1. DREAM CHILDREN: A REVERIE
CHARLES LAMB
Text:
CHILDREN love to listen to stories about their elders, when they were
children; to stretch their imagination to the conception of a traditionary
great-uncle or grandame, whom they never saw. It was in this spirit that my
little ones crept about me the other evening to hear about their great-
grandmother Field, who lived in a great house in Norfolk (a hundred times
bigger than that in which they and papa lived) which had been the scene—so
at least it was generally believed in that part of the country—of the tragic
incidents which they had lately become familiar with from the ballad of the
Children in the Wood. Certain it is that the whole story of the children and
their cruel uncle was to be seen fairly carved out in wood upon the chimney-
piece of the great hall, the whole story down to the Robin Redbreasts, till a
foolish rich person pulled it down to set up a marble one of modern invention
in its stead, with no story upon it. Here Alice put out one of her dear
mother’s looks, too tender to be called upbraiding. Then I went on to say,
how religious and how good their great-grandmother Field was, how beloved
and respected by everybody, though she was not indeed the mistress of this
great house, but had only the charge of it (and yet in some respects she
might be said to be the mistress of it too) committed to her by the owner,
who preferred living in a newer and more fashionable mansion which he had
purchased somewhere in the adjoining county; but still she lived in it in a
manner as if it had been her own, and kept up the dignity of the great house
in a sort while she lived, which afterward came to decay, and was nearly
pulled down, and all its old ornaments stripped and carried away to the
owner’s other house, where they were set up, and looked as awkward as if
some one were to carry away the old tombs they had seen lately at the
Abbey, and stick them up in Lady C.’s tawdry gilt drawing-room. Here John
smiled, as much as to say, “that would be foolish indeed.” And then I told
1

2. how, when she came to die, her funeral was attended by a concourse of all
the poor, and some of the gentry too, of the neighborhood for many miles
round, to show their respect for her memory, because she had been such a
good and religious woman; so good indeed that she knew all the Psaltery by
heart, aye, and a great part of the Testament besides. Here little Alice spread
her hands. Then I told what a tall, upright, graceful person their great-
grandmother Field once was; and how in her youth she was esteemed the
best dancer—here Alice’s little right foot played an involuntary movement,
till upon my looking grave, it desisted—the best dancer, I was saying, in the
county, till a cruel disease, called a cancer, came, and bowed her down with
pain; but it could never bend her good spirits, or make them stoop, but they
were still upright, because she was so good and religious. Then I told how she
was used to sleep by herself in a lone chamber of the great lone house; and
how she believed that an apparition of two infants was to be seen at
midnight gliding up and down the great staircase near where she slept, but
she said “those innocents would do her no harm”; and how frightened I used
to be, though in those days I had my maid to sleep with me, because I was
never half so good or religious as she—and yet I never saw the infants. Here
John expanded all his eyebrows and tried to look courageous. Then I told how
good she was to all her grand-children, having us to the great house in the
holidays, where I in particular used to spend many hours by myself, in gazing
upon the old busts of the Twelve Cæsars, that had been Emperors of Rome,
till the old marble heads would seem to live again, or I to be turned into
marble with them; how I never could be tired with roaming about that huge
mansion, with its vast empty rooms, with their worn-out hangings, fluttering
tapestry, and carved oaken panels, with the gilding almost rubbed out—
sometimes in the spacious old-fashioned gardens, which I had almost to
myself, unless when now and then a solitary gardening man would cross
me—and how the nectarines and peaches hung upon the walls, without my
ever offering to pluck them, because they were forbidden fruit, unless now
and then,—and because I had more pleasure in strolling about among the old
melancholy-looking yew trees, or the firs, and picking up the red berries, and
the fir apples, which were good for nothing but to look at—or in lying about
upon the fresh grass, with all the fine garden smells around me—or basking
in the orangery, till I could almost fancy myself ripening, too, along with the
oranges and the limes in that grateful warmth—or in watching the dace that
darted to and fro in the fish pond, at the bottom of the garden, with here and
there a great sulky pike hanging midway down the water in silent state, as if
it mocked at their impertinent friskings,—I had more pleasure in these busy-
idle diversions than in all the sweet flavors of peaches, nectarines, oranges,
and such like common baits of children. Here John slyly deposited back upon
the plate a bunch of grapes, which, not unobserved by Alice, he had
mediated dividing with her, and both seemed willing to relinquish them for
the present as irrelevant. Then, in somewhat a more heightened tone, I told
how, though their great-grandmother Field loved all her grand-children, yet
in an especial manner she might be said to love their uncle, John L——,
because he was so handsome and spirited a youth, and a king to the rest of

