Showing posts with label The Superannuated Man. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Superannuated Man. Show all posts
Why does Lamb use the reference of Sir Robert Howard in "The Superannuated Man"?
In the notable Romantic essay, "The Superannuated Man", extracted from " The Last Essays of Elia"(1833) by Charles Lamb, 'Prince of English essayists', the author uses the reference of Sir Robert Howard, a 17th century English poet, dramatist and historian. Lamb here quotes the line from his Tragedy, "The Vestal Virgin", which he wrote down in the lamentation of his friend's death. These lines are-
".....'Twas but just now he went away
I have not since had time to shed a tear;
And if he had been a thousand years from me
Time takes no measure in Eternity."
Actually Sir Robert Howard wrote this poem after a day of his friend's death and he had yet got no time to shed tears for the dear friend and strangely it appeared to him that his friend died a long span of years before. And after the death of his friend, the concept of time ceased altogether. Eternity was bound in no clock of time.
Lamb here uses this reference to vivify his feelings after his sudden retirement with 'a pension for life to the amount of two-thirds' of his 'accustomed salary'. He felt 'stunned-overwhelmed' for 'the first day or two'. But he 'could not conceive of it as an affair of yesterday'. He was in a confusing condition. In his mind, 'strange fantacies' were coming at the 'commencement' of his freedom. Actually he was adjusted with the hard drudgery of the counting office, but suddenly when freedom and time came to him, he was astonished and thought that he would not meet with his partners and clerks for 'a vast track of time'. And he also thought that his friends and colleagues with whom he had " for so many years, and for so many hours in each day of the year, been closely associated - being suddenly removed from them - they seemed as dead" to him.
Lamb uses this passage to justify his contention about the strange sensation of the superannuated clerk after his retirement from his office all on a sudden. Here the author expresses his psychological condition after the superannuation.
".....'Twas but just now he went away
I have not since had time to shed a tear;
And if he had been a thousand years from me
Time takes no measure in Eternity."
Actually Sir Robert Howard wrote this poem after a day of his friend's death and he had yet got no time to shed tears for the dear friend and strangely it appeared to him that his friend died a long span of years before. And after the death of his friend, the concept of time ceased altogether. Eternity was bound in no clock of time.
Lamb here uses this reference to vivify his feelings after his sudden retirement with 'a pension for life to the amount of two-thirds' of his 'accustomed salary'. He felt 'stunned-overwhelmed' for 'the first day or two'. But he 'could not conceive of it as an affair of yesterday'. He was in a confusing condition. In his mind, 'strange fantacies' were coming at the 'commencement' of his freedom. Actually he was adjusted with the hard drudgery of the counting office, but suddenly when freedom and time came to him, he was astonished and thought that he would not meet with his partners and clerks for 'a vast track of time'. And he also thought that his friends and colleagues with whom he had " for so many years, and for so many hours in each day of the year, been closely associated - being suddenly removed from them - they seemed as dead" to him.
Lamb uses this passage to justify his contention about the strange sensation of the superannuated clerk after his retirement from his office all on a sudden. Here the author expresses his psychological condition after the superannuation.
Explain the line, "Before I had a taste of it, it was vanished" from The Superannuated Man.
This statement quoted from a notable Elian essay, "The Superannuated Man", a celebrated autobiographical essay by the most popular Romantic essayist Charles Lamb, " Prince of English essayists" expresses his feelings and experiences on the 'full week in the summer' vacation.
"The Superannuated Man" is a pen-picture of Lamb's life before and after superannuation. Lamb had to drudge 'eight, nine and sometimes ten hours a day' for long 'six and thirty years' from fourte,, 'the abundant playtime', 'the frequently intervening vacations of school days' thruogh 'middle age down to decrepitude and silver hairs' in 'the irksome confinement' of the South Sea House and India Office.
