Charles Lamb graced the early 19th-century English literary scene, creating a number of different works, from poetry to essays, that contained great insight. With interesting perspectives, he naturally ventured into the field of poetic critique. He would offer his constructive criticism to some of the greatest poets of the time, such as William Wordsworth. Lamb lived a unique life that was full of both melancholia and richness.
It could be argued that over time, the works of Charles Lamb became better known for his work as an essayist. His most famous of these came in the form of Essays of Elia and The Last Essays of Elia in 1823 and 1833, respectively, where he utilized his pen name, Elia. He was known to work alongside his sister, Mary Lamb, on a variety of projects. He has gone down as one of the most important literary figures of the day.
Early Life
Charles Lamb was born in the heart of London and was the youngest child of John Lamb, a lawyer’s clerk, and Elizabeth Field. His father worked for the well-known London lawyer Samuel Salt.
Born – Crown Office Row, Inner Temple, London, on the 10th of February, 1775
Lamb was one of 7 siblings. Tragically, four of his siblings did not make it past infanthood due to the living conditions of the time. Along with Lamb, his older brother John and sister Mary survived.
Education
Christ’s Hospital School played a significant role in Lamb’s life. He attended the institution from 1782 to 1789. It was here that he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who would become not only a close friend but an inspiration and fellow literary genius. The school provided an environment that nurtured Lamb’s underlying talent for writing and introduced him to the world of classical literature.
Long after his death, the school has paid their respects to Lamb, as two of the rooms of the building are named after him, alongside The Lamb Prize for Independent Study being awarded at the school every year.
There was a spell directly after his education that consisted of him moving to Hertfordshire in order to look after his Grandmother, who had become ill. This no doubt gave him some humility in those important years.
Famous Poems
- ‘Clock Striking‘ – ‘Clock Striking’ by Charles Lamb is a two-stanza poem that is made up of sets of six lines or sestets. The lines follow a simple rhyme scheme of AABCCB, changing end sounds in the second stanza. This regular pattern, in combination with the fairly uniform lines and the most simple syntax, makes this piece easy and pleasurable to read.
- ‘The Rainbow‘ – In ‘The Rainbow, ’ Lamb explores themes of natural wonder and beauty. The tone is upbeat and reverential as he examines the shape and colors inherent to the rainbow. Through his use of a perfect rhyme scheme and fairly consistently structured metrical pattern, the poem flows smoothly and peacefully.
- ‘The Old Familiar Faces‘ – Charles Lamb wrote this poem, ‘The Old Familiar Faces’ when he was struggling with loneliness. As the title of the poem reflects, this poem is about the “faces” or the persons whom the poet missed the most. Moreover, in this poem, one can find how one struggles for human companionship.
Explore more of Charles Lamb’s poetry.
Poetry Style
Humor and Irony: Unlike many of his peers of the time, Lamb took a different direction from the typical Romantic approach. He would sprinkle humor throughout his works and build layers of humor and irony. This enabled him to create an atmosphere while touching on important themes. By balancing comedic and contemplative tones, Lamb’s poetry became very distinctive.
Romantic Sensibilities: As previously touched upon, although Lamb diverged from some of his counterparts in terms of his use of humor, he was still very much influenced by the poetic landscape of the time. Romanticism ran throughout the works of the period, looking at love, human relationships, and the exploration of nature.
Melancholic Undertones: Interestingly, despite the humor, irony, and Romantic elements of his writing, he still meditated on the darker side of life. Lamb’s poetry included melancholic undertones, reflecting on the challenges that we face as individuals and as a collective. This understanding of his fellow humans made his work authentic, sincere, and highly relatable.
Autobiographical Elements: As an essayist, a non-fictional, autobiographical tone would feed into his poetic works. Drawing on personal experiences, relationships, and memories, he would combine personal experience alongside the overall poetic vision. Again, knowing that he was sincere in his words, the reader can relate.
Timeline
Born in Inner Temple, London
He began his career as a clerk, initially for South Sea House, then the famous East India Company a year later, which would last 33 years.
In a horrific family tragedy, Lamb’s mother was killed by his sister Mary in a fit of madness. Lamb took full legal responsibility for Mary to avoid her permanent hospitalization.
His collection, named John Woodvil, was published: his first mirroring Shakespearean blank verse.
His play Mr. H– was created. It gained success in the United States after being mocked in England.
Arguably, his most famous works, Essays of Elia (1823) and The Last Essays of Elia (1833), were published during this period.
At the age of 59, Lamb passed away in Edmonton, London.
Family Tragedy
Charles Lamb experienced family tragedy deeply during his life with some bizarre circumstances. In 1796, his life was turned upside down when his mother’s life was taken by his own sister, Mary Lamb. For the years leading up to the incident, she had become known to fall into episodes of psychosis.
Due to the severity of her actions, it was recommended that she become institutionalized, but Charles was able to convince those in authority to allow her to live under his care. This complicated dynamic included the siblings’ collaboration, which was responsible for the work Tales from Shakespeare.
Did you know?
Charles Lamb met fellow poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge when they were in school, and became lifelong friends.
Legacy
The legacy of Lamb’s works lives on to this day. Many poets and literary figures have used him for inspiration, alongside awards and buildings named after him.
- Poets such as Alfred Lord Tennyson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold, and Thomas Hardy have all been inspired heavily by Lamb.
- At Christ’s Hospital, two of the houses (Lamb A and Lamb B) are named after him.
- The Lamb Prize for Independent Study at Christ’s Hospital School is awarded every year.
- Lamb’s essay, Dream Children, went on to inspire Sir Edward Elgar’s orchestral work, which was also named Dream Children.
- The local area around his former home still pays homage to him, as The Charles Lamb pub in Islington bears his name.
- Charles Lamb would make appearances in future works, such as the novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
