A PPT Presentation on William Hazlitt's On the Love of Life

A PPT Presentation on William Hazlitt's On the Love of Life

1. On the Love of Life -- William Hazlitt

2. William Hazlitt English essayist, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. Considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language. Placed alongside Samuel Johnson and George Orwell.

3. Hazlitt's On the Love of Life was first published in The Examiner on January 15, 1815 . a weekly paper founded by Leigh and John Hunt in 1808. The essay was included in Hazlitt's first book, The Round Table (1815–17). The Round Table was a collection of essays published in The Examiner, edited by Leigh Hunt.

4. Title Pages of the Examiner and the Round Table

5. Let us learn a new term frontispiece /ˈ frʌntɪspiːs / an illustration facing the title page of a book. in Architecture --the principal face of a building

6. Key Insights and Analysis

7. Hazlitt explores why people cling to life even when it causes more suffering than happiness. He challenges the idea that our strong desire to live proves that life is full of joy. He argues that our attachment to life comes from passions, ambitions, and fear of the unknown , and not actual happiness. He uses a mix of philosophical thinking and practical examples. He presents his insights into human nature and the true reasons behind our desire to live.

8. The Sage's Quote Hazlitt refers to the quote from a sage who believed that the greatest fortune was never to be born, and the next best was to die immediately after birth. H e suggests that our attachment to life is based on passion and action, not on its actual happiness.

9. The strong desire to live is often mistaken for a sign that life is full of happiness. He calls this belief a "vulgar error," suggesting that the desire to live is not necessarily linked to happiness. If happiness were the main reason for living, people facing suffering would not want to live. However, they often do. The will to live is strong, regardless of the amount happiness or suffering one experiences. .

10. The desire to live is shared by everyone— wise and foolish, weak and strong, lame and blind, prisoners and free, prosperous and wretched, beggars and kings, rich and poor, young and old.

11. Symbolic Contrast: A little child trying to leap over his own shadow, full of energy and innocence. An old man stumbling blindfolded towards his grave, weary yet clinging to life. Common Desire: Both the young and the old share the same deep desire to live, regardless of their different stages in life.

12. The Losing Gambler Example : Hazlitt compares people who suffer the most to losing gamblers who continue to play desperately , showing that those with the least enjoyment are often the most unwilling to let go of life. Our strong attachment to life is driven by passions and desires, not by present happiness or satisfaction. People cling to life not for the joy it brings but for the hope of a better future.

13. Hazlitt uses Addison's idea of people longing for the future —like the schoolboy for holidays and the young man for adulthood —to show that our attachment to life comes more from hope for the future than from present happiness.

14. Joseph Addison-- English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. Addison is best remembered for his long-standing friendship and collaboration with Richard Steele, with whom he co-founded The Spectator magazine

15. “ Hope and fantastic expectations spend much of our lives; and while with passion we look for a coronation, or the death of an enemy, or a day of joy, passing from fancy to possession without any intermediate notices, we throw away a precious year.” JEREMY TAYLOR (from the text)

16. Next, Hazlitt says we often sacrifice the present moment willingly , regardless of how long it takes to reach our goals. Life is seen as a means to an end, where daily joys and troubles are ignored for distant dreams. Just as Emerson says, 'We are always getting ready to live but never living.'

17. The Illusion of Happiness Hazlitt compares life to a desert with a few green, sunny spots in the distance. We eagerly move towards these spots, ignoring the hardships along the way, hoping to find happiness eventually.

18. Next, Hazlitt Talks About: The Fear of Death and Passion vs. Peaceful Life Clinging to Life Despite Misery: Even when tired of the past and hopeless about the future, we fear death. The faint hope of something good keeps us attached to life. Dull moments seem better than the darkness of the grave. The Force of Passions: Our reluctance to die is driven more by strong passions than by a calm life. People with solitary and simple lives accept death more easily. Lack of strong passions reduces the fear of death.

19. Next, Hazlitt Talks About: The Peace in Death and Regret in Life Both the living who tread the green earth and the dead who rest beneath it enjoy almost equal peace. Death is seen as happy for those who have fulfilled their wishes with nothing left to regret or desire. The fear of death grows when we feel our life has been in vain. Unfulfilled efforts, deep disappointments, and the hope for future happiness increase our fear.

20. An Ounce of Sweet is Worth a Pound of Sour Hazlitt uses this line to show how even a little happiness can outweigh a lot of suffering. It suggests that our desire to live is fueled by rare moments of joy, no matter how brief. This point reinforces the complexity of our attachment to life.

21. Hazlitt says the love of life comes from all our passions and enjoyments, but they are not the same. Our passions grow stronger with both disappointment and the hope of success. He believes only extreme bodily or mental suffering can break our strong attachment to life by destroying habit and imagination. He says arguing about whether life has more pleasure or pain is pointless. What truly matters is our interest in life.

22. According to Hazlitt our attachment to life comes from being involved in its activities, hopes, fears, joys, and sorrows, which is far better than a lifeless void. ---- being something is better than being nothing because we cannot care about nothingness. He says passion, imagination, self-will, and self-awareness act like a magic spell, binding us to life despite all hardships .

23. Milton's Perspective Hazlitt quotes Milton's Paradise Lost to emphasize the fear of non-existence over pain. The fallen angel's words show that even a painful life is better than the darkness of nothingness. This supports Hazlitt's argument that it is the fear of the unknown, not the loss of happiness, that makes us hold on to life.

24. John Milton (1608–1674) was an English poet known for his powerful writing and service as a civil servant. His epic poem Paradise Lost (1667) explores the fall of man, focusing on Adam and Eve's temptation by Satan and their expulsion from Eden.

25. Life's Fools - The Tyrants Hazlitt criticizes tyrants who, despite power and wealth, live in fear and misery. They are described as ' life’s fools,' clinging to life not for happiness but for endless desires and illusions. This reinforces the idea that power does not equal happiness.

26. The Exile's Story An exile returns home only to feel empty and disappointed. This shows that the pursuit of desires gives meaning to life. When the pursuit ends, so does the will to live .

27. The Illusion of Fulfillment Hazlitt argues that the strength of passion often does not match the pleasure it brings. Misers hoard wealth without joy, ambitious people strive only to fall, and lovers suffer despite their devotion. Success or failure, both leave people unsatisfied and unwilling to abandon the struggle of life.

28. Even those in despair, like exiles, resist giving up life despite constant misery. Hazlitt notes that achieving all desires can lead to emptiness, as seen in exiles restored to freedom.

29. Conclusion Hazlitt concludes that our attachment to life is not based on happiness but on passions, ambitions, and fear of the unknown. He challenges the common belief that life’s value lies in its joy. The essay invites readers to reflect on the true nature of our desire to live.

30. Regards, Department of English(Aided), NMCC, Marthandam.