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On Heroes, Hero Worship, and the Heroic in History

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On Heroes, Hero Worship, and the Heroic in History

By: Thomas Carlyle
Narrated by: Michael Anthony
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On Heroes, Hero Worship, and The Heroic in History by Thomas Carlyle, is a collection of six lectures given in May 1840 about prominent historical figures. It sets out Carlyle's belief in the importance of heroic leadership, his view of how the world would be if powerful and inspired men were to have the power he thought they deserved.

The collection includes figures ranging from religion to literature and politics, and the figures chosen were presented by Carlyle as archetypal examples of individuals who had dramatically impacted history for good or ill. The figures are: Odin (Paganism), Muhammad (Islam), Dante & Shakespeare (Poet), Luther & Knox (Priest), Johnson, Rousseau & Burns (Man of Letters), Cromwell & Napoleon (Modern revolutionism).

Public Domain (P)2020 Museum Audiobooks
Classics Linguistics Social Sciences Middle Ages
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Carlyle has a very idiosyncratic style that will likely only be of interest to students writing an assignment on him or someone researching either Victorian intellectuals or competing approaches to historiography (the study of the philosophy of history). Personally I enjoyed the book on 3.5 speed and made just over 20 notes. His views on Islam and Muhammad were the most interesting, shorty followed by Oliver Cromwell and Charles I.

Marmite author. Unique style.

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