving freedom, not only in the political sense. In the essay "Chartism", which had a huge public outcry, Carlyle does not speak from party positions, he considers Chartism as a symptom of social life, deeply rooted in the dissatisfaction of the workers with their position. Exploring the general causes of Chartism, Carlyle dwells in detail on various aspects of the social life of England at that time, argues with modern economists, does not accept the thesis about the temporary nature of the disasters of the working people, which supposedly will disappear by itself, does not agree with the principle of complete non-intervention of the state in economic life. In 1843, in the book "Past and Present", starting from one medieval chronicle, Carlyle compares the current situation with the past; he argues that the former strong ties between people have been replaced by a bond in the form of a monetary contract, and the current formal freedom of people has only worsened the situation, since it completely removed the responsibility for their situation from the masters. According to Carlyle, only strong man, genius. In Pamphlets of the Last Day (1850), Carlyle criticizes modernity even more sharply, talking about slavery, government offices, parliament, model prisons (where the life of prisoners better life workers), dual morality (the British profess two religions: Christianity on Sundays, political economy on weekdays), etc. In his journalism, Carlyle speaks from the standpoint of morality, conscience and duty, pessimistically assessing the current state of society.

In 1837-40, Carlyle repeatedly spoke in London with public lectures. The last course was published under the title On Heroes, the Cult of Heroes, and the Heroic in History (1840). According to Carlyle, world history is the history, the biography of great people: educators, patrons, creators. All things existing in the world are the embodiment of their thoughts and aspirations. Great people - prophets, poets, preachers, writers, rulers. Contrary to the then prevailing tendencies, Carlyle sees in great people a miracle, something supernatural, prophets through whom there is a continuous revelation of God. Their souls are open to the divine content of life, their qualities are sincerity, originality, a sense of reality. In 1845, Carlyle published Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell, and in 1851, a biography of D. Sterling. Carlyle's last major work is The Life of Frederick the Great (vols. 1-5, 1858-65). While working on the book, Carlyle visited Germany twice (1852, 1858). During the Franco-Prussian War, Carlyle published in the Times on the side of Germany, for which Bismarck awarded him the Order of Merit. Carlyle exerted a tremendous moral and literary (in particular, on Dickens, Ruskin, and others) influence on his contemporaries, defending moral values ​​in an age of revolution and change.

I. V. Borisova

New Philosophical Encyclopedia. In four volumes. / Institute of Philosophy RAS. Scientific ed. advice: V.S. Stepin, A.A. Huseynov, G.Yu. Semigin. M., Thought, 2010 , vol. II, E - M, p. 218-219.

Historian

Carlyle, Carlyle, Thomas (4.XII.1795 - 4.II.1881) - English publicist, historian, philosopher. The son of a rural mason. Graduated from the University of Edinburgh (1814). The philosophical and historical views of Carlyle were formed under the strong influence of the German idealist philosophers and reactionary romantics, and partly of Saint-Simon. Engels defined Carlyle's worldview as pantheism (see K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 1, p. 589). In Carlyle's pamphlets "Chartism" ("Chartism", L., 1840), "Now and Before" (L., 1843; Russian translation - M., 1906) and other works of the 30s - early 40s, sympathy for the working people , a deep, sometimes revolutionary criticism of capitalism was combined with the apotheosis of the Middle Ages and calls for the restoration of feudal-hierarchical social relations, which brought Carlyle closer to feudal socialism. In Carlyle's best historical work, The French Revolution (L., 1837; Russian translation - St. Petersburg, 1907), along with the justification of the overthrow of rotten absolutism by the masses of the people, an extremely subjectivist idealistic concept of the "cult of heroes" is already outlined in the series of lectures "Heroes, veneration of heroes and the heroic in history" (L., 1841; Russian translation - St. Petersburg, 1908), read in 1837-1840. This concept is the basis of "Letters and speeches of Oliver Cromwell" ("Oliver Cromwell's letters and speeches", L., 1845-46). real creators of history (“the history of the world is the biography of great people”), and the masses are “the crowd, the tool in their hands”; the heroic principle in society periodically weakens, and then the blind people hidden in the crowd destructive forces break out until society again finds in itself "true heroes" - "leaders" (for example, Cromwell, Napoleon). Such, according to Carlyle, is the vicious circle of history. As the class struggle of the proletariat developed, Carlyle's petty-bourgeois philosophical and historical conception became more and more reactionary. (See, for example, "Pamphlets of the last day" (L., 1850; Russian translation - St. Petersburg, 1907), etc.). The "History of Friedrich II of Prussia", v. 1-13, 1858-65, praising Prussian militarism, testified to a deep crisis in Carlyle's historical work. The concept of Carlyle's "cult of heroes" was taken up by bourgeois historiography and is widely used by the ideologists of imperialist reaction.