In the hard life of Lamb, holidays are the rarest things. He had his Sundays and three other vacations --- "I had a day of Easter, and a day at Christmas, with a full week in the Summer." This last vacation is the longest and the special privilege to Lamb. And Lamb had been waiting for that particular week through 'fifty one tedious weeks'. This week long vacation had a special impact on his mind and made his 'durance tolerable'. He had 'glittering phanton' to do on those days, but before he had the taste of it, 'it was vanished'. Actually he became excited to ''find out how to make the most of them? Where was the quiet, where the promised rest?" Thus his 'wearisome anxiety' did not allow him to spend his days in 'restless pursuit of pleasure'. Before he could settle himself to his vacatio, it passed away leaving him restless, pining. He had to reprepare himself for his daily 'thralldom'.
Lamb's eager yearning for holidays is well evident here. He rightly refers to the usual human nature to derive maximum pleasure out of the minimum time at disposal. Lamb here gives him personal feelings but it becomes universal. This is actually the experience of all persons grown old in drudgery and craving constantly for relief, a repose. Lamb is here a critic of life and an essayist, in Bacon's language, "is a critic of life in his own way."
"The Superannuated Man" is a pen-picture of Lamb's life before and after superannuation. Lamb had to drudge 'eight, nine and sometimes ten hours a day' for long 'six and thirty years' from fourte,, 'the abundant playtime', 'the frequently intervening vacations of school days' thruogh 'middle age down to decrepitude and silver hairs' in 'the irksome confinement' of the South Sea House and India Office.
In the hard life of Lamb, holidays are the rarest things. He had his Sundays and three other vacations --- "I had a day of Easter, and a day at Christmas, with a full week in the Summer." This last vacation is the longest and the special privilege to Lamb. And Lamb had been waiting for that particular week through 'fifty one tedious weeks'. This week long vacation had a special impact on his mind and made his 'durance tolerable'. He had 'glittering phanton' to do on those days, but before he had the taste of it, 'it was vanished'. Actually he became excited to ''find out how to make the most of them? Where was the quiet, where the promised rest?" Thus his 'wearisome anxiety' did not allow him to spend his days in 'restless pursuit of pleasure'. Before he could settle himself to his vacatio, it passed away leaving him restless, pining. He had to reprepare himself for his daily 'thralldom'.
Lamb's eager yearning for holidays is well evident here. He rightly refers to the usual human nature to derive maximum pleasure out of the minimum time at disposal. Lamb here gives him personal feelings but it becomes universal. This is actually the experience of all persons grown old in drudgery and craving constantly for relief, a repose. Lamb is here a critic of life and an essayist, in Bacon's language, "is a critic of life in his own way."
Explain the line "I was in the condition of a prisoner in the old Bastille" from "The Superannuated Man".
The quoted statement from a notable essay, "The Superannuated Man", a most celebrated personal essay by the most bright Romantic essayist Charles Lamb, 'Prince of English essayists' vivifies Lamb's feelings of confusion and bewilderment after his sudden release from India Office.
" The Superannuated Man" is a pen picture of Lamb's life before & after retirement. Lamb had to drudge "eight, nine and sometimes ten hours a day" for long "six and thirty years" from fourteen-- 'the abundant playtime' and 'the frequently intervening vacations of school days' upto the age of fifty - the time of 'decrepitude and silver hairs' in the 'irksome confinement' of the South Sea House and India Office.
After his sudden retirement with 'a pension for life to the amount of two-thirds' of his 'accustomed salary', he felt 'stunned - overwhelmed' for 'the first day or two.' But his life of drudgery was a long one and it was natural to him and he was well adjusted to it. But suddenly he was thrown to retirement. He eas not ready for that. Naturally, he wad at a loss.
To describe his condition, he compares himself to the prisoner, imprisoned for long forty years at the fort of Bastille, which had been the political prison in France before French Revolution. But after 'a forty years of confinement' they were suddenly released & they would be definitely puzzled. Same of the condition of the superannuated clerk who 'had grown' to his 'desk, as it were and the wood had entered his soul.' Lamb was happy and equally shocked -- " I wandered about, thinking I was happy, and knowing that I was not."
This statement is an authentic instance of Elian humour. The analogy of old Bastille is well conceived here and psychologically impressive. Lamb's practical realism and knowledge in human psychology are remarkably revealed here.
