PhDThis thesis is an investigation into the concern
for History displayed in the Works of Thomas Carlyle. This
is seen to be related to his criticism of contemporary
society. Carlyle studied History for an insight into the
problems of the nineteenth century, and History enriched
his roles as artist, prophet and social critic. However,
his view remained concentrated on his own age.
This concern is seen to be founded on his conception
of the nineteenth century as an age of transition, during which
society was undergoing profound apocalyptic upheaval. The
overarching theme of the new age and the apocalypse embraces
both Carlyle's historical works and his social criticism.
Carlyle's emergent vision of the modern age as one of change,
disruption and disintegration is viewed in the light of his
antipathy toward the secularizing, materialist trends of the
age, as well as his portrayal of the successive periods of
belief and apocalyptic change in History.
The important scholarship already in existence on
Carlyle's early intellectual and religious background is
endorsed in this study. Setting out from the view that
greater attention needs to be paid to Carlyle's intellectual
and religious development after 1834, the study discusses
the salient ingredients in Carlyle's important historical
works, and the important bearing these had upon his social
criticism.
The research is based on Carlyle's Works; as well
as on manuscripts and letters of Carlyle, published and
unpublished