I. N. Nemanov. Smolensk.

Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 7. KARAKEEV - KOSHAKER. 1965 .

Compositions: The works, v. 1-30, L., 1896-1905; letters. 1826-1836, v. 1-2, L.-N. Y., 1888.

Literature: Engels F., The situation of England. Thomas Carlyle. "Past and Present", K. Marx and F. Engels, Soch., 2nd ed., vol. 1; Marx K. and Engels F., Thomas Carlyle. "Modern pamphlets. No 1. The modern era. No 2. Exemplary prisons", ibid., vol. 7; Lenin, V.I., Notebooks on Imperialism, Soch., 4th ed., vol. 39, p. 509; Nemanov IN, The subjectivist-idealistic essence of T. Carlyle's views on the history of society, "VI", 1956, No 4; Froude J. A., Thomas Carlyle, N. Y., 1882; Wilson D.A., Life of Thomas Carlyle, v. 1-6, N. Y., 1923-34; Young L. M., Thomas Carlyle and the art of history, L., 1939; Gascoyne D., Thomas Carlyle, L.-N. Y., 1952.

Carlyle, Carlyle Thomas (December 4, 1795, Ecclefehan, Scotland - February 5, 1881, London), English philosopher, writer and historian. Carlyle's worldview was formed under the influence of Goethe, Fichte, Schelling and the German romantics. Opponent of French materialism and Scottish utilitarianism.

In the philosophical novel Sartor Resartus (1833-34, Russian translation, 1902), in the mythological spirit traditional for romanticism, he created a philosophical picture of the world, "dressed" in a kind of symbolic cover-emblems that hide the transcendent reality of nature and society. Following Fichte, he considered space and time as an illusion of feelings, which hides the divine order of the universe from man. Philosophy, according to Carlyle, is called upon to "unravel" the presence of the pantheistic spirit in the visible forms of the perceived world by the symbols-emblems. Cosmism is inherent in Carlyle's romantic naturalism - the desire to unite the microcosm of "appearing" nature with universal nature and eternity, identical with spirit. Carlyle's subjectivism sometimes led him to solipsism. The spiritualistic philosophy of Carlyle was used by representatives of Theosophy.

Carlyle's pantheistic symbolism extended to society and culture. He sharply criticized anglican church and the whole system of bourgeois spiritual values. In the philosophy of history, Carlyle acted as the herald of the "cult of heroes" - the bearers of the divine destiny and the spiritual creators of the historical process, towering above the "average" mass. Some features of Carlyle's sociology give reason to compare it with the ideology of Nietzsche's "superman". Developing the concept of "kinship relations" between landowners and the lower classes of feudal society, he idealized the corporate structure of feudalism, passing it off as socialism. The feudal socialism of Carlyle was criticized in the "Manifesto of the Communist Party" by K. Marx and F. Engels.

Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ch. editors: L. F. Ilyichev, P. N. Fedoseev, S. M. Kovalev, V. G. Panov. 1983 .

Compositions: Works..., v. 1-30, L., 1899-1923; in Russian per. - Historical and critical experiments, M., 1878; Ethics of life, St. Petersburg, 1906; Franz. revolution, St. Petersburg, 1907; Heroes, the veneration of heroes and the heroic in history, St. Petersburg, 1908.

Read further:

Philosophers, lovers of wisdom

Historians (biographical guide).

Historical Persons of England (Great Britain) (biographical guide).

Compositions:

Works, v. 1-30. L., 1899-1923, in Russian. trans.: Novalis. M., 1901; Sartor Resartus. The Life and Thoughts of Herr Teufelsdrock, Vol. 1-3. M., 1902; Ethics of life. Work hard and don't give up! St. Petersburg, 1906; Now and before. M., 1906; Pamphlets of the last day. St. Petersburg, 1907; Heroes, hero-worship, and the heroic in history. St. Petersburg, 1908; Historical and critical experiences. M., 1978; French revolution. Story. M 1991.

Literature:

Yakovenko V. I. T. Carlyle, his life and literary activity. SPb., 1891; Hansel P. T. Carlyle. St. Petersburg, 1903; Kareev N. I. Thomas Carlyle. His life, his personality, his works, his ideas. Pg, 1923; Simone D. Carlyle. M., 1981; Froude J.A. Thomas Cairlyle: A History of the First Forty Years of Life, 1795-1835. L., 1882; Idem. Thomas Carlyle: A History of His Life in London, 1834-81. L., 1884; Hood E. P. T. Carlyle. Philosophic Thinker, Theologian, Historian and Poet. N.Y., 1970; Campbell I. T. Carlyle. L., 1974.

