Samuel JohnsonIan Lawson Hima TammineediAnton Nelson David Melvin

The Life● Born 1709● Lichfield, England● Unhealthy child

○ Scrofula○ Loss of hearing, blind in one eye

● Father was a bookseller○ Spent time in the shop reading○ Started learning early on

● Went to Oxford○ Dropped out due to finances

The Life cont.● Married Elizabeth Porter (21 years older than him)● Moved to London

○ Wrote book reviews, biographies, other periodicals● Wrote a few poems in 1730s-40s● Literary works became more popular in 1750s

○ Dictionary○ Rambler essays○ Idler essays

● Received government pension in 1762○ Fixed many financial problems

The Life cont.● James Boswell wrote biography of Johnson

○ “The Life of Samuel Johnson”● Continued writing towards close to his final years● Became depressed as many of his friends left him● Stroke in 1783● Died 1784

Videohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpVP8ezoVlM&t=1066

Literary Terms● Denotation and connotation

○ Denotation: Basic meaning or reference of an expression, excluding its emotional associations

○ Connotation: The emotional associations or implications of the word

● Thesis and argument ○ Thesis: Main idea that is supported in a work of nonfiction

prose○ Argument: Presents reasons for accepting or rejecting a thesis

Literary Works● A Dictionary of the English Language● A Brief to Free a Slave● An Account of the Life of Mr Richard Savage● The Rambler

A Dictionary of the English Language● Used examples (aka “illustrations”) to

highlight English language in use● Used connotative and denotative

definitions● Used witty humor to define words● Made English language copious with

order● Each definition serves as a short

narrative of a slice of the language

Some Entries of the Dictionary...Lexicographer: A writer of dictionaries; a harmless drudge that busies himself in tracing the original, and detailing the signification of words.

Dull: Not exhilaterating (sic); not delightful; as, to make dictionaries is dull work.

Oats: A grain which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people

Purpose of A Dictionary● Printing press caused an explosion of literacy● Printing consortium wished to establish a dictionary, but

could not afford to● Dictionaries printed before Johnson’s were of poor

quality, gave no examples● Johnson created his dictionary with six assistants from the

consortium● First dictionary to give sense of English language as it is

used

Critical Response● Most feedback of the time was positive, applauding the scope of

the work● Adam Smith applauded work in a 30 page anonymous review

○ Did request foreign words be expunged from future editions● Humor and use of examples were criticized● Gentleman’s Magazine: “Any schoolmaster might have done what

Johnson did”● Modern lexicographer’s call use of examples it’s strongest point

Fun Facts about A Dictionary● Four volumes (21 lbs of book)● Definition of “take” covered five pages● Illustrated and comprehensive● First modern dictionary

Activity Time● Define these words using Johnson’s style:

◦Student◦Teacher◦Physics◦Failure ◦College◦Sleep

A Brief to Free a Slave● Joseph Knight was a slave who wanted freedom from his

Scottish master● Johnson wrote the brief in order to advocate for Knight’s

release because he detested slavery ● Boswell actually countered Johnson’s arguments by saying

that abolishing slavery would ruin the order of everything and would cause chaos

Excerpt from book

Pg. 623

Analysis of A Brief to Free A SlaveThesis: “No man is by nature the property of another”Arguments: ● If someone were to be jailed, that does not mean that his descendants should be jailed; the

same can be applied to slavery○ “An individual may, indeed, forgeit his liberty by a crime; but he cannot by that crime

forfeit the liberty of his children.”● There are no natural laws that dictate that Knight should be enslaved

○ “He is certainly subject by no law, but that of violence, to his present master, who pretends no claim to his obedience, but that he bought him from a merchant of slaves, who right to sell him never was examined.”

● Knight has not given permission to forfeit his rights ○ “if no proof of such forfeiture can be given, we doubt not but the justice of the court will

declare him free.”

Activity Time● Write a paragraph about something you feel strongly about● Then give it to a partner who must then write the thesis for your paragraph