Charles Lamb

@Writers, Family and Family ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Charles Lamb was an English essayist, poet, fiction writer and critic from the Romantic period British Writers Essayists Aquarius Celebrities Charles Lamb was an English essayist, poet, fiction writer and critic from the Romantic period who continues to be one of the most lovable and read English essayists of all times. He was one of the significant members of the Lake Poets among whom William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were his close friends. Although he could not attain enduring popularity for his poetry as his friends Wordsworth and Coleridge did, he later channelized his energies into writing prose and in this pursuit emerged as one of the best essayists of his times. Two of his collections, ‘Essays of Elia’ and ‘Tales from Shakespeare’ are considered his best works as an essayist. ‘Essays of Elia’, which contained a string of autobiographical record of experiences and essays of Elia, a fictitious character of the writer, is counted among the most excellent illustrations of the English style of essays and compositions. His other prominent work ‘Tales from Shakespeare’, which he produced along with his sister Mary Lamb, consists of plays of Shakespeare for children. Some of his other notable works are ‘John Woodvil’, ‘The Adventures of Ulysses’, ‘On the Tragedies of Shakespeare’ and ‘Witches and Other Night Fears’.

Personal Details

Birthday: February 10, 1775 Died on: December 27, 1834 Nationality: British Famous: Essayists, Writers, Writers, Essayists Siblings: John Lamb (brother), Mary Lamb (sister) Birth Place: Inner Temple, London, England Gender: Male Information Detail Birthday February 10, 1775 Died on December 27, 1834 Nationality British Famous Essayists, Writers, Writers, Essayists Siblings John Lamb (brother), Mary Lamb (sister) Birth Place Inner Temple, London, England Gender Male Father John Lamb Mother Elizabeth Field Sun Sign Aquarius Born in Inner Temple, London, England Famous as Writer & Essayist Died at Age 59

Inner Temple, London, England

Charles Lamb born at Unsplash Birth Place

His first supposed love interest was Ann Simmons, in 1792, who finds place in many of his Elia essays with the pseudonym ‘Alice M’. His love affair failed and Simmons married a silversmith. Unsplash Personal Life

He again fell in love with actress Fanny Kelly, but was unsuccessful this time as well when Kelly turned down his marriage proposal. Unsplash Personal Life

In 1823 he and his sister adopted Emma Isola, an orphan girl. Unsplash Personal Life

He was born on February 10, 1775, in London to John Lamb and Elizabeth Field as their youngest child among three living children. His father worked as a clerk for a lawyer. His brother John and sister Mary were many years older to him. He was quite close to his paternal aunt Hetty and maternal grandmother Mrs. Field. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Mary taught him to read and thereafter he came under the guidance of Mrs. Reynolds with whom he maintained lifelong contact. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He joined ‘Christ’s Hospital’ at seven. It was in this free boarding school where he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge and developed a friendship that remained for life. He attended the school till 1789. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He suffered from stutter problem all his life, which disqualified him from a clerical career. After a short stint in the office of a London merchant Joseph Paice, he joined the Examiner's Office of the South Sea House where he served in a small post till February 8, 1792. Unsplash Career

On April 5, 1792, he joined the ‘East India House’ which was the headquarters of ‘East India Company’, as a clerk in its Account’s Office. He served the company for over three decades till his retirement in 1825. Unsplash Career

Charles became heavily addicted to alcohol. Once in 1795, he had to stay in an asylum for six weeks. Unsplash Career

On September 22, 1796, his elder sister Mary in a fit of rage stabbed and killed their mother Elizabeth. A subsequent investigation revealed Mary to be suffering from temporary mental illness. Mary’s custody was given to Charles Lamb. Unsplash Career

Lamb and his sister led an active social life with some of the notable literary and theatrical personalities around. Coleridge was a close childhood friend and later Lamb befriended William Wordsworth, both of them remained his friends for life. Unsplash Career

Lamb’s work along with his sister Mary, ‘Tales from Shakespeare’, emerged as a bestseller in the ‘Children’s Library’ of William Godwin. Unsplash Major Works

His collection of essays in ‘Essays of Elia’ is considered one of the most remarkable works on English style of essays and compositions. Unsplash Major Works

Information	Detail
Birthday	February 10, 1775
Died on	December 27, 1834
Nationality	British
Famous	Essayists, Writers, Writers, Essayists
Siblings	John Lamb (brother), Mary Lamb (sister)
Birth Place	Inner Temple, London, England
Gender	Male
Father	John Lamb
Mother	Elizabeth Field
Sun Sign	Aquarius
Born in	Inner Temple, London, England
Famous as	Writer & Essayist
Died at Age	59

Charles Lamb

British

Feb 10, 1775

Biography

Personal Details

Inner Temple, London, England