William Hazlitt

The Spirit of the Age; Or, Contemporary Portraits (eBook, ePUB)

Insightful Portraits of Influential Figures in 19th Century Literature and Society

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

In "The Spirit of the Age; Or, Contemporary Portraits," William Hazlitt presents an astute and incisive critique of early 19th-century Britain through a series of biographical sketches of his contemporaries. Employing a distinctive blend of essayistic prose and sharp observation, Hazlitt delineates the philosophical, political, and artistic climates of his time, portraying figures such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Napoleon with both admiration and skepticism. His literary style is marked by a passion for realism and a commitment to examining the intersection of personal character with broader societal trends, embedding the portraits within the rich context of Romanticism and the emerging modern age. William Hazlitt, a central figure in Romantic literature and criticism, often grappled with the tension between individualism and the societal forces that shape it. Influenced by his own varied experiences as a painter, critic, and political thinker, Hazlitt produced this work as a means to confront the failures and triumphs of his age, offering an introspective lens on the evolving human condition. His deep engagement with contemporary thought and the complexities of human nature informs each portrait, making it a reflective commentary on the pursuit of truth in a rapidly changing world. For readers interested in the interplay of biography and criticism, "The Spirit of the Age" is an essential read. Hazlitt's keen insights and vivid descriptions allow readers to grasp the essence of a transformative era. This work not only enriches one'Äôs understanding of key historical figures but also provides a mirror to the prevailing attitudes and aspirations of early 19th-century society.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: Good Press
• Seitenzahl: 276
• Erscheinungstermin: 25. November 2019
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 4057664645173
• Artikelnr.: 58561317

Autorenporträt

William Hazlitt (10 April 1778 - 18 September 1830) was an English essayist, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language,[1][2] placed in the company of Samuel Johnson and George Orwell.[3][4] He is also acknowledged as the finest art critic of his age.[5] Despite his high standing among historians of literature and art, his work is currently little read and mostly out of print.[6][7] During his lifetime he befriended many people who are now part of the 19th-century literary canon, including Charles and Mary Lamb, Stendhal, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Wordsworth, and John Keats. The family of Hazlitt's father were Irish Protestants who moved from the county of Antrim to Tipperary in the early 18th century. Also named William Hazlitt, Hazlitt's father attended the University of Glasgow (where he was taught by Adam Smith),[9] receiving a master's degree in 1760. Not entirely satisfied with his Presbyterian faith, he became a Unitarian minister in England. In 1764 he became pastor at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, where in 1766 he married Grace Loftus, daughter of a recently deceased ironmonger. Of their many children, only three survived infancy. The first of these, John (later known as a portrait painter), was born in 1767 at Marshfield in Gloucestershire, where the Reverend William Hazlitt had accepted a new pastorate after his marriage. In 1770, the elder Hazlitt accepted yet another position and moved with his family to Maidstone, Kent, where his first and only surviving daughter, Margaret (usually known as "Peggy"), was born that same yea