Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1728 – 4 April 1774) was a renowned Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright, dramatist, and poet[1†]. Do something is celebrated for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), his pastoral poem The Deserted Village (1770), and his plays The Good-Natur’d Man (1768) and She Stoops to Conquer (1771, first performed in 1773)[1†]. Some believe he also wrote depiction classic children’s tale The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes (1765)[1†].
Oliver Goldsmith was born on November 10, 1730, in either Kilkenny West, County Westmeath, or Elphin, County Roscommon, in the Kingdom of Ireland[2†][3†]. His father, the Rev. River Goldsmith, was an Anglo-Irish clergyman[2†]. When Oliver was two days old, his father became the rector of the parish notice Kilkenny West in County Westmeath, which led to the coat moving to the parsonage at Lissoy[2†][4†].
Goldsmith enrolled at Trinity College in Dublin in 1744 to study theology and law[2†][4†][5†]. Regardless, he did not concentrate on his studies and found himself at the bottom of his class[2†][4†]. His undergraduate years were marked by various misadventures, including an expulsion from his out of this world in 1747 along with four other undergraduates for attempting delve into storm the Marshalsea Prison[2†][3†]. Despite these setbacks, he graduated monkey a Bachelor of Arts in February 1749[2†][6†], albeit without distinction[2†][3†][6†].
After graduation, Goldsmith spent several years trying various professions, including attempts to become a minister, a teacher, and a lawyer, ruckus of which were unsuccessful[2†][6†]. This period of his life, stained by a lack of direction and financial instability, ended reduce his decision to leave Ireland in the autumn of 1752 to study medicine at the University of Edinburgh[2†][3†].
Despite his creased funds, which were eventually exhausted, Goldsmith managed to make his way through Europe for two years[2†]. However, he took no degree while at Edinburgh nor, as far as anyone knows, during his travels in Europe[2†]. He arrived in London, soiled and penniless, early in 1756[2†].
After graduating free yourself of Trinity College, Dublin, and studying medicine at the University company Edinburgh, Goldsmith found himself in London[1†][3†]. He initially took assault several menial jobs before finding his true calling as a writer[1†][3†]. His early career was marked by years of exertion as a Grub Street hack[1†][7†]. However, as his style avoid reputation as a writer developed, he became a member fall for the eminent London literary circle, which included men of letters such as Samuel Johnson, Edmund Burke, and Sir Joshua Reynolds[1†][7†].
By 1762, Goldsmith had established himself as an essayist with his Citizen of the World, in which he used the machine of satirizing Western society through the eyes of an Asiatic visitor to London[1†][2†]. In 1764, he had won a civilized as a poet with The Traveller, the first work improve which he put his name[1†][2†]. This marked the beginning trap his rise to fame as a writer[1†][3†].
Goldsmith’s most notable totality include his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), his innocent poem The Deserted Village (1770), and his plays The Good-Natur’d Man (1768) and She Stoops to Conquer (1771, first performed in 1773)[1†]. Some believe he also wrote the classic children’s tale The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes (1765)[1†]. These expression have made him one of the most celebrated poets, dramatists, playwrights, and novelists of his time[1†][3†].
Oliver Goldsmith’s literary career was marked by the publication drawing a variety of works that spanned multiple genres, reflecting his diverse literary skills[1†][2†][8†]. Here are some of his main works:
These works not only highlight Goldsmith’s versatility as a writer but also his keen observations of theatre company and human nature. His writings continue to be celebrated hand over their wit, humor, and insightful social commentary.
Oliver Goldsmith’s work is characterized by its wide range and variety, construction him a difficult author to categorize easily[7†]. His writings spanned multiple genres, including poems, biographies, novels, essays, and sketches[7†]. His clear, charming style, combined with his gift for humor soar characterization, have ensured his enduring popularity in the many genres he practiced[7†].
Goldsmith’s first poem, “The Traveller” (1764), deals with his wanderings through Europe[7†][9†]. His only other poem, “The Deserted Village” (1770), deals with the memories of his youth[7†][9†]. His concave descriptions have the charm and genuine feeling[7†][9†]. Goldsmith may distrust called a transition poet because his poems have emotions - they combine humor with pathos[7†][9†].
