William hazlitt poems

1. Early Life and Education
2. Literary Awakening and Influences
3. Discovery of True Calling and Artistic Influences
4. Ascendancy as a Literary Critic
5. Major Publications and Recognition
6. Later Life and Legacy

Early Life and Education

William Hazlitt, journalist, essayist, and theorist of Romanticism, was born on April 10, 1778, in Maidstone, Kent. His father, a Unitarian minister, emigrated the family to Philadelphia in 1783, but they soon relocated to Boston. Upon returning to England in 1787, the family settled in Wem, Shropshire.

From 1793 to 1795, Hazlitt attended college where he acquired a thorough knowledge of ancient and modern languages. However, he "discovered an extreme distaste" for religious life and spent the next three years studying painting and literature.

Literary Awakening and Influences

In 1798, Hazlitt visited Samuel Taylor Coleridge, through whom he met William Wordsworth. Their influence sparked his interest in literary pursuits. However, Coleridge and Wordsworth were biased towards his endeavors and disapproved of his political sympathies. By 1803, their relationship deteriorated, largely due to Hazlitt's "inordinate" admiration for Napoleon.

Discovery of True Calling and Artistic Influences

Seeking his true vocation, Hazlitt traveled to Paris to study painting and "copy the old masters" at the Louvre. He remained an enthusiastic art lover all his life but soon discovered that his primary interests lay in philosophy and literature.

In 1805, he published "An Essay on the Principles of Human Action," where he argued for the "unity of consciousness," challenging the prevailing view of sensory perception as paramount. The essay also contained the germ of his aesthetic theory of sympathy, which asserted that a work of art should balance inner and external perceptions, free from "singularity" and "unnaturalness."

Ascendancy as a Literary Critic

Hazlitt's formative years as a professional writer spanned 1806 to 1812. By 1812, he had become a contributor to the "Morning Chronicle," initiating his career as one of the most prolific critics of his time. He soon began writing for the "Champion" and the "Examiner," edited by Leigh Hunt. In 1814, he gained prominence as a critic for the "Edinburgh Review."

Major Publications and Recognition

Hazlitt's first major work, "The Round Table," was published in 1817, attracting attention for its bold, sardonic style and erudition. It collected essays that had previously appeared in journals and newspapers. The same year, he released "Characters of Shakespeare's Plays," solidifying his reputation as the second greatest Shakespearean critic after Coleridge.

His insightful analyses of dramatic works followed in "Dramatic Literature of the Age of Elizabeth" (1820) and "Lectures on the English Comic Writers" (1819). These, along with "Lectures on the English Poets" (1818), elicited hostile personal attacks in "Blackwood's Magazine" and the "Quarterly Review."

Hazlitt's eclectic tastes are evident in his most famous work, "Table Talk" (1821–1822), a collection of essays on diverse topics ranging from theater and art to sports, philosophy, travel, and literature.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1820, Hazlitt fell hopelessly in love with his landlord's daughter, Sarah Walker. His agonizing experience with her and her deceit are recounted in "Liber Amoris" (1823). His finest work, "The Spirit of the Age" (1825), offered critical assessments of Byron, Coleridge, Godwin, Scott, Wordsworth, and Lamb.

Hazlitt dedicated the last years of his life to his monumental four-volume work, "Life of Napoleon Buonaparte." The book was not well received, but Hazlitt considered it his masterpiece.

Possessing a wide-ranging intellect and a polished style, Hazlitt deftly employed epigram, invective, and irony in an era of political and literary controversy. A master of the loose, digressive essay form, he died in London on September 18, 1830.