" The Superannuated Man" is a pen picture of Lamb's life before & after retirement. Lamb had to drudge "eight, nine and sometimes ten hours a day" for long "six and thirty years" from fourteen-- 'the abundant playtime' and 'the frequently intervening vacations of school days' upto the age of fifty - the time of 'decrepitude and silver hairs' in the 'irksome confinement' of the South Sea House and India Office.
After his sudden retirement with 'a pension for life to the amount of two-thirds' of his 'accustomed salary', he felt 'stunned - overwhelmed' for 'the first day or two.' But his life of drudgery was a long one and it was natural to him and he was well adjusted to it. But suddenly he was thrown to retirement. He eas not ready for that. Naturally, he wad at a loss.
To describe his condition, he compares himself to the prisoner, imprisoned for long forty years at the fort of Bastille, which had been the political prison in France before French Revolution. But after 'a forty years of confinement' they were suddenly released & they would be definitely puzzled. Same of the condition of the superannuated clerk who 'had grown' to his 'desk, as it were and the wood had entered his soul.' Lamb was happy and equally shocked -- " I wandered about, thinking I was happy, and knowing that I was not."
This statement is an authentic instance of Elian humour. The analogy of old Bastille is well conceived here and psychologically impressive. Lamb's practical realism and knowledge in human psychology are remarkably revealed here.
Comment on the line,"Those eternal bells depress me" from "The Superannuated Man".
This quoted line, taken from a notable Elian essay, "The Superannuated Man", a remarkable personal essay, which is extracted from the collection of essays, " The Last Essays of Elia"(1833) by the most bright Romantic essayist, Charles Lamb,"Prince of English essayists", expresses Lamb's feelings & experience on the day of Sunday.
"The Superannuated Man" is a pen picture of Lamb's life before & after superannuation. Lamb had to drudge "eight, nine and sometimes ten hours a day" for long "six and thirty years" fron fourteen --- the "abundant playtime" and "the frequently intervening vacations of school days" to fifty in "the irksome confinement" of the South Sea House and the Indian Offi.. In this drudgery, he had a special fondness for holidays. In this hard life of drudgery, Sunday is the only holiday-- "I had my Sundays to myself". In thus connection, Lamb here tells about his attitude towatd the state of London.
After his hard drudgery of six days Lamb had had his own Sunday. But Sunday proved a total failure and could not give him the entertainment which he sought for. Actually Lamb is the lover of noise, crowd and recreation. " But Sundays, admirable as the institution of thrmis for purposes of worship...." The people of London went to the Church to fulfil their desire. On that particular day, "there is a gloom" for our author. He could only hear the continuous ringing of church bells, that seemed to call the devout Christian to the prayer for eternsl rest.
Lamb missed "the cheerful cries of London, the music and the ballad singers - the buzz and stirring murmur of the streets." "The closed shops" repealed him. He also could not find "prints, picture, all the glittering and endless succession of knacks and gewgaws, and ostentatiously displayed wares of tradesmen." The whole situation is only repulsive to him. He did not like such a dreary, gloomy environment of Sunday.
In this quoted line, the personal element is clearly evident. The author here mentions his love of the city and the bustke of city life, of its crowds and noises. There is also a fine touch of humour in the expression - "the eternal bells depress me" and this phrase serves to indicate the state of Lamb's mind who was the victim of the dull Sunday.
"The Superannuated Man" is a pen picture of Lamb's life before & after superannuation. Lamb had to drudge "eight, nine and sometimes ten hours a day" for long "six and thirty years" fron fourteen --- the "abundant playtime" and "the frequently intervening vacations of school days" to fifty in "the irksome confinement" of the South Sea House and the Indian Offi.. In this drudgery, he had a special fondness for holidays. In this hard life of drudgery, Sunday is the only holiday-- "I had my Sundays to myself". In thus connection, Lamb here tells about his attitude towatd the state of London.
After his hard drudgery of six days Lamb had had his own Sunday. But Sunday proved a total failure and could not give him the entertainment which he sought for. Actually Lamb is the lover of noise, crowd and recreation. " But Sundays, admirable as the institution of thrmis for purposes of worship...." The people of London went to the Church to fulfil their desire. On that particular day, "there is a gloom" for our author. He could only hear the continuous ringing of church bells, that seemed to call the devout Christian to the prayer for eternsl rest.
