DISCUSS G.K. CHESTERTON AS AN ESSAYIST?
Humour in his essay: - His literary temperament is that of a
Introduction: -Gilbert Keith Chesterton was a serious writer
and he had no faith in art for art’s sake. He was a satirist and spent his
life in vigorously attacking the conclusions arrived at by intellectuals. He
was a critic novelist and a poet of rank but he was also an essayist of
great reputation Richard Church called him ‘The greatest Essayist’ of
his time. Anju English Improvement Course and Computer Centre
His contribution : - Gilbert Keith Chesterton has been in the
habit of writing essays since his school days. His selves were full of
exercise book in which were written mostly impressive verses, essays
and some fragment plays. Chesterton insisted all his life that he was a
journalist. He started his career as a reviewer of art books for the
London book man. It was in Daily News which was edited by A. G.
Gardiner in which he used to write in its columns upon all manner of
books and upon nearly subject under the sun. His Saturday article in the
Daily News was a regular feature for over twelve years. At the same
time he published fiction like ‘The flying Inn’ 1903, Dickens 1906,
Bernard Shaw 1909. He also wrote detective story with father Brown as
the central character about his novels. We once said, “I have spoiled
a number of jolly good ideas in my time.”
As an essayist: - He is a writer of versatile genius and his
essays reveal , an extraordinary range of mind; there was no subject on
which he could not have found something original, and if possible
challenging, to say from the fundamental basis of morals to the proper
way of eating cheese. As we know that he was a great book reviewer
and wrote essays on almost all subjects. His essays are eloquent,
provocative, splendidly graphics and admirably humorous. As an
essayist all his spirited defense of his own point of view. AEICCC
As witty satirist: - Chesterton caught the infection of satire and
epigram during the nineties, but he used these weapons for the
defence of constructive principles, old faiths and venerable institutions
especially the Catholic Church. the tone of satire with wit can be seen in
his essay, “ The Wealth of Flattery” he takes underhand those new
journalists who were in the habit of flattering rich and distinguish people.
“ The journalists who write about Mr. Pierpont Morgan donot
say that he is as beautiful as Apollo; I wish they did.”
He doesn’t use his satire only for laughing at but for bringing
correction and improvement.
humorist. He discusses his subject with zest and good humour. In his
essays, he brings such comparison or incidents before the reader that it
makes the reader smile. As he says that the way the journalists are
flattering the milliners is the way to flatter a charwoman.
He creates a rich humour when he tells about a journalist who
praised a rich man in these words, “Mr. Midas was quietly dressed in
a black frock coat, a white waistcoat, and light great trousers, with
a plain green tie and simple flower in his bottom-hole,.” As if any
one would expect him to have a crimson frock coat or spangled
trousers. As if any one would expect him to have a burning
Catherine wheel in his button whole.
The lawyer’s quality: - G.K. Chesterton writers his essay with
advocate quality. He has a knack of argumentation. He takes the topic
with confidence and argues the topic with full command. In his essay, “
The worship of wealthy” he argues about the uses of words “ Simple,
Quite and modest”. He is not happy with the journalists who use these
words to praise or flatter the wealthy men. He says that they degrade
the value of these words.
“To be simple, is the best thing in the world; to be modest is
the next best thing. I am not sure about being quiet. I am rather
inclined to think that really modest people make a great deal of
noise.”
Diction and language: - Chesterton has a great skill in
dialectical writing. He possesses the gift of peculiar simplicity and
beauty and with utmost clearness. He agrees only by analogies and
examples. Though there is like you to be real idea behind his display of
fire works. And then he is talking pianist kind of sense. He knows the
gambit of man and woman as a reporter knows them and he doesn’t
forget whatever has once engaged his eyes and ears. Mr. S.P.Gupta
CONCLUSION: - Thus in nutshell, we can say that the essayist
G. K. Chesterton has a great knack of argument with facts. He never
allows his essay to get blurred. His essays are replete with wisdom, wit
and humor. He never writes any idea without reason. Richard Church
say, “ his literary device of antithesis and starting metaphor
became a bad habit.” But we should not forget that he had a style of
his own which has pleased hundreds of thousands of affectionate
readers.