Charles Lamb presents an ordinary human experience using the romantic approach and therefore, making it universal and

eternal. Critically analyze with respect to his essay Old China and A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig.

Charles Lamb is a highly acclaimed essayist of the eighteenth century. Although he tried his hand on other forms of literature such as poetry and drama as well, his status as an essayist has by far exceeded that of his other ventures. The eighteenth century experienced the French Revolution that not only left a deep impact on the politics but also a profound effect on literature. This new literature was so distinctive compared to its predecessor that it began to be associated with Romanticism, an accelerating movement of the time. This age is predominantly known for breaking class boundaries, stressing not only on form but also the content, an inherent reverence to nature in any form, an outburst of emotions and imagination, and exoticism. Charles Lamb incorporated all of these elements optimally in his essays, the product of which generated a universal quality. Old China is perhaps one the most famous essays by Charles Lamb. It deals with the longing for the old times in poverty and the unfulfilling endeavor of buying new things in the present prosperous condition. It also presents a contrast between the adventurous, free, energetic youth as opposed to the cautious, quiescent adulthood. The essay creates an analogy of the old consumer practices and the new ones. A Dissertation upon Roast Pig is an essay on the discovery of how man acquired the taste of roasted pigs which according to Lamb is sited in an old Chinese manuscript. Returning from the manuscript to the present world, he talks of the insensitivity in the whipping of pigs. However, the rationale behind this behavior is also given; it might provide pleasure and hence, can also be practiced. The incorporation of Elia, a charming London bachelor, as the narrator of all of his essays, Charles Lamb serves two purposes. He makes the narrative more exciting and breaks the class barriers. A once poor commoner, Elia is a representative of all the common people who were previously left out of contact with literature which was supposedly superior and essentially an aristocratic feat. Elia, on the other hand, can be any man. Through his pondering and imagination, he can be related to any person at any point because he focuses on the very psychology and nature of men, thus, making the matter of the essay eternal. The simple yet effective language that Lamb uses in both essays under discussion, leave a deep impact on the reader. His integration of personal experiences and an ordinary, commonplace subject matter in his essays give them a wholesomeness and relatedness that the previous literature failed to provide. In Old China, the description of the brown suit that grew so thread-bare, the pleasant walks when we had a holyday and when we squeezed out our shillings all are incidents that everyone can relate to irrespective of the class they belong to. The essay A Dissertation upon Roast Pig starts with an experience that Lamb relates, a Chinese manuscript, that my friend was obliging enough to read and explain to me and then later in the essay, he talks of another experience I remember a touch of conscience in this kind at school. A commoner cannot relate to the experiences or life of a great Roman

ruler. He can however, relate to Elia who goes through life just like anybody and has his unique experiences on the same pattern as average people. In this way, Lamb has universalized his essays. Charles Lambs form of writing is conversational in both essays. Although the essays have a definite structure and are not haphazardly compiled, their style is very informal. It is as if the reader is being addressed to, which attracts his attention and grips him to the essay. This informal style is also used as a way of breaking away from the strictly formal tradition of the previous era. Lamb involves the reader in Old China by making him feel like he is one of them. By using the collective pronoun, as in we have all some taste , and so we must in courtesy in the very beginning, Lambs essay exudes a very personal touch that easily reaches the reader and catches his interest. In A Dissertation upon Roast Pig, Lamb refers to the reader while describing the cottage of Bo-bo in the beginning paragraph, a sorry antediluvian make-shift of a building, you may think it. Hence, the essays are made interesting in keeping with the prevalent traditions and through this personal, interactive streak, have been made universal. Both of the essays also have a nostalgic feel which is a quintessential romantic element. Lamb or Elia reminisces not only of his own past but in the remembrance of the literary giants of the past, also unveils his veneration to the previous literature. In Old China, there is an innate desire for the past. Lines such as I wish good old times would come again and was there no pleasure in being a poor man? carry this heavy feeling of wistfulness. Whereas when it comes to A Dissertation upon Roast Pig, Elia remembers this one incident when he was young and her aunt had given her a cake and after thrusting it upon a beggar the odour of that spicy cake came back upon my recollection, and the pleasure Then there is the acceptance of the sagacity of the old when he says Our ancestors were nice in their method of sacrificing these tender victims. It is in human nature to long for the past. Irrespective of how content a man must be at the present, the past seems more serene. At some point of time, especially in the old age, people have this longing for the active years of the past. This is something everyone can relate to and thus, even in this century can be relative. In the reference to different work of literature in both of the essays, Lamb achieved two purposes. First, it gave authenticity to his work and second in mentioning timeless works, he has made his own essays timeless. In Old China, there is mention of the plays Arden and The Court of Illyria. In A Dissertation upon Roast Pig, his fantastical story on the origin of roast pig is related to an ancient Chinese manuscript, and by dealing with it like it is a scholarly piece of writing, he has actually tried to provide some authenticity to his word. Romanticism is also tinged with the antithetic style. There was freedom of thought and the writers were allowed to employ the full potential and capacity of their imagination. There was a general acceptance of all stances without being judgmental. In this respect, Lamb in his essay Old China uses this technique by presenting the ideas of both Elia and Bridget. When Bridget says, and while I was repairing some of the loose leaves with paste, which your impatience would not suffer to be left till day-break - was there no pleasure in being a poor man? Elia replies, It is true we were happier when we were poorer, but we were also younger, my cousin While Bridget gets to speak most of the time, Elia gets to finish the argument and neither one of them is successful in convincing the other. This translates into an equality