An English publicist, philosopher and historian, he put forward the concept of the "cult of heroes". In his opinion, the only creators of history. His theory was questioned even at the time of writing. What can we say about the present tense. But, despite the changeability of the worldview and philosophy of the author, the ideological and thematic component of many of his novels can be considered truly revolutionary.

Thomas Carlyle. Biography

Thomas is the eldest of nine children of stonemason James Carlyle and Margaret Aitken. He was born on December 4, 1795 in the village of Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire, in Scotland. His father was a strict, quick-tempered puritan, a man of extraordinary honesty and strength of character. From him, Thomas adopted a way of thinking and rules of behavior that influenced his philosophy of life.

From five to nine years old, the boy studied at a rural school. Then at the Annan school, where he showed an aptitude for mathematics. Thomas was fluent in Latin and French. Having set himself the goal of becoming a minister in the future, in 1809 he entered the University of Edinburgh.

In 1814, Carlyle abandoned these thoughts and took up the study of mathematics. But in the end he is fond of German, reads a lot outside curriculum and in 1816 moved to the Kirkcaldy School. There he meets an old school friend Annan, now a school teacher, Edward Irving. A strong friendship developed between the young people, which lasted until Irving's death.

Thomas Carlyle was a genius, but selfish and self-confident, he did not know the meaning of true love. In his eyes, his wife is a cook, a housekeeper, a woman who is ready to sacrifice everything for his talent. In those years, Thomas became interested in a lady from a good family, Margaret Gordon, for her sake he stayed in Kirkcaldy for another two years.

Perhaps it was Margaret who would have made him a suitable party. But he was destined to marry a woman who was herself a genius.

Meeting with Jane Welsh

Before leaving for London, Irving introduces Carlyle to Jane Bailey Welsh, daughter of the surgeon John Welsh. She was a beautiful, fragile, well-bred girl. Well educated, with a brilliant sense of humor, she had an insatiable thirst for knowledge. The father encouraged and always supported his daughter.

He introduced her to the brilliant scientist Edward Irving, who gave her private lessons. The teacher and student fell in love at first sight. But this relationship was hopeless, since Irving was already engaged. And, no matter how hard he tried, neither the bride nor her father released him from these promises. He was forced to marry.

Jane, meanwhile, turned to literature for consolation. And Irving introduced her to a writer, a poor man, without fame. But, according to Edward, who has talent and is called to shine in the firmament of art.

Among Jane's many admirers, the gruff Thomas made an unpleasant impression. He was strange, rude and bossy. Thomas Carlyle immediately imbued with warm feelings for the girl. And his love aroused her interest. But no more than that. Jane even swore to herself that she would never marry him.

Jane admired Carlyle's mastery of the German language. She asked him to work with her. Soon Carlyle returned to Edinburgh and a correspondence began between them. German lessons by mail are, of course, an unusual form of courtship. But Carlyle was sure that this was the only way to Jane's heart.

She wrote in her messages that she would always be his devoted, faithful friend, but she would never become his wife. Fate decreed otherwise. One day, Edward Irving let a mutual friend know about his hopeless love for Jane.

And Jane, partly to spite Irving, partly to stop the talk that she had feelings for married man allowed her engagement to Carlyle to be announced. In 1826 they got married and went to live in Komeli Bank (Edinburgh).

Personal life

The first few months of their life together were happy. Comely Bank was within reach of civilization. Jane had the opportunity to communicate with her acquaintances. And Carlyle, despite his complete and selfish absorption in his work, showed respect for her feelings and interests.

But when they moved to Craigenputtock, where they spent six years, Jane realized the horror of her situation. Thomas Carlyle was indifferent to the goals and interests of others. He did not realize and did not pay attention to the mental suffering of his wife.

And it is hard to imagine that an educated and talented girl, full of joy for life, could bury herself in this dull area. But Jane endured all the hardships so that Thomas could work in peace.

She sewed her own dresses when the family was short of money, cooked food for him, so he had a sick stomach. And they could not afford to keep servants.

Jane tried to gather in her house people who appreciated her husband's talent. She endured the courtship of socialites for her husband. But the most amazing thing about this woman was that she did not try to change her husband's character. She accepted him for who he was.

