On Heroes: The Annotated Carlyle
Thomas Carlyle, edited by Edward Maxwell III (Imperium Press, $11 pb, 332 pages)
Thomas Carlyle was a 19th century historian, philosopher, and social critic best known for his Great Man Theory of History which argues that history is shaped by exceptional individuals who take command of events. The argument was first made in his lecture “On Heroes,” which has been published many times as a book, most recently by Imperium Press. The full title of the book is On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History and in his lectures he provides vivid sketches of figures as varied Odin, Muhammed, Martin Luther, Shakespeare, and Napoleon, among others, all of which delve into the psychology of these world-changing actors and their interplay with the events of their days. Series editor Edward Maxwell III ably introduces the text, provides essential endnotes explaining obscure references, highlights some commonalities among the varied characters (“ultimately not a creation of his environment, but a creator and shaper of it”) and rebuts two famous critiques of the Great Man Theory of History. Whether or not Carlyle rises to the level of great man – his arguments, insights, and superior prose style might just qualify – should be left to readers of this excellent volume.
