Thomas Carlyle

Although I enjoyed the switch to prose, I did not enjoy the switch to pessimism associated with the works of Thomas Carlyle. Carlyle was described as a particularly "cranky character" who was known for his "eccentric works of... social criticism" (475). Of Carlyle's writings, I particularly enjoyed The Irish Window from his Gospel of Mammonism. This passage seems very hopeless and sad, yet it is still full of the satire that Carlyle is known for. 

The passage tells the unfortunate tale of a very poor widow who, with her children goes to seek help from charitable establishments. These charitable establishments deny the widow any help even as she pleads with them. She then becomes drastically ill with typhus fever, dies, and consequently infects seventeen others who eventually die as well. Unfortunately, it required the widow's death and the death of others for the people to realize that she was their equal and worthy of their help.

During this time, the Irish people were treated particularly poorly as clearly communicated by Carlyle's passage. As an entire race of individuals, they were considered to be less-human or unequal and were therefore treated very poorly. Carlyle never names the widow, nor does he assign any particular characteristics to her. By keeping her identity anonymous and referring to her only as the "poor Irish widow," Carlyle successfully makes her a representative for a much larger group. He therefore highlights not only the one immoral act shown in this story, but uncovers many inhumane practices happening in society. This anonymous theme also stands for the charities and city, which were referenced as simply the "Charitable Establishments" of that "City" (480). Again, Carlyle does this not to point fingers at one particular offender, but to cast blame on society in general, and prompt a change. 

When the widow dies, the Physician (also not assigned a specific name) declares, "Would it not have been economy to help this poor widow? She took typhus-fever and killed seventeen of you!- Very curious" (480). Here Carlyle uses the physician to point out not only the ignorance and stupidity of the situation, but to also unveil the immorality and injustice done to this woman. He conveys that every individual should be treated at least as human, for in that way at least, they are undeniably equal. It is our responsibility as humans to take note of this and help one another. For as seen in this case, selfishness can lead to the demise of more people, which could otherwise be easily avoided just by helping those in need. As the women is begging for some kind of outreach she exclaims, "I am your sister, bone of your bone; one God made us: ye must help me!"(481). In this quotation, Carlyle brings to his reader's attention, that regardless of race or social class, we are all considered equal in God and in humanity; this means of establishing equality is alone the most important, therefore, every human should be treated as such - equal. 

A very interesting aspect of this passage is Carlyle's use of the word "impossible." He first uses this word when the people responded to the widow's cry for help, "No, impossible; thou art no sister of ours"(481). Yet, the widow was forced to prove her "sisterhood" and humanity when she infected them with the virus they would die from. Carlyle then begins to mock this use of "impossible" by repeating it multiple times throughout the remainder of the passage, exposing the existence of "Supply-and-demand" and "Laissez-faire" and others things that were once "universally declared to be 'impossible'"(481). Carlyle goes on to speak of these people's "parchments", "padlocks", and "money-safes"- the only things of value to them as they say "you have no business with them. Depart! It is impossible!"(481). He even states that until these selfish, immortal people obtain a soul, certainly "all things are 'impossible'"(481). Carlyle's most profound statement lies in the last sentence as he writes, "Seventeen of you lying dead will not deny such proof that she was flesh of your flesh; and perhaps some of the living may lay it to heart"(481). In the end of what was a dreadfully somber passage, Carlyle allows the reader to experience alittle hope for the situation. Maybe, of those left alive in this tragedy, will be able to disregard the superficial distinctions placed between classes and races to see that in body and spirit everyone is equal and deserves, at the very least, to be treated as such.