Exploring Thomas Carlyle and Sartor Resartus

 

This newsletter delves into the life and works of Thomas Carlyle, a pivotal figure in 19th-century English literature. Focused on his seminal work, Sartor Resartus, we explore its themes, narrative techniques, and Carlyle’s enduring influence on literature and philosophy.

Author’s Biography

• Full Name: Thomas Carlyle
• Birth: December 4, 1795, in Ecclefechan, Scotland.
• Death: February 5, 1881, in London, England.
• Education: University of Edinburgh (studied mathematics and theology; abandoned clergy for writing).
• Key Influences: Calvinist upbringing, German philosophy (Goethe, Kant, Hegel), and Romanticism.
• Languages: Fluent in French, Latin, Greek, German, Italian, Spanish, and Danish.
• Marriage: Married Jane Welsh (1826), a strained but enduring partnership until her death.

Author’s Style

• Philosophical and Satirical: Blends critique of materialism with spiritual quests.
• Complex Prose: Dense, allusive, and rich in biblical and German philosophical references.
• Narrative Innovation: Uses fragmented, multi-layered structures (e.g., fictional editors, disjointed manuscripts).
• Symbolism: Clothes, language, and institutions serve as metaphors for deeper truths.
• Tone: Alternates between earnest moralizing and ironic satire.

Summary of Sartor Resartus

A pseudo-biography of the fictional German philosopher Diogenes Teufelsdrockh, the work critiques Victorian society through the metaphor of "clothing" (social, religious, and political constructs). Structured in three books:

1. Book 1: Editor’s introduction to Teufelsdrockh’s chaotic manuscripts.
2. Book 2: Teufelsdrockh’s life journey—from despair (The Everlasting No) to affirmation (The Everlasting Yea).
3. Book 3: Philosophy of "clothes" as symbols of transient societal values masking eternal spiritual truths.

Main Characters

• Diogenes Teufelsdrockh: The eccentric philosopher whose life and ideas drive the narrative.
• The Editor: Fictional compiler of Teufelsdrockh’s papers; serves as Carlyle’s mouthpiece.

Key Themes and Concepts

The Everlasting No:

• Rebellion against societal and religious orthodoxy.
• Teufelsdrockh’s nihilistic phase, rejecting hollow institutions.

The Everlasting Yea:

• Affirmation of faith and purpose beyond material happiness.
• "Love not pleasure; love God" as the ultimate moral.

Clothes as Symbols:

• Represent societal constructs (e.g., religion, governance) needing "retailoring."
• The body as a "garment" for the soul.

Narrative Technique:

• Disjointed structure mirrors the chaos of modern life.
• Blends biography, satire, and philosophical treatise.

Carlyle’s Contributions to Literature

• Prophetic Voice: Positioned writers as moral guides amid industrialization.
• Influence: Inspired Dickens, Tennyson, Arnold, Ruskin, and Modernists like Eliot and Woolf.
• Genres: Pioneered historical-philosophical prose (e.g., The French Revolution).
• Debates: Sparked discussions on social justice, heroism, and spiritual crises.

Key Facts

Major Works:

1. Sartor Resartus (1833–34), The French Revolution (1837), On Heroes (1841).

Controversial Essays:

1. Occasional Discourse on the Negro Question (1849; defended slavery).
2. Shooting Niagara and After? (1867; criticized electoral reforms).

Legacy: Buried in Scotland; remains a touchstone for Victorian and modernist thought.