Lamb missed "the cheerful cries of London, the music and the ballad singers - the buzz and stirring murmur of the streets." "The closed shops" repealed him. He also could not find "prints, picture, all the glittering and endless succession of knacks and gewgaws, and ostentatiously displayed wares of tradesmen." The whole situation is only repulsive to him. He did not like such a dreary, gloomy environment of Sunday.
In this quoted line, the personal element is clearly evident. The author here mentions his love of the city and the bustke of city life, of its crowds and noises. There is also a fine touch of humour in the expression - "the eternal bells depress me" and this phrase serves to indicate the state of Lamb's mind who was the victim of the dull Sunday.
Questions and Answers from The Superannuated Man.
The Superannuated Man
Charles Lamb
1) What is the meaning of the epigraph of Lamb's essay 'The Superannuated Man'?
Ans: The epigraph is a Latin quotation from the ' Eclogues ' of Virgil meaning that ' liberty, though late, has remembered me. ' The epigraph is suitable to the existence of Lamb when he is superannuated from a very tender era by the South Sea Company.
2) What autobiographical elements can be found in Lamb's essay?
Ans: In Lamb's essay 'The Superannuated man' there are a lot of autobiographical elements - it narrates how he has wasted his life in the dull and boring post of a clerk. It narrates his life at the farm and mentions the joys he felt in visiting Herdordshire where he also fell in love. And finally it speaks of his deliverance from his job at the South Sea Company.
3) Give some examples of Latinism as you find in The Superannuated Man.
Ans: Latinisms are an significant component in the style of Lamb. Lamb used the Latin quotations in' The Superannuated Man' such as' Esto Perpetua' (May this House last forever),' Opus Operatum est' (the job is completed) and phrases of Latin origin such as' agnise,'' cognition,'' defiliations,' etc. Instead of phrases such as' really' and' crowd,' he used terms such as' really,'' competition,' etc.
Ans:
4) What is meant by Ethiop White?
Ans: Lamb's essay' The Superannuated Man,' Lamb claims he was in fear of Monday's coming when he worked as a clerk and marked it Black Monday. So just as a dark-colored Ethiopian can't change his skin's color, Similarly Lamb thinks that Monday's dismal feeling can't be altered.
Charles Lamb
1) What is the meaning of the epigraph of Lamb's essay 'The Superannuated Man'?
Ans: The epigraph is a Latin quotation from the ' Eclogues ' of Virgil meaning that ' liberty, though late, has remembered me. ' The epigraph is suitable to the existence of Lamb when he is superannuated from a very tender era by the South Sea Company.
2) What autobiographical elements can be found in Lamb's essay?
Ans: In Lamb's essay 'The Superannuated man' there are a lot of autobiographical elements - it narrates how he has wasted his life in the dull and boring post of a clerk. It narrates his life at the farm and mentions the joys he felt in visiting Herdordshire where he also fell in love. And finally it speaks of his deliverance from his job at the South Sea Company.
3) Give some examples of Latinism as you find in The Superannuated Man.
Ans: Latinisms are an significant component in the style of Lamb. Lamb used the Latin quotations in' The Superannuated Man' such as' Esto Perpetua' (May this House last forever),' Opus Operatum est' (the job is completed) and phrases of Latin origin such as' agnise,'' cognition,'' defiliations,' etc. Instead of phrases such as' really' and' crowd,' he used terms such as' really,'' competition,' etc.
Ans:
4) What is meant by Ethiop White?
Ans: Lamb's essay' The Superannuated Man,' Lamb claims he was in fear of Monday's coming when he worked as a clerk and marked it Black Monday. So just as a dark-colored Ethiopian can't change his skin's color, Similarly Lamb thinks that Monday's dismal feeling can't be altered.
Summary of Lamb's The Superannuated Man.