Publicism

Carlyle began his creative activity by writing articles for the Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Articles did not have much merit, but brought little income. In 1820 and 1821 he visited Irving in Glasgow and stayed for a long time at his father's new farm at Manhill.

In 1821 Carlyle tested spiritual rebirth, which played a role in the creation of Sartor Resartus. In the same year, Carlyle follows Irving to London. While still at Kirkcaldy School, Thomas began to experience severe stomach pains that tormented him all his life. He takes care of his health, heals the stomach. Then he leaves for Paris for a short while.

Since the spring of 1823, Thomas Carlyle has been tutor to Charles and Arthur Buller, first in Edinburgh, then in Dunkeld.

At the same time, he was engaged in translations from German. Schiller's Life was published in a London magazine in small installments during 1823-1824. The work was published as a separate volume in 1825. Following Carlyle translates the work of J. W. Goethe "The Years of the Teaching of Wilhelm Meister". It has also been published as a separate book.

In 1825 he returned to Scotland to his brother's farm and worked on German translations.

Literary works

Carlyle works as a contributor to the Edinburgh Review. In 1827 he publishes two important articles: Richter and The State of German Literature. The Review also published two insightful essays on Goethe. And a cordial correspondence began between Carlyle and the great German writer.

Goethe wrote a letter of recommendation for Thomas to the chair of philosophy at St. Andrews University. Another recommendation was sent to the new University of London. But both attempts at employment were unsuccessful. And Carlyle, who did not like city noise, decided to move to the countryside.

Until 1834, Thomas leads a hermit life. He devotes himself entirely to writing essays, and his talented wife suffers from loneliness in the rural outback. Francis Geoffrey, editor of the Edinburgh Review, who thought of Carlyle as his successor, makes him a lucrative offer of cooperation. But Thomas refuses.

In August 1833, young Ralph Emerson visits Carlyle. He was graciously received and subsequently became best friend families.

First major work

The Sartor Resartus was published in Fraser's in installments over ten months in 1830. Later this work will be published in book format. Sartor Resartu is an ironic, parodic treatise in which the author describes the life of a non-existent Professor Teufelsdrock with an awkward and obscene nickname.

In a playful way, the author criticizes politics, art, religion and social life in his work. In an allegorical form, he writes about poverty and luxury - the two poles of reality in England at that time. This narrative is also interesting because in it the author expresses thoughts dear to him about the significance of the biography of famous people.

Here Carlyle Thomas also touches on philological issues. The author's reasoning about the nature of language is clearly inspired by the work of German linguists. Pays attention to the nature and meanings of symbols. In these matters, too, the influence of German idealism can be traced.

His work was imbued with amazing, humorous energy, moral strength. The work was "destroyed" by the press, and until 1838 it was not published as a separate book. Now this novel is among the most significant works of Carlyle. His other notable works of that time - these are essays on Voltaire, Novalis and Richter - were published in Foreign Review.

After unsuccessful applications to the universities of London and Edinburgh in January 1834, Carlyle decided to settle thoroughly in London. The struggle for existence during this period was especially difficult. This happened because of the refusal to engage in journalistic work, even Carlyle refused the job offer from The Times. Instead, he began working on The French Revolution.

Carlyle's greatest work

In the spring of 1835, an important and historically significant work was written by Carlyle Thomas. "The French Revolution" is a work that was recognized by literary critics as one of the most significant. Carlyle gave the first manuscript for processing to the philosopher J. Mill.

But due to the carelessness of the latter, the manuscript fell into the hands of his illiterate housekeeper, who considered it waste paper and burned Carlyle's manuscript. Mill was inconsolable. Carlyle, on the other hand, endured the loss with the utmost steadfastness and behaved nobly, accepting with difficulty a small monetary compensation of £100 from Mill.

The French Revolution was rewritten and published in January 1837. This work has been recognized as one of the most advanced writings of the day and has cemented Carlyle's reputation. But this fundamental work was sold rather slowly, and Carlyle had to lecture to provide for his family. Having settled in London, Carlyle did a great job, gradually creating literary fame for himself, which later became worldwide.

In this work, Carlyle writes about the French Revolution and its impact on the social and political life of Europe. Carlyle puts the personality at the center of the narrative, while denying the importance of objective causes in the development of mankind.

The inevitability of the fall of the monarchy, which is incapable of governing a people demanding change, is what Thomas Carlyle tells about the atmosphere of France. The French Revolution, history, the prerequisites that led to this significant event, the author revealed in his work fully and diversified.