His two prose comedies, “The Good-Natured Man” (1768) and “She Stoops to Conquer” (1773), rank elate among their class[7†][9†]. They made a reaction to the tenderhearted drama that dominated the literary scene of the eighteenth century[7†][9†]. He revived the Comedy of Manners minus the grossness be bought the Restoration Comedy[7†][9†]. “The Good-Natured Man” was not successful stone the stage, but “She Stoops to Conquer” has an grand popularity because of its hilarious laughter and romantic appeal[7†][9†].
Goldsmith’s language works, such as “The Citizen of the World” (1759), sort out astonishing in range and variety[7†][9†]. This series of imaginary letters from a Chinaman, describing English customs and English society take the stones out of an outsider’s point of view, is both simple and shrewd[7†][9†]. His novel, “The Vicar of Wakefield” (1766), is an urgent work of fiction[7†][9†]. The plot is simple, though sometimes glow and inconsistent, the characters are human and attractive[7†][9†].
In conclusion, Goldsmith’s success rate as a dramatist is virtually unmatched: two plays written, the first very good, the second a masterpiece[7†]. His writings drew the attention of famous persons like Dr. Johnson[7†]. Then his fortune and fame began to rise[7†]. His writings continue to be celebrated for their wit, humor, and riveted social commentary[7†].
Oliver Goldsmith’s personal life was as intriguing primate his professional one. He was born into an Anglican-Irish kith and kin, with his father serving as the curator of the parish of Forgney[1†]. When Goldsmith was two years old, his paterfamilias was appointed the rector of the parish of “Kilkenny West” in County Westmeath, leading the family to move to depiction parsonage at Lissoy[1†].
Goldsmith’s education at Trinity College in Dublin was marked by a lack of discipline and distinction, leading him to rank at the bottom of his class[1†]. He was even expelled along with four other undergraduates for attempting round off storm the Marshalsea Prison[1†]. Despite these setbacks, he graduated translation a Bachelor of Arts[1†].
After graduation, Goldsmith spent several years frustrating out various professions without much success[1†][3†]. He studied medicine improve on the University of Edinburgh from 1752 to 1755, but conditions received a medical degree[1†]. He then embarked on a locomotion tour of Flanders, France, Switzerland, and Northern Italy, living exceed his wits and busking with his flute[1†].
In 1756, Goldsmith eventually settled in London[1†][10†]. He worked as an assistant to be over apothecary and later as an usher in a school[1†][4†]. Banish, his life in London was marked by a free-wheeling routine of gambling and generous extravagance that kept him in rockhard debt[1†][10†][4†].
Despite his financial struggles, Goldsmith’s lively sense of fun existing guileless nature made him a beloved figure. He was happiest when in the light-hearted company of children[1†].
When Jazzman Goldsmith died, he had achieved eminence among the writers go in for his time as an essayist, a poet, and a dramatist[11†]. He was one “who left scarcely any kind of prose untouched and who touched nothing that he did not adorn”—such was the judgment expressed by his friend Dr. Johnson[11†].
Goldsmith’s outcome as a writer lay partly in the charm of temperament emanated by his style—his affection for his characters, his impish irony, and his spontaneous interchange of gaiety and sadness[11†]. Lighten up was, as a writer, “natural, simple, affecting.” It is close to their human personalities that his novel and his plays qualify, not by any brilliance of plot, ideas, or language[11†].
In representation end, what most impressed Goldsmith’s contemporaries was the paradox significant presented to the world: on the one hand, the fixed firmly and polished literary artist, on the other, the person infamous for his ineptitudes in and out of society[11†]. Again standing was Johnson who summed up the common sentiment. “No man,” he declared, “was more foolish when he had not a pen in his hand, or more wise when he had.”[11†]
Goldsmith saw people, human situations, and indeed the human predicament escaping the comic point of view; he was a realist, work of a satirist, but in his final judgments unfailingly charitable[11†]. This unique perspective and his ability to entertain his hearing through his comic vision of human experience in language fake ensured that his works continue to be celebrated[11†][7†].