Charles Lamb started his essay, "The Superannuated Man," in a very attractive way. At the very beginning, he made it clear that only those readers could understand, realize and estimate his sense of relief after retirement from service if, in the golden years of his life, he was also subject to the same rigidity of hard office work, his wonderful youth, having no time of his own to enjoy the sweetness and charms of life. Young age is life's golden age, the best time for adventure and enjoyment. If this beautiful moment is lost in an office's troubled containment with the utmost drudgery of office work, he will surely feel stupid at core with an unspeakable pain. When he was a pure kid singing and playing, Lamb started his work profession some thirty six years ago. But it is very unfortunate that in the narrow limits and rigors of the counting house, Lamb had to change such an age, such a play time, such a childhood in eight, nine, and even a few times, ten hours of hard work a day. It was, indeed, his fate's irony.
Of course he had the sundays as his holidays for enjoyment and recreation in those days of hard work. But it seemed to him that the Sundays were more suitable for worship and certainly not for recreation. If a man has to spend his Sundays in a city, especially, he can feel that very much. Sunday is holiday itself. So that day all the town life's glamor and appeal is gone. The city streets with beautiful, attractive and glamorous shops appear to be somewhat unattractive and deserted and the shops are still closed. On such Sundays, the only thing that one can see was the unhappy faces of the maid-servants who, being allowed to go out on leave that day from the hard work and slavish bondage of their whole weeks, came out only to breathe in empty streets. Since their holiday day was Sunday, their desire for pleasure stayed unfulfilled.
Lamb says his monotonous and dreary existence rendered him inseparable from the wood's deceased subject. It had a deadening impact on the soul of Lamb as he had for centuries wasted all emotion and exuberance. He was so gradually frustrated by this age-long servitude in the office work and irksome imprisonment in his desk that he quickly started to find himself incompetent for the job. He was frustrated even more by this sensation of incompetence. As his era progressed and he grew older and weaker, he was pinched significantly and progressively by this sensation of inefficiency.
This anxiety was well defined on his forehead, and he was often told about this by his fellow bureau mates. This disclosure produced him even more worried.
Thus began the retired life of Lamb, his superannuated period. He now had complete and endless liberty. He was too embarrassed and embarrassed in the start to fully appreciate his liberty. He started roaming here and there and tried to think he was happy to know just as well that he wasn't. His superannuated life's irony started. He attempted to spend the time in the easiest and most comfortable way. He now realized that in his era the moment a person is more likely to be counted. A man's real time is only that time when he operates in accordance with his own nice will when he is totally free from all bondage.
He felt terribly depressed when the concept came to him that he had spent too much time since leaving the India House. He came to the office once or twice to dissipate this impression to call on his own fellow-clerks, his dearest early-life friends. He was welcomed warmly and affectionately by his ancient friends. But he couldn't feel pleased about that. He felt in the heart that there was no longer the ancient feeling of familiarity. It's been forever. His presence in the office became merely a matter of the past. "He was full of remorse at leaving his old friends who were always very kind to him and made easy and tolerable for him the rugged and difficult path of his professional career".
At the end of the essay, we can see that he is free from his bondage and therefore, now he has the complete freedom to pass in his own way the rest of his life, the way he wants. He announced with a grave gesture and profound air-reading "the State of the Opera, Opus Operatum est, when I picked up a journal. I've accomplished everything I've come to do in this globe. I've been working on the task and have myself the remainder of the day."
Of course he had the sundays as his holidays for enjoyment and recreation in those days of hard work. But it seemed to him that the Sundays were more suitable for worship and certainly not for recreation. If a man has to spend his Sundays in a city, especially, he can feel that very much. Sunday is holiday itself. So that day all the town life's glamor and appeal is gone. The city streets with beautiful, attractive and glamorous shops appear to be somewhat unattractive and deserted and the shops are still closed. On such Sundays, the only thing that one can see was the unhappy faces of the maid-servants who, being allowed to go out on leave that day from the hard work and slavish bondage of their whole weeks, came out only to breathe in empty streets. Since their holiday day was Sunday, their desire for pleasure stayed unfulfilled.
Lamb says his monotonous and dreary existence rendered him inseparable from the wood's deceased subject. It had a deadening impact on the soul of Lamb as he had for centuries wasted all emotion and exuberance. He was so gradually frustrated by this age-long servitude in the office work and irksome imprisonment in his desk that he quickly started to find himself incompetent for the job. He was frustrated even more by this sensation of incompetence. As his era progressed and he grew older and weaker, he was pinched significantly and progressively by this sensation of inefficiency.
