These pages reassess Carlyle's health and personality. They comprise a summary biography, a chronology with details of contemporary literary and historical events, a detailed account of Carlyle's health throughout his life, and of his family history. There are sections on his style, on the history of hypochondriasis, and on psychiatric views of his personality and health. There are references, links and suggestions for further reading.
Read the Introduction, and 'Why Carlyle?'; then a few Quotations. Then read the the two sections of the 'summary biography' and/or have a look at the chronology of his life, which puts his life beside what was going on in the world and in literature at the time.
Then read the descriptions of him by his contemporary friends and enemies. Then the summary biography, and the section on his personality. See also the extensive and separate section on his wife, Jane Welsh Carlyle
Start with 'Carlylese', then look at the Links for further reading available on the internet.
There is detailed information on his health and hypochondriasis throughout his life, arranged chronologically, but unless you are medically qualified you may find there is too much of it! At least read the first of the sections - then browse in the others, all of which are well indexed. Finally read 'hypochondriasis.'
Read hypochondriasis, Carlyle and Oedipus, psychopathology., Sex and the Carlyles' Marriage, or for more detail: The Froude Controversy. There is a section on his mother's psychiatric illness.
There are small photographs and portraits scattered about the site, and his appearance is described under personality.
Try Further Reading, References, and Links, or send me an E-mail and I'll try to help. Or consider joining the The Carlyle Society
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Last revised January, 2006