Biography of Thomas Carlyle

Spirit and style

4 December 1795
5 February 1881
Philosopher, essayist and historian, Thomas Carlyle was born on 4 December 1795 in Ecclefecham, Scotland, into a poor peasant family Calvinists. Directed to the ecclesiastical career, he abandoned this street to study philosophy and literature. On its way it will affect mainly to German culture. The formation of Carlyle is done so under the strict Calvinist spiritualism theme where gears German idealism.
It is among the first exponents of Victorian reaction against utilitarianism and the myth of technological progress, which juxtaposes an austere theistic religion and the cult of work as a manifestation of dynamic energy, which animates the life of the universe. Carlyle supports individualism against institutions of democracy, enhancing the hero, whether Prophet priest King or poet, as "God's visible receptacle" and author of the story. In these philosophical contexts develops his historical method which does not consist in mere objective reconstruction of facts, but rather in their interpretation in the light of a mystic vision and determined the destiny of man. The spirit and style are those of the biblical Prophet and moralist: Carlyle evokes episodes in colorful pictures emotion, in a vibrant and solemn prose.
Between 1833 and 1834 publishes the philosophical novel "Sartor Resartus" zibaldone allegorical and satirical, strongly autobiographical; This is followed by numerous historical works including the three volumes of "the French Revolution" (1837), "On heroes, heroes and the heroic myth in history" (1841). Among the essays include "Chartism" (1839, Chartism) and "past and present" (1843). Important monuments are the volumes dedicated to military leader Oliver Cromwell: "letters and speeches of Oliver Cromwell" (1845) and Frederick II of Prussia: the six volumes of the history of Frederick the great "(1858-1865). He settled in London became the capital of the modern world-in search of a wider audience, died on 5 February 1881 Thomas Carlyle here.
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