What was the writing style of Thomas Carlyle?

Referring to Carlyle, Hugh Walker observed, “ Carlyle’ histories are, like his other works, intensely personal and also intensely practical.”

In The Hero as Divinity, he picturizes beautifully Igdrasil, the Ash tree of existence, and with a sigh contrasts with it the machine theory of the universe.

Carlyle’s Political Philosophy

Carlyle was the greatest critic of political ideas prevailing in his own day. His political ideas changed in the course of time. During his young age, he was radical and believer in Democracy, but as he grew older, he became more conservative.

Carlyle’s Religion

He was a deeply religious man with implicit faith in God. He belonged to the company of escaped puritans and was a prophet, in whose writing we find a message even applicable to modern times.

Carlyle As A Critic

He was greatly influenced by British Criticism. To him, criticism must be neither pure panegyric nor bare censure. In Heroes and Hero Worship, he declares that the history of the world is the biography of the great man. The first qualification of the critic must be sympathy, the determination and the capacity to understand the thing criticized in the light of the creator’s purpose. Carlyle had this quality of a critic.

Carlyle As An Artist

He was a historian, preacher, literary critic, but also, more importantly, a literary artist. He reminded us of Shakespeare in two respects; in the immense resources of his language, and his power to extort from the language.

Whatever political and religious beliefs Carlyle had, they shaped and colored his thoughts. That colored thought of his, when put into words, gave us his aphoristic works. Thus, although Carlyle is no more with us, his works remain with us forever and he too remains in our hearts due to his brilliant works.