The essayists of the early 20th century were known for their wide range of interests and their ability to write on diverse topics with eloquence, wit, and insight. Some of the most prominent essayists of this period included G.K. Chesterton, Hillarie Belloc, E.V. Lucas, A.G. Gardiner, Robert Lynd, and W.H. Hudson, who were all known for their distinctive voices and contributions to the art of the essay.
Among the essayists G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) ranks very high. His reputation as an essayist rests securely with Heretics. All Things Considered and Tremendous Trifles. 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 the morals to the proper way of eating cheese. His style is eloquent, provocative, graphic and humorous.
Hillarie Belloc (1870-1953) is known for On Morning, On Something and Everything. As an essayist, his range is very wide. He is intimate and frank. E. V Lucas (1868-1938) wears the mantle of Elia. Some of his finest Essays are found in Character and Comedy, Old Lamps for New, Lotters Harvest and Cloud and Silver. His prose is lucid, pure and clear. He can be quaint, whimsical, personal and enticing.
A.G. Gardiner (1865-1946) known as the alpha of plough, was a prolific essayist of the school of Montaigne and lamb. His finest collection of essays are Pebbles on the Shore, Leaves in the Wind and Prophets, Priests, Kings. He is a personal essayist whose essays have a delightful and charming personality, a man with broad sympathies, enlightened mind and genial humour. His style is remarkable for the clarity of expression, opt choice of words, lively and genial humour and a wealth of literary and historical allusions. Robert Lynd (1879-1949), a delightful and prolific essayist, is remembered for his various collections of essays The Pleasure of Ignorance (1921), Selected Essays. The Little Angel, The Money Box. The Green Man. Dr. Johnson and Company W. H. Hudson (1841-1922), a critic and essayist, wrote The Purple Land That England Lost, A Crystal Age, The Naturalism in a La Plata and Far Away and Long Away.
Lytton Strachey (1880-1932), a member of Bloomsbury Group, made remarkable contributions to the art of biography writing and essay writing. He is basically famous for his Eminent Victorians, Queen Victoria, Elizabeth and Essex and Portrait in Miniature.
TE Lawrence (1888-1935) known as the Lawrence of Arabia, is remembered for the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. JB Priestley, Virginia Woolf and Aldous Huxley enriched prose during this period and played a remarkable role in the development and growth of Modern English Essays.
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E.V. Lucas, on the other hand, was known for his clear and lucid prose, as well as his whimsical and personal style. Some of his most notable works include “Character and Comedy,” “Old Lamps for New,” and “Cloud and Silver,” which showcase his talent for writing essays that are both entertaining and insightful.
Robert Lynd, a prolific and delightful essayist, wrote on a wide range of topics, from the pleasures of ignorance to the mysteries of human nature. His collections of essays, such as “The Pleasure of Ignorance” and “Selected Essays,” continue to be studied and appreciated for their wit, humor, and insight.
W.H. Hudson, a critic and essayist, wrote on a range of topics, from the beauty of nature to the complexities of human society. His works, such as “The Purple Land That England Lost” and “Far Away and Long Ago,” were known for their poetic prose and keen observations of the natural world.
Finally, JB Priestley, Virginia Woolf, and Aldous Huxley were important essayists of the early 20th century, known for their contributions to modernist literature and their exploration of themes such as identity, society, and consciousness. Their works, such as Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own,” Priestley’s “English Journey,” and Huxley’s “Brave New World,” continue to be studied and appreciated for their thought-provoking ideas and innovative approaches to the essay form.
In conclusion, the essayists of the early 20th century were a diverse and talented group of writers who made significant contributions to the art of the essay. Their works continue to be studied and appreciated for their humor, insight, and eloquence, and their legacy remains an important part of the literary canon.
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