Q: Make a critical appreciation on Lamb’s essay “Witches and Other Night Fears.”
One of the most popular essays, “Witches and Other Night Fears,” comes from Charles Lamb’s collection, “Essays of Elia.” Which was first published in 1823.
The essay is based on lamb’s childhood memories of listening to witch stories
and nightmares caused by a picture of the Witch of Endor. It explores, “Childhood, Protestantism, and a guilt-ridden culture marked by the
fear of damnation.” The connection between witchcraft and Satan became strong in the late Middle Ages, after Christianity became the dominant religion in Europe.
Lamb begins the essay by describing his childhood
home, which was full of dark and mysterious places that he was afraid to
explore. He then goes on to describe his fear of witches, which was fueled by stories he had heard from his elders. Lamb also describes a nightmare he had about being attacked by a witch, which he believes that was caused by a picture of the Witch of Endor that he had seen. He elicits, “I was dreadfully alive to nervous terrors. The night-time
solitude, and the dark, were my hell”. Lamb ends the essay by reflecting on the power of the
imagination and the importance of facing our fears.
To conclude, Lamb’s
essay, “Witches and Other Night Fears” is a classic essay that has been enjoyed by
readers for centuries. Lamb delves into the vivid and terrifying nightmares he
experienced as a “child.” He weaves his personal experiences with
folklore and literary references, blurring the lines between reality and
dreamscape. He demonstrates how fear can be a source of imaginative richness, fueling creativity and storytelling. It acknowledges the inevitable loss of
innocence that comes with adulthood and how it affects our perception of the
world. In accordance with William Hazlitt, Lamb's vivid imagery and ability to "conjure up the frightful realities of childhood fears.”
“You
are my heart, my life, my one and only thought.”__ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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