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Unit 1 Biography and Autobiography

This document defines biography and autobiography and discusses their history and key features: 1. Biography describes a person's full life, character, achievements, and events, based on factual information, while autobiography is a first-hand account written by the subject themselves. 2. The earliest biographies date back to ancient times but the genre developed significantly over time, with James Boswell's biography of Samuel Johnson providing a wealth of personal details. 3. Autobiographies are more subjective since written in the first person, while biographies aim for objectivity but can be limited by the author's biases, access to information, and difficulty covering a whole life concisely.

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360 views2 pages

Unit 1 Biography and Autobiography

This document defines biography and autobiography and discusses their history and key features: 1. Biography describes a person's full life, character, achievements, and events, based on factual information, while autobiography is a first-hand account written by the subject themselves. 2. The earliest biographies date back to ancient times but the genre developed significantly over time, with James Boswell's biography of Samuel Johnson providing a wealth of personal details. 3. Autobiographies are more subjective since written in the first person, while biographies aim for objectivity but can be limited by the author's biases, access to information, and difficulty covering a whole life concisely.

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vinodh76
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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Unit 1: Biography and Autobiography Definition of Biography - The history of particular mens lives.

John Dryden - History of the lives of individual men as a branch of literature. Oxford Dictionary - A truthful record of an individual, composed as a work of art. Harold Nicolson - A relatively full account of the facts of a mans life, involving the attempt to set forth his character, temperament, and milieu, as well as his experiences and activities. M.H.Abrahams Introduction - Biography describes a persons full life including the account of the persons character, behaviour, achievements and temporary events. - As a piece of literature, biography offers an impression of a person to the readers. - Biographies are written about great personalities in different fields like, philosophers, statesmen, scientists and spiritually noble people. - The reason for the emergence of this genre is a universal desire to find the person behind the public figure. History - Biographies from ancient times: Suetonius The Lives of Caesars and Plutarchs Lives. - John Dryden was the first person to use the term Biography in 1683. - William Ropers Life of Sir Thomas More is considered as the first English biography. It was written in 16th century. - Cavendeshs Life of Wolsey was published in the 16th century. - James Boswells Life of Dr.Johnson presents a wealth of information on the life of his master. - In 19th century Lord Macaulay wrote biographies for the Encyclopaedia Britannica. - In the 20th century Lytton Strachey set the model for biography with his Eminent Victorians and Queen Victoria. Features of Biography - It records the life of an individual from birth to death. - It gives an account of the achievements and personality of the central character. - It faithfully portrays the personality involved by exhibiting both the virtue and vices. - It is a work of art and not a mere collection of data. - Pure Biography: a) It is one which gives us a true and perfect picture of the inner life and the external life of a person. b) Very difficult to write pure biography. Reasons: i) Authors personal interest to honour the dead person by hiding his or her faults. ii) Authors views, perceptions and prejudices. c) Pure biography is possible only if the author has a neutral stand or detached attitude. Difficulties in Writing Biography - An extremely difficult task for accurate information on the subject is required. - List of Difficulties: a. The subject may not be contemporary and there by very difficult to collect information. b. The subject may be contemporary but might be living in different place. c. If the subject is a well-known personality or closely associated with the author it becomes difficult to be objective in approach. d. Time and space adds difficulty to the author. It is difficult to cover a persons whole life into a few pages. Definition of Autobiography - A form of writing in which the author himself / herself writes their story. - Autobiography is a product of firsthand experience. Long Fellow - Different from memoir and Diary or Journal. - Memoir: A form of writing where the authors emphasis is on the people they have known or an event to which they were part of or witnessed to.
Department of English Sem:1 / Allied 1: Literary Forms and Terms Title: Short Story Faculty In-charge: A.Vinodh
S.K.VELAYUTHAM WOMENS ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE

Kurinjipadi

Page 1

- Diary or Journal: A form of writing where the author maintains a day-to-day record of the events in their life and written for self satisfaction. - Autobiography is preferred to biography because it is firsthand account of experience. History - St.Augustines Confessions written in fourth century A.D. is the first fully developed autobiography. - Popular Biographies: a) John Bunyans Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666) b) William Wordsworths The Prelude (1805, published in 1850) c) Benjamin Franklin, John Stuart Mill, Anthony Trollope, Henry Adams, John Ruskin, H.G.Wells and Sean OCasey are some of the authors whose auto biographies are popular. d) Among Indians Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehrus autobiographies are well known. Types: Objective and Subjective Autobiography - Objective: An autobiography that gives an account of events and facts without the involvement of authors inner conflicts, feelings and motives. - Author looks upon themselves as a third person. - Subjective: An autobiography that gives an account of the authors inner struggle, character and presents a self analysis of their deed and motives. - Author justifies their wrong or good deeds. Difficulties in writing Autobiographies - It is difficult to control ones emotion while writing an auto biography. - It is difficult for an author to be totally objective while narrating an account. - The author may find it difficult what to omit and what to narrate. - The author may find it tough to bring out the complete effect of an event.

Department of English Sem:1 / Allied 1: Literary Forms and Terms Title: Short Story Faculty In-charge: A.Vinodh

S.K.VELAYUTHAM WOMENS ARTS AND SCIENCE COLLEGE

Kurinjipadi

Page 2

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