‘Dream Children : A Reverie‘ is a
AReflective essay
BDidactic essay
CPersonal essay
DPolitical essay
Answer:
C. Personal essay
Read Explanation:
Understanding 'Dream Children : A Reverie' as a Personal Essay
- Charles Lamb, the author of 'Dream Children : A Reverie', is renowned for his mastery of the personal essay form.
- A personal essay is characterized by its intimate and subjective tone, often reflecting the author's personal thoughts, feelings, memories, and reflections.
- In 'Dream Children : A Reverie', Lamb directly addresses his (imaginary) children, weaving a narrative that is deeply rooted in his own nostalgia, regrets, and unfulfilled desires.
- The essay serves as a vehicle for Lamb to explore themes such as childhood, memory, loss, and the longing for family.
- Key elements that mark it as a personal essay include:
- First-person narration ('I'): The entire essay is filtered through Lamb's consciousness.
- Emotional depth: It delves into profound emotions like love, sorrow, and wistfulness.
- Autobiographical undertones: While fictionalized, it draws heavily from Lamb's personal life experiences and circumstances, particularly his relationship with his late sister, Mary Lamb.
- Meditative and reflective style: The essay encourages contemplation on life's circumstances and the nature of happiness.
- Lamb's essays, including this one, are often published in collections like 'Essays of Elia' (1823) and 'The Last Essays of Elia' (1833), which are cornerstones of English essay writing.
- This work exemplifies the 'Elizabethan' or 'Caroline' tradition of essay writing, which emphasizes grace, wit, and personal reflection, as opposed to the more formal, argumentative style of later essayists.
- Recognizing this work as a personal essay is crucial for understanding its literary significance and Lamb's unique contribution to English prose.