The Value of Working from the Teachings of Thomas Carlyle - Book Report/Review Example

Despite the fact that the work was written for the people in his time, the message of the author may still be relevant in the contemporary time. Carlyle wrote Past and Present to criticize the society he was in. He observed from St. Ives Huntingdonshire the idleness of the men due to “Poor Laws” in the English society (Tennyson 407). Thus, comparing the life in the past as depicted in the work of the monk Jocelin Brakelond and his observation of the people of his time, he wrote Past and Present, which comprises four books.

In Book III Chapter XI, Carlyle uses a sermon-like tone to emphasize the value of work. Carlyle characterizes work as a virtue. He deductively declares that, “There is perennial nobleness and sacredness in work” (Carlyle 147). These descriptions may be considered an exaggeration to the modern readers. Working hard to earn a family’s living may be considered a virtue but working alone cannot be considered a virtuous deed in itself. Working alone is plain; it is a means of living, a preoccupation to the idle, and a way of life to others, especially those who attend to their children’s needs or the needs of their countrymen.

As such, work should be qualified before judging it to be a virtuous act. It should be coupled with hardship, patience, and all the other virtues related to accomplishing a task before calling it a virtue. Carlyle deductively exaggerates in his chapter introduction to move his readers to act. He criticizes the idleness that he observed during his time, thus says that “there is perpetual despair” in idleness. Nevertheless, he illustrates what he truly means by working in the next lines of the chapter.

As if delivering a sermon, Carlyle refers to working earnestly as the “latest Gospel” and the “truth”. Calling his teaching a gospel, Carlyle aims to make his idea appear like a requirement, a must that each of his readers should obey. He believes that “the real desire to get Work done will itself lead one more and more to truth” (147). Truth here may be the meaning and essence of life; hence, the desire to accomplish one’s work and performing work itself will make one achieve the real essence of existence.

Carlyle equates existence with working, thus implies that life is nothing without work. It is clear from his context that the work he is referring to is not limited to a job or profession, which can make a person earn a living. Rather, it is work in general, which may include housework, individual projects or group activities. For him, the desire to accomplish work will itself lead people to recognize their value or “Nature”. Working will make people discover their “appointments” or the reason behind their existence.

He adds that submitting oneself to the completion of a work will result in completing the work. Indeed, it is true that by doing a task, one can expect the job to be done in time, whereas leaving the task behind will result in incompletion. Carlyle emphasizes two things to do when working. First, he advises his readers to, “Know thy work and do it. 'Know thyself… know what thou canst work at; and work at it (147). To work well, people must know their strengths and focus on those strengths.

For example, if people deem that they are good at constructing houses, then they should pursue a job related to construction. Likewise, if they believe that they are goo