Primary sourceBook1847
Thomas Carlyle and His Works
Henry David Thoreau · 1847
An essay by Henry David Thoreau praising the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle, Thoreau's only extended work of literary criticism.
Thoreau's only extended literary criticism, written at Walden, showing his engagement with another writer's ideas.
About this source
What it is
This essay was written by Henry David Thoreau while living at Walden Pond and published in Graham's Magazine in 1847. It examines the life and writing of the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle.
Why it matters
The essay is Thoreau's only extended piece of literary criticism, showing how he looked to other writers for inspiration. It reveals his search for a model of independent thinking, and his admiration for reformers who thought for themselves rather than repeating tradition. Carlyle himself, through his friend Ralph Waldo Emerson, read and responded to the piece, showing a direct link between the three writers.
Look closer
- What qualities does Thoreau admire most in Carlyle's writing?
- How does Thoreau use this essay to express his own philosophy, not just Carlyle's?
- What does Carlyle's reaction tell us about how writers of this era read and judged one another?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Henry David Thoreau on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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