This anxiety was well defined on his forehead, and he was often told about this by his fellow bureau mates. This disclosure produced him even more worried.
Thus began the retired life of Lamb, his superannuated period. He now had complete and endless liberty. He was too embarrassed and embarrassed in the start to fully appreciate his liberty. He started roaming here and there and tried to think he was happy to know just as well that he wasn't. His superannuated life's irony started. He attempted to spend the time in the easiest and most comfortable way. He now realized that in his era the moment a person is more likely to be counted. A man's real time is only that time when he operates in accordance with his own nice will when he is totally free from all bondage.
He felt terribly depressed when the concept came to him that he had spent too much time since leaving the India House. He came to the office once or twice to dissipate this impression to call on his own fellow-clerks, his dearest early-life friends. He was welcomed warmly and affectionately by his ancient friends. But he couldn't feel pleased about that. He felt in the heart that there was no longer the ancient feeling of familiarity. It's been forever. His presence in the office became merely a matter of the past. "He was full of remorse at leaving his old friends who were always very kind to him and made easy and tolerable for him the rugged and difficult path of his professional career".
At the end of the essay, we can see that he is free from his bondage and therefore, now he has the complete freedom to pass in his own way the rest of his life, the way he wants. He announced with a grave gesture and profound air-reading "the State of the Opera, Opus Operatum est, when I picked up a journal. I've accomplished everything I've come to do in this globe. I've been working on the task and have myself the remainder of the day."
"I gradually became content - doggedly contented, as wild animals in cages" : Comment on this section.
The given line is quoted from the Romantic essay, "The Superannuated Man" which is extracted from the collection of Elian essays, "The Last Essays of Elia"(1833) by Charles Lamb, the prince of English essayists. This essay treats an agonizing phase of Lamb's life of drudgery in "the irksome confinement" of the South Sea House and India office for ling thirty six years from fourteen to forty.
In this quoted line, Lamb refers to his gradual and forced adjustment to his hard life of drudgery. Though 'fourteen' is the age of "abundant playtime" and "the frequently intervening vacations of school days", Lamb had to spend his time as a prisoner "in the irksome confinement of an office". He had to work there for "eight, nine, and sometimes ten hours' a day". But "time partially reconciles us to anything." Similarly Lamb had adjusted with the soul-killing monotony and long-drawn drudgery of his life
To describe his pitiful condition, he here uses the image of "wild animals in cages". The author wants to say that as the wild animals are compelled to abide the caged-life and they remain there rather grudgingly, as there is no other option for them, our author had to accept his troublesome lot of drudgery in the counting office "without hope of release or respite".
This sentence evokes the sense of wit and humour of the author. The analogy of 'wild animals' is well conceived here. Prof. Walter says, "Lamb was, among other things, one of the wisest men of his time." It is absolutely true, because Lamb through this apparent humorous approach, gives us the note of sadness and pathos of a petty clerk in his unfailing life of drudgery.
In this quoted line, Lamb refers to his gradual and forced adjustment to his hard life of drudgery. Though 'fourteen' is the age of "abundant playtime" and "the frequently intervening vacations of school days", Lamb had to spend his time as a prisoner "in the irksome confinement of an office". He had to work there for "eight, nine, and sometimes ten hours' a day". But "time partially reconciles us to anything." Similarly Lamb had adjusted with the soul-killing monotony and long-drawn drudgery of his life
To describe his pitiful condition, he here uses the image of "wild animals in cages". The author wants to say that as the wild animals are compelled to abide the caged-life and they remain there rather grudgingly, as there is no other option for them, our author had to accept his troublesome lot of drudgery in the counting office "without hope of release or respite".
This sentence evokes the sense of wit and humour of the author. The analogy of 'wild animals' is well conceived here. Prof. Walter says, "Lamb was, among other things, one of the wisest men of his time." It is absolutely true, because Lamb through this apparent humorous approach, gives us the note of sadness and pathos of a petty clerk in his unfailing life of drudgery.
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