3. us; and, instead of moping about in solitary corners, like some of us, he
would mount the most mettlesome horse he could get, when but an imp no
bigger than themselves, and make it carry him half over the county in a
morning, and join the hunters when there were any out—and yet he loved
the old great house and gardens too, but had too much spirit to be always
pent up within their boundaries —and how their uncle grew up to man’s
estate as brave as he was handsome, to the admiration of everybody, but of
their great-grandmother Field most especially; and how he used to carry me
upon his back when I was a lame-footed boy—for he was a good bit older
than me—many a mile when I could not walk for pain;—and how in after life
he became lame-footed too, and I did not always (I fear) make allowances
enough for him when he was impatient, and in pain, nor remember
sufficiently how considerate he had been to me when I was lame-footed; and
how when he died, though he had not been dead an hour, it seemed as if he
had died a great while ago, such a distance there is betwixt life and death;
and how I bore his death as I thought pretty well at first, but afterward it
haunted and haunted me; and though I did not cry or take it to heart as some
do, and as I think he would have done if I had died, yet I missed him all day
long, and knew not till then how much I had loved him. I missed his kindness,
and I missed his crossness, and wished him to be alive again, to be quarreling
with him (for we quarreled sometimes), rather than not have him again, and
was as uneasy without him, as he their poor uncle must have been when the
doctor took off his limb. Here the children fell a crying, and asked if their little
mourning which they had on was not for uncle John, and they looked up and
prayed me not to go on about their uncle, but to tell them some stories
about their pretty, dead mother. Then I told them how for seven long years,
in hope sometimes, sometimes in despair, yet persisting ever, I courted the
fair Alice W——n; and, as much as children could understand, I explained to
them what coyness, and difficulty, and denial meant in maidens—when
suddenly, turning to Alice, the soul of the first Alice looked out at her eyes
with such a reality of re-presentment, that I became in doubt which of them
stood there before me, or whose that bright hair was; and while I stood
gazing, both the children gradually grew fainter to my view, receding, and still
receding till nothing at last but two mournful features were seen in the
uttermost distance, which, without speech, strangely impressed upon me the
effects of speech: “We are not of Alice, nor of thee, nor are we children at all.
The children of Alice call Bartrum father. We are nothing; less than nothing,
and dreams. We are only what might have been, and must wait upon the
tedious shores of Lethe millions of ages before we have existence, and a
name”—and immediately awaking, I found myself quietly seated in my
bachelor armchair, where I had fallen asleep, with the faithful Bridget
unchanged by my side—but John L. (or James Elia) was gone forever.

4. Introduction:
This essay is about a dream. In this essay all characters are real except the children Alice and John.
From the title we can guess that it’s a dream and reverie, i.e., a day dream. Alice and John are children
of James Elia (Charles Lamb). They ask their father, James Elia, to tell them about their grandmother.
Grandmother’s name is Field who has been acquainted to us by Lamb as a perfect woman with great
qualities. Incidents are real from the life of Lamb. There is a story related to the house where
grandmother Mrs Field was a keeper. It was about the murder of children by their cruel uncle. Alice
and John came to know this story through a carved writing on a tree which was later brought down
by a rich man. After the death of grandmother, house owner took away her belongings and placed
them in his new house where they looked awkward. When grandmother was alive she used to sleep
alone but Elia was afraid of the souls of infants murdered by uncle as it was thought that house was
haunted by the spirits of those children. Elia had a brother John full of enthusiasm and zeal, who was
loved by everyone specially by their grandmother on the other hand Elia’s childhood was full of
isolation and he remained stagnant throughout his life. His mind was working fast but bodily or
physically he was totally off and lazy. He was lame and helped by John in every possible way who used
to carry him in his back. Unfortunately, John also became lame but Elia never helped him and after his
death he realized missing him. At the end of the essay, Alice and John are crying after hearing all this.
Elia is looking his wife, whose name also Alia, in Alices face. The childern start to become faint and say
to Elia or Lamb that we are not your real children and Alice is not your wife and our mother. Lamb
wakes up and finds himself in armed chair and James Elia was vanished. The whole story is based on
life of Lamb, he was never able to get married and childless died. He is also regretting and
remembering moments like, about his brother, about grandmother, his childhood etc. So, whole of
essay is full of melancholy and sad tone of Lamb’s life.
• In his actual life Lamb courted Ann Simmons but could not marry her, he wanted to have children
but could not have any. Thus he strikes a very pathetic note towards the end of his essay when he
puts the following word into the months of his imaginary children, “we are not of Alice, nor of thee,
nor are we children at all … We are nothing, less than nothing, dreams. We are only what might have
been”. Alice is here no other that Ann Simmons the girl Lamb wanted to marry, but failed to marry
her. In fact, the subtitle of the essay ‘A Reverie’ which literally means a daydream or a fantasy–
prepares us for the pathos of the return to reality although the essay begins on a deceptively realistic
note.
Dream Children is a personal essay. Lamb presents the characters and incidents from his own life—
the sketches of his grandmother Mrs. Field, his brother—John Lamb, his sister—Mary Lamb, his tragic
love-affairs with Ann Simmons. But Lamb always plays with facts and fictions and transforms the real
into the literary.