In the forties, he had already become popular among writers, aristocracy and statesmen. He acquired influential and famous friends. Among them were Tyndall, Peel, Grote, Ruskin, Monckton Milnes and Browning. A close friend of Carlyle was the priest John Sterling. Carlyle reflected this in his Life, published in 1851.

Works by Carlyle

In literature, Carlyle moved further and further away from democratic ideas. For example, the work "Past and Present". Thomas Carlyle in the works "Chartism" and "Cromwell" also developed the theses about a strong and merciless ruler, to whom everyone would obey. In "Pamphlets" last days”, which includes the “Statue of Hudson”, poured out all his contempt for philanthropic and humanitarian tendencies.

Carlyle's last powerful work was the six-volume history of Prussia, Frederick the Great. While working on the book, he twice (in 1852 and 1858) visited Germany, reviewed a huge amount of material. The first two volumes, which appeared in the autumn of 1858, were hailed as a masterpiece. The rest of the volumes came out in 1862-1865.

In the autumn of 1965, Carlyle was elected rector of the University of Edinburgh. At the same time, he learned of the sudden death of his wife. From this moment begins a gradual decline in creativity. In the autumn of 1866, he joins the committee for the defense of the governor of Eyre, who was accused of brutally suppressing the uprising.

The following year, Carlyle wrote the tract Shooting Niagara against the Reform Act. In the war of 1870-1871, he sided with the Prussian army. In 1874 he was awarded the Prussian Pour le Merite and in the same year he renounced the Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and a pension. Carlyle died on February 4, 1881 and was buried in Ekklefechan.

The legacy of Carlyle includes thirty volumes of historical and journalistic works. After the death of his wife Jane in 1866, he did not produce a single significant work.

Philosophical views

Like Carlyle's character, so is his philosophy full of contradictions. Noble and devoted to his ideals, he was at the same time rude and unfriendly to other people.

His contemporaries claim that Carlyle was an unsociable, unsociable person. His love for his wife was deep, but for her life with him was hard. Carlyle despised philanthropy and liberal legislation, but increasingly admired despotism. There was no coherent philosophical content in his teaching.

Carlyle was blind to the greatest phenomenon of that time - the rise of science, and spoke insultingly about Darwin. The formal economy was also condemned by him.

Carlyle's theological outlook is difficult to define: he was alien to any orthodox creeds, but at the same time he condemned atheism. His main dogma was the worship of power. Starting as a radical, Thomas Carlyle began to despise the democratic system and increasingly exalt the need for a strong and harsh government.

The author's books introduced readers not only to Germany, but also opposed the bourgeoisie in those years when its tastes and ideas subjugated the literature of that time. Therefore, in literature, Carlyle was a pioneer - his reasoning was sometimes revolutionary. This was the historical merit of the author.

Thomas Carlyle (December 4, 1795 - February 5, 1881) - Scottish writer, publicist, historian and philosopher, popularizer and one of the founders of a special style of artistic and philosophical historical literature - the "Cult of Heroes". A very popular stylist. He had a great influence on legal thought.

Family

Born in the Calvinist family of James Carlyle and his second wife Janet Aitken, he was the eldest of nine children (pictured is Thomas's mother). His father was a bricklayer, later a small farmer. He was respected for his stamina and independence. Stern in appearance, he had a kind soul. Carlyle's family ties were unusually strong, and Thomas treated his father with great reverence, as reflected in his memoirs. He always had the most tender feelings for his mother and was a wonderful brother.

Studies

Parents did not have much money, so the seven-year-old Carlyle was sent to study in parochial 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 students at the school, but he soon showed a strong interest in learning, prompting his father to teach him the worship. In 1809 he entered the University of Edinburgh. He had little interest in his studies, apart from Sir John Leslie's course in mathematics, who later became a good friend of his.

He also read a lot. However, literature, and the work of his contemporaries, had the greatest influence on him. Several guys in the same position as 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 the Annan school, which enabled him to save some money. In 1816 he was appointed teacher at a school in Kirkland.

spiritual crisis

In 1818 Carlyle decided to give up his spiritual career. He did not explain to anyone the details of the transformations that had taken place in him, however, his desire to abandon the dogmatic views of spiritual mentors, who were always deeply respected by him, was obvious. For a while, atheism seemed the only way out, but he was deeply disgusted with it. All this led Carlyle to a spiritual crisis, which he managed to overcome only after writing Sartor Resartus. The life and thoughts of Mr. Teufelsdrock” in June 1821. He banished the spirit of denial, and since then the nature of his suffering has been changed forever. It was no longer "whining", but "indignation and grim defiance." In 1819, he began to study German, which led him to new interesting acquaintances. He was very interested in German literature. Most of all he liked the works of Goethe. In them, he saw an opportunity to discard obsolete dogmas without plunging into materialism. They met and corresponded for a long time. Goethe spoke positively of the translations of his books.

