NAMES: Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb (brother and sister)
BORN: Charles: 10 February 1775 in London; Mary: 3 December 1764 in London
DIED: Charles: 27 December 1834 in London; Mary: 20 May 1847 in London
NATIONALITY: Both British
LIVED: Charles and Mary Lamb both spent the majority of their lives in London
MARRIED: Charles and Mary were unmarried when they died
CHILDREN: They adopted Emma Isola, an orphan
What were they like?
Both Charles and Mary were popular personalities acknowledged for their dedication to literature. Charles was in particular noted for his sense of humour. But he had an unfortunate stammer, which made a profound impact on his professional life. Despite living in poverty, Charles and Mary’s home became the centre of the small group of literary and intellectual figures, who included the likes of the famous poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Both Charles and Mary suffered family tragedies through mental illnesses, whereby Mary ended up stabbing their mother in the heart.
Where did they grow up?
Charles grew up in the Inner Temple area of London, where his father John worked as a clerk. He was the youngest child and got on well with Mary, who was eleven years older. He was cared for by his aunt and his paternal grandmother. Not a lot is known of Mary’s childhood apart from the fact that she and Charles lived together and Mary taught him to read at a young age.
What did they do, apart from writing books?
Both Charles and Mary loved literature and were keen readers. They were very active socially in that they mingled with fellow intellectuals. Charles also enjoyed sketching from a young age.
What other books/plays did they write?
Charles Lamb tried his hand at writing poetry and plays, but they weren’t terribly good. His great success came later in life with the adult Essays of Elia (1823) which are said to be among the best essays ever written. He is better known as half of the partnership with his sister Mary, which produced Tales from Shakespeare. Published in 1807, it was the first book to retell Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Tales from Shakespeare grew in popularity because the retellings were beautifully written and offered an alternative to the moral tales that had dominated eighteenth-century children’s literature. Mary Lamb also wrote a series of letters known as Mrs Leicester’s School, which are tales about a variety of motherless and orphan girls and explores themes of guilt and grief.