5. Summary:
Just like all children do, Lamb’s children also wanted to hear their parents’ childhood stories. One
day, he was telling them about ‘their great-grandmother Field, who lived in a great house in
Norfolk’. The house she lived was ‘a hundred times bigger’ than the house they lived in presently.
The children had also heard (‘from the ballad of the Children in the Wood ‘) about the tragic
incidents that had supposedly taken place at that house. The tragic story of the children and their
cruel uncle had been carved out in wood upon a chimney piece. However, a rich man replaced the
wooden one with a marble one and the story was lost. Lamb mentions that Alice displayed her
displeasure when she heard that.
Lamb tells the children that Grandmother Field had been given the charge of the house since the
owner liked to live in a more fashionable mansion. He tells that she was religious and very good
lady, and was respected by everyone. She took care of the house very carefully. After her, the old
ornaments of the house were stripped and set up in the owner’s house. When Lamb mentioned
that the old ornaments could not fit decently in new mansion, John smiled to express his
agreement that it was a foolish act.
She was such ‘a good and religious woman’ that huge number of people attended her funeral. That
‘she knew all Psaltery by heart’ and also ‘a great part of the Testament’ also suggest that she was a
good and religious woman.
She also used to be considered the best dancer till a disease called cancer forced her to stoop.
However, her spirits still remained upright. Lamb mentions that she slept ‘in a lone chamber of the
great lone house’ on her own despite that the ghosts of two infants glided up and down the stairs
near which she slept. During those days, Lamb himself would sleep with the maid being afraid. He
mentions that he was far less religious but he never noticed the ghosts. John was trying to look
courageous at this moment.
Lamb also mentions that she was very good to her grandchildren. When he would visit ‘the great
house’ in the holidays, he liked gazing upon ‘busts of Twelve Caesars’. Lamb also mentions various
things that used to attract him while being at the mansion. He enjoyed spending time among
various things there, even more than ‘sweet flavours of peaches, nectarines, oranges, and such like
common baits of children’. Both children showed the influence of his description by ignoring the
bunch of grapes they had otherwise wanted to have.
Lamb tells that the children’s uncle John Lamb was liked particularly by grandmother Field from
amongst all her grandchildren. He was more handsome and spirited than the rest. He was so
spirited that when the rest would spend time at the mansion, he would ride a horse for long
distance and would even join hunters. Lamb mentions how he had missed their uncle when he
died, although he did not show it that much. He missed the uncle’s kindness as well as crossness.
Lamb also mentions the uncle’s lameness repeatedly which shows that he had been very concerned
for him. The children felt uncomfortable with the description of the uncle and urged Lamb to tell
about ‘their pretty, dead mother’.
Then, Lamb told that he courted their mother ‘the fair Alice Winterson’ for seven years. He also
tried to clarify to the children how he faced problems due to her ‘coyness’ and ‘denial’. At this point,
he noticed the strong similarity between the appearance of his wife and that of Alice. He feels as if
his wife was communicating with him through Alice. Finally, he woke up and found himself in his
armchair where he had fallen asleep. He states that James Elia was no more there and everything
that has been mentioned in the essay so far was being described by Elia.

6. परिचय:
हा निबंध स्वप्नाबद्दल आहे. या निबंधात अनलस आनि जॉि या मुलांिा वगळता सवव पात्रं वास्तनवक आहेत.
शीर्वकातूि आपि अंदाज लावू शकतो की ते एक स्वप्न आहे आनि रिव्हिी आहे, म्हिजेच एक नदवसाचे स्वप्न
आहे. अनलस आनि जॉि जेम्स इनलया (चार्ल्व लँब) ची मुले आहेत. ते त्ांचे वडील जेम्स एलीयाला त्ांच्या
आजीबद्दल सांगण्यास सांगतात. आजी फील्ड परिपूिव स्त्री म्हिूि परिनचत आहे. चार्ल्व लँब आयुष्यातील घटिा
वास्तनवक आहेत. घिाशी संबंनधत एक कथा त्ांच्या क्र
ू ि काकांद्वािे मुलांच्या हत्ेनवर्यी आहे नजथे आजी नमसेस
फील्ड एक देखभालकताव होती. अनलस आनि जॉि यांिा झाडावि कोिलेल्या लेखिीतूि ही कहािी समजली जी
िंति एका श्रीमंत मािसािे खाली आिली. आजीच्या मृत्ूिंति, घिाच्या मालकािे नतचे सामाि काढ
ू ि ते िवीि
घिात ठे वले जेथे ते नवनचत्र नदसत होते. आजी नजवंत असतािा ती एकटीच झोपायची पि चार्ल्व लँब (एल्याला)
काकांिी खूि क
े लेल्या िवजात मुलांच्या आत्म्ांची भीती वाटत असे कािि असे समजले जात होते की त्ा मुलांच्या
आत्म्ािे घि पळवले आहे. चार्ल्व लँब (एलीयाचा) एक भाऊ जॉि होता जो उत्साह आनि आवेशािे भिला