Personal life

After a long courtship, in 1826 Thomas Carlyle married Jane Bailey Welch. She was from a much more affluent family, and it took him several years to earn enough to get his marriage approved. They lived together for forty years, until Jane's death. The first years after their marriage they lived in the countryside, but in 1834 they moved to London. Lady Welch was childless, which later led to quarrels and jealousy. Evidence of this is their correspondence. Their life was also difficult because of Carlyle's psychological problems. With great emotionality and a 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. Bouts of rage abruptly gave way to outbursts of exaggerated humor. He was saved only by immersion headlong into work. For this, solitude and peace were necessary, and a special soundproof room was equipped in their house. As a result, his wife was often forced to do all household chores alone, often feeling abandoned.

Literary works

In the mid-1830s, Carlyle published Sartor Resartus. The Life and Thoughts of Herr Teufelsdrock" in Fraser's Journal. Despite the depth philosophical thought, the impressive soundness 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 ("The Hero's Cult") 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

The revolutionary and bitter moods of Byron's era, Thomas Carlyle, whose biography is presented in the article, opposed the Gospel. He spoke out for social reforms. In the struggle against a mechanical view of the world, respect for the majority and utilitarianism, he advocated a life filled with meaning, the development of the highest, supra-individual human values. Thomas Carlyle countered the leveled power of democratic tendencies with the cult of heroes. He believed that only those who have a victorious desire for power should rule in society and the state. The success of the will leading to power cited as an argument an idealism based on a constant striving for 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 big role as a theoretician of imperialism, defending the idea of ​​the historical mission of the British people to embrace the whole world. From journalism, it should be noted, first of all, the philosophical and historical reflections “Heroes, the veneration of heroes and the heroic in history”, “On the French Revolution”, “Sartor Resartus. The Life and Thoughts of Mr. Teufelsdrock” and others.

Philosophical views on life

Fascinated by 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 "The Life of Schiller". From romanticism, he drew, first of all, a deeply developed individualism (Byronism).

In the center of Carlyle's works is a hero, an outstanding personality, overcoming himself with the power of vital activity, primarily moral. In emphasizing the superiority of the moral qualities of the hero over the intellectual, one can see the influence of puritanism. Despite 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 the 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

Among his most famous aphorisms are the following:

1. Every outstanding work at first glance seems impossible.
2. Love is not the same as insanity, but they have a lot in common.
3. Without pressure, there will be no diamonds.
4. A person who wants to work, but cannot find a job - this is perhaps the saddest situation presented to us by fate.
5. Isolation is the result of human misery.
6. My wealth is not what I have, but what I do.
7. In every phenomenon, the beginning is always the most memorable moment.
8. Selfishness is the source and result of all mistakes and suffering.
9. No one great person does not live in vain. The history of the world is only biographies of great people.
10. Endurance is concentrated patience.

Thomas Carlyle, whose quotes are full of wisdom and depth, left a bright mark on the history of philosophical thought.

Start of activity

Born into a simple peasant family; Destined by his strict Calvinist parents for a spiritual career, at the age of 14 he entered the University of Edinburgh. Not wanting to be a priest, after completing his course at the university, he became a mathematics teacher in the provinces, but soon returned to Edinburgh. Here, living on casual literary earnings, for some time he intensively studied law, preparing for the practice of law; but he quickly abandoned this too, becoming carried away by German literature.

Essays on German Literature

A book about the French Revolution. Historical and philosophical views

The same originality as these works is distinguished by the “History of the French Revolution” (“French Revolution, a history”, ), the caustic pamphlet “Chartism” (), lectures on heroes and the heroic in history (“On Hero worship”, ) and historical and philosophical reflections "Past and present" ().

Not suited to any of the established political parties, Carlyle felt lonely and thought for some time about publishing his own magazine to preach his "believing radicalism". All these works of Carlyle are imbued with the desire to reduce the progress of mankind to the life of individual outstanding personalities-heroes (according to Carlyle, world history is the biography of great people), to put exclusively moral duty at the basis of civilization; his political program is limited to the preaching of labor, moral feeling and faith. An exaggerated appreciation of the heroic in history and distrust of the power of institutions and knowledge led him to a formal cult of times past, more favorable to heroic people. His views are brighter than anywhere else, reflected in the twelve "Latter-day pamphlets" ("Latter-day pamphlets",); here he laughs at the emancipation of the Negroes, at democracy, philanthropy, political and economic doctrines, etc. Not only did the former enemies resent Carlyle after these pamphlets, but many admirers ceased to understand him.

