William Hazlitt- English essayist and critic

 William Hazlitt (1778–1830) was a prominent English essayist, critic, and philosopher of the Romantic era. Known for his incisive prose and keen intellectual insights, Hazlitt’s works continue to influence literature and criticism. This newsletter delves into his life, key essays, prose style, and enduring contributions to English literature.

Short Biography of William Hazlitt

• Birth and Early Life: Born on April 10, 1778, in Maidstone, Kent, England. Son of a Unitarian minister, Hazlitt spent part of his childhood in America before returning to England.
• Education: Attended Hackney Theological College but abandoned theology for philosophy and painting. Later shifted focus to literature.
• Career Struggles: Faced financial difficulties despite prolific writing. Worked as a journalist, critic, and lecturer.
• Personal Life: Married twice; both marriages ended unhappily. His turbulent love life influenced works like Liber Amoris.
• Death: Died on September 18, 1830, in Soho, London.

Notable Works

Hazlitt’s essays and critiques are celebrated for their vigor and originality. Key works include:

Early Works

• On the Principles of Human Action (1805): Philosophical exploration of human motivation.
• The Eloquence of the British Senate (1807): Biographies of statesmen.

Later Works

• Characters of Shakespeare’s Plays (1817): Landmark criticism of Shakespeare’s characters.
• Lectures on the English Poets (1818) and English Comic Writers (1819): Insightful literary critiques.
• Table Talk (1821) and The Plain Speaker (1826): Collections of personal and critical essays.
• The Spirit of the Age (1825): Profiles of contemporary figures like Wordsworth and Coleridge.

Key Essays and Themes

A. On Gusto

• Definition: Gusto refers to the passion or power in art that excites multiple senses.
• Examples:

1. Praised Titian’s paintings for their vitality and Michelangelo’s works for moral vigor.
2. Criticized Claude’s landscapes for lacking emotional impact.
3. Compared literary gusto in Shakespeare (sporadic) and Milton (consistent).

B. On the Feeling of Immortality in Youth

• Central Idea: Youth feels eternal; mortality seems irrelevant.
• Romantic Connection: Links human vitality to nature’s cyclical renewal.
• Quote: “No young man believes he shall ever die.”

C. On the Disadvantages of Intellectual Superiority

• Argument: Intellectuals face isolation and misunderstanding.

Key Points:

1. Original ideas often alienate the public.
2. Society either fears or scorns intellectual refinement.
3. Hazlitt laments the lack of sympathy for thinkers.

Prose Style

Hazlitt’s writing is celebrated for its:

• Clarity and Vigor: Direct, conversational, and free of pretension.
• Literary Devices: Uses metaphors, antithesis, and epigrams (e.g., “Life is the art of being well deceived”).
• Influences: Draws from Elizabethan writers, Dryden, and contemporaries like Wordsworth.
• Criticism: Occasionally lacks systematic structure but compensates with vivid expression.

Hazlitt as a Critic

• Approach: Judged works based on personal taste and emotional impact.
• Contributions:

1. Championed Shakespeare and Milton with fresh insights.
2. Balanced Romantic subjectivity with objective analysis.
3. Critiqued contemporaries like Coleridge (“His thoughts… borne on the gusts of genius”).

Famous Quotes

• “Poetry is the language of the imagination and the passions.”
• “We do not connect the same feelings with the works of art as with those of Nature.”
• “The love of liberty is the love of others; the love of power is the love of ourselves.”

Legacy

• Influence: Shaped modern literary criticism and essay writing.
• Enduring Relevance: Praised by later writers like Maugham for his “vivid, bracing” prose.
• Collections: Posthumous works like Literary Remains (1836) expanded his impact.

William Hazlitt’s essays and critiques remain vital for their intellectual depth, stylistic brilliance, and unflinching honesty. His works invite readers to engage with literature, art, and life itself with renewed passion and curiosity.