which endorses the acceptance of all stances and encourages such an emotion in the reader as well. In Dissertation upon Roast Pig, antithesis is employed in the case of the pig that is being beaten or whipped to death so that their meat is made tender. This misery of the pig evokes a deep sympathy for the pig whose pain is almost likened to that of Christ. And yet, Lamb goes on to justify this very tradition and for It might impart a gusto. In giving both sides of the argument, Lamb makes the applicability of his essays very wide. The ambivalence of Elia is a also characteristic of any human mind. Man is prone to all sorts of uncertainties and there is a good chance that he will not reach a satisfactory conclusion. Thus, this side of human psychology has been prevalent forever, making Lambs essays universal. There is use of excessively sensual language in both the essays. This imprints the essay on the readers mind since it not only provokes the mind but also stimulates the senses. The experience of reading these essays is in its own right a wholly sensuous experience. In Old China, the description of the pictures on the teacups is very vivid, the same lady is stepping into a little fairy boat, moored on the hither side of this calm garden river In A Dissertation upon Roast Pig, the explanation of the roast as crisp, tawny, well-watched, not over-roasted, crackling, the aroma that assailed his nostrils and the sorry antediluvian make-shift of a building all stimulate the tongue, nose and eyes. The ability of these essays to evoke these senses even in this century proves the universality of the language and the approach used by Lamb. All romantic authors are also known to admire nature in all forms. The association with nature is a very significant romantic element. In the Old China, the images on the teacups have been taken from the rustic beauty of nature in the calm garden river, a flowery mead, etc. Moreover, in A Dissertation upon Roast Pig, the very use of an animal as the centre of the essay, Lamb brings out his love of nature. Hence, these natural features add in the longevity of Lambs essays. Nature is something that has been talked about and written upon for centuries. Any reference to nature and any subsequent thought or image produced is the reaction of any mind. Hence, in repeating an age-old theme, one that has never gone out of vogue, Lamb attains a universal quality for his essays. The use of romantic elements in the essays of Charles Lamb has been done in the most magnificent manner. The essays completely bring out the feel of a Romantic piece of literature. The style of writing of Lamb is exquisite and the subject matter so relevant that even in the twenty-first century his essays are as pertinent as in the eighteenth century. His conversational tone and simplistic style engrosses the reader in his essays and also manages to evoke all senses. Although no one essay of Lamb can be presented to have absolutely all of the Romantic elements, they all can be recognized as belonging to that literary genre very easily. The free inculcation of emotions and feelings in all the essays are apparent and these feelings are in no way lofty sentiments. All these elements when combined make the essays of Charles Lamb as applicable and interesting to read today, making them universal.