Other historical writings

Throughout the 40s, Carlyle's views changed towards conservatism. Gradually, in the works of Carlyle, the criticism of capitalism sounded more and more muffled, and his statements directed against the actions of the masses - more and more sharply. In the book Before and Now, he painted idyllic pictures of medieval society, where simple noble customs allegedly reigned, a good monarch ensured the well-being and freedom of his subjects, and the church baked about high moral values. It was a romantic utopia that brought Carlyle closer to the feudal socialists. Of all Carlyle's writings, the greatest historical meaning has "Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell" (1845-46), with commentary; the latter are far from impartial towards the "hero" Cromwell. Carlyle showed in a new way the role of Cromwell in the history of the country, in particular, his merits in the rise of the sea power of England and in strengthening its international prestige. The work was innovative for its time. Until that time, English historians ignored this figure, seeing in him only a “regicide” and a “tyrant”. Carlyle made an attempt to reveal the true motives and significance of Cromwell's state activities. He also tried to understand the nature of the revolution itself, but proceeded from the fact that the English Revolution, unlike the French, was of a religious nature and had no "earthly goals." Carlyle's most extensive work is "History of Frederick II" (1858-65), which forced him to take a trip to Germany; with many brilliant qualities, it suffers from great prolongation. Carlyle sings of this "hero-king" and admires the order of feudal Prussia. His "Historical and Critical Essays" (a collection of journal articles) appeared in the city, and a biography of his friend of his youth, the poet Sterling, appeared in the city. From to the city of Carlyle was busy publishing a complete collection of his works ("Library edition", in 34 volumes). This edition was followed by next year a cheap "People's edition" that has been repeated many times. Then he published a series of essays under the title "The First Norwegian Kings" (). In Carlyle, they offered the honorary post of rector of the University of Edinburgh; apart from this position, he never held any position, remaining only a writer all his life. During the Franco-Prussian War, he took the side of Prussia and passionately and sincerely defended her cause in his letters to The Times, published separately (). He died in 1881.

Carlyle and Nazism

The English philosopher Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was one of those who returned to the idea of ​​the prominent role of individuals, "heroes" in history. One of his most famous works, which had a very strong influence on contemporaries and descendants, was called “Heroes and the Heroic in History” (1840, Russian translation 1891; see also: Carlyle 1994). According to Carlyle, world history is the biography of great men. Carlyle concentrates in his works on certain personalities and their roles, preaches lofty goals and feelings, and writes a number of brilliant biographies. He says much less about the masses. In his opinion, the masses are often only tools in the hands of great personalities. According to Carlyle, there is a kind of historical circle or cycle. When the heroic principle in society weakens, then the hidden destructive forces of the masses can break out (in revolutions and uprisings), and they act until the society again discovers in itself the “true heroes”, leaders (such as Cromwell or Napoleon). Such a heroic approach undoubtedly drew attention to the role of individuals, set (but did not solve) the problem of revealing the reasons for the fluctuations of this role in history. But it had too obvious flaws (besides unsystematic presentation): only “heroes” were considered, society was rigidly divided into leaders and the masses, the causes of revolutions were reduced to social feelings, etc.

Carlyle's views somewhat anticipated the views of Nietzsche with his cult of the superman, and through him, Hitler and other fascist ideologists. Thus Professor Charles Saroli, in his pro-fascist 1938 article "Was Carlyle the First Nazi?", attempts to answer this question in the affirmative in the Anglo-German Review:

The well-known historian Manuel Sarkisyants devoted a separate chapter to the question of Carlyle's influence on the development of Nazi ideas in his book The English Roots of German Fascism.

Compositions

• "Historical and critical experiments"
• "Heroes and the heroic in history" ("Sovremennik" g.)
• "Nibelungen" ("Bibl. for reading" g.).
  • Art. in "Vestn. Europe” (g., books 5 and 6);
  • "The latest English literature"
  • I. Ten; "The Autobiography of D. S. Mill";

Notes

Literature

	Thomas Carlyle at Wikiquote
	Thomas Carlyle at Wikimedia Commons

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• "Thomas Carlyle and the "divine sergeant majors - line-up instructors" for the poorest Englishmen" - a chapter from the book "The English Roots of German Fascism" by Manuel Sarkisyants
• Engels F. The position of England
• V. G. Sirotkin. THOMAS CARLYLE AND HIS LABOR "FRENCH REVOLUTION. HISTORY"

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See what "Carlyle, Thomas" is in other dictionaries:

- (Carlyle) Carlyle, Thomas Carlyle (Carlyle, Thomas) (1795 1881) English writer, publicist, historian, philosopher. Born December 4, 1795, Eklfehan. 1814 graduated from the University of Edinburgh. He died February 5, 1881 in London. The author of the concept of the cult of heroes ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms

- (Carlyle, Thomas) (1795–1881) Scottish writer, historian and political scientist. Born in Eclefehan (South West Scotland) near the border with England in the family of a master mason, professing Calvinism. Studied at Annan Academy and Edinburgh ... ... Political science. Dictionary.

Carlyle Thomas- (Carlyle, Thomas) (1795 1881), Scotland. historian and publicist. For some time he was a teacher and contributed to the Edinburgh Review, in 1824 he wrote a book. Schiller's life. In 1826 he married Jane Welsh, later a famous writer, ... ... The World History

"Democracy is the need to put up with the fact that we are not ruled by heroes"

"I don't believe in the collective wisdom of ignorant individuals"

Thomas Carlyle

Scottish writer, translator, historian.

The author believed that: “In every era of world history, we find a Great Man who can be called its savior, that spark from which a flame flares up. The history of the world has been the biography of great men." He referred to these as: Napoleon, Cromwell, Frederick II, Schiller, Goethe. And the masses Not must be seduced by false heroes and must be led by men of a higher order. If the heroic principle in society weakens, the destructive forces of the people, manifested in uprisings and revolutions, inexorably begin to act (he had a negative attitude towards the French Revolution: “Romantics conceive every revolution, fanatics carry it out, and inveterate scoundrels use its fruits”), until society again finds the true heroes in himself.

With this book, Thomas Carlyle greatly contributed to the formation of the "Cult of Heroes" in history and literature.

“The life of a great man is not a happy holiday, but a battle and a campaign, a struggle with rulers and entire principalities. His life is not an idle walk through fragrant orange groves and green flowering meadows, accompanied by singing muses and ruddy mountains, but a severe pilgrimage through hot deserts, through countries covered with snow and ice. He wanders among men; he loves them with an inexplicable tender love, mixed with compassion, a love that they cannot answer him, but his soul lives in solitude, in the distant regions of the universe.

Thomas Carlyle, Now and Before, M., "Republic", 1994, p. 337.

His collected works include 34 volumes.

By the end of life, having become famous, Thomas Carlyle refused honors. Why?

“He was not afraid of need. He wrote to his mother: “One French writer, D "Alamber(belonging to a small circle of people who really deserve the honorary title of honest), argues that everyone who devotes his life to science should take as his motto the following words: "Freedom, truth, poverty", since he who fears poverty can never achieve anything. freedom, no truth. AND Carlyle accepted poverty as inevitable. […]

The great man remained firm and indestructible, like a diamond rock, in his beliefs, and the world came to him and offered his various insignia. Queen Victoria expressed deep condolences to Carlyle on the unexpected death of his wife, and two years later she wished to meet him personally. The German emperor granted him an order, which was given only for real merit, in view of which Carlyle did not refuse to accept him. Disraeli, who was then the first minister, for his part, wanted to reward the great man by all means and offered him the choice of a baronetcy or the Order of the Garter.

But the stern puritan respected only two titles: the title of laborer and the title of thinker, sage, which no one can "give"; besides, he was childless. He renounced both the baronetcy and the Order of the Garter, and to the end of his days he maintained his simple, modest way of life. Despite all his severity, despite the philippics with which he burst out against public philanthropy, he was an extremely sensitive and sympathetic person, never refusing those who turned to him for help. In recent years, he was especially besieged by petitioners, and he helped some with money, others with recommendations; most of all, people turned to him young or worn out by life with the eternal question “what to do?” He did not refuse advice to anyone and always answered letters.

Yakovenko V.I., Thomas Carlyle: his life and literary activity / Cervantes. Shakespeare. J.-J. Rousseau. I.-V. Goethe. Carlyle: Biographical Narratives (reprint of the biographical library of F.F. Pavlenkov), Chelyabinsk, Ural, 1998, p. 424 and 487-488.

In 1898, the Germans A. Kühn and A. Kremer published a selection of statements from the works Thomas Carlyle titled: The Ethics of Life.

Thomas Carlyle was a follower of ideas I. G. Fichte And F. V. Schelling(and even published a biography of the latter).