Charles Lamb English writer Date of Birth: 10.02.1775 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Charles Lamb
2. Early Writings
3. The Shakespeare Tales and English Dramatic Poets
4. Essays of Elia
5. Later Years and Legacy

Biography of Charles Lamb

Charles Lamb was an English writer, essayist, critic, and poet. He was born to John Lamb, who held minor positions in Samuel Salt's legal firm. At the age of eight, Lamb was admitted to the Christ's Hospital school in London. It was there that he developed a friendship with S.T. Coleridge, which greatly influenced their future literary careers. After leaving school at the age of fifteen, Lamb worked as a clerk in various firms until he secured a position in the East India Company in 1792. He served in the company for thirty-three years until his retirement. With only a few hours of leisure for literary pursuits, Lamb managed to become one of the most popular English essayists. He excelled as a storyteller for children, a writer of elegant poetry, and a master of epistolary writing.

Early Writings

Lamb's early writings did not foreshadow his later achievements. His first published works appeared in 1796, consisting of four sonnets in Coleridge's collection "Poems on Various Subjects." Two years later, he made his debut as a prose writer with the publication of the short story "Rosamund Gray." He also contributed several pieces to the collection "Blank Verse," co-edited by Lamb and Charles Lloyd, with the support of Coleridge. One of these poems, "The Old Familiar Faces," carries a melancholic tone and reflects Lamb's sensitivity and emotional depth. Two of Lamb's early literary experiments, a tragedy called "John Woodvil" (1801 or 1802) and a farce titled "Mr. H..." (1806), did not achieve success. Despite the negative reception, Lamb accepted the public's verdict and moved on.

The Shakespeare Tales and English Dramatic Poets

In 1807, Lamb's fortunes began to improve with the publication of the famous "Tales from Shakespeare," which he wrote in collaboration with his sister Mary (1764–1847). These stories were intended for children and were prose retellings of fourteen comedies and six tragedies by Shakespeare. Mary retold all the comedies, and it is believed that she played a significant role in conceptualizing and structuring the collection, although her name was not mentioned in the editions published during her lifetime. The following year, Lamb achieved further success with the publication of "Specimens of the English Dramatic Poets Who Lived About the Time of Shakespeare." This collection of works by his contemporaries proved to be of great interest to non-specialists and a wide circle of readers.

Essays of Elia

Lamb's most significant achievement, particularly for non-specialists and broad readership, was his collection of essays titled "Essays of Elia." Almost all of these essays were first published in the "London Magazine" between 1820 and 1825, although a few were printed in 1810 and 1811 in Lee Hunt's publication, "The Reflector." It is worth noting that most of Lamb's best works were published after the release of his "Works" in 1818. It seems that Lamb reached the pinnacle of the essay genre with the publication of the "Essays of Elia" in 1823. In 1833, an additional volume titled "Last Essays of Elia" was published, which included both late and early essays.

Later Years and Legacy

After retiring in 1827, Lamb left London and lived with his sister first in Enfield and then in Edmonton. He passed away on December 27, 1834, after a brief illness. Lamb's contributions to literature, especially his essays, have left a lasting impact and continue to be celebrated for their wit, introspection, and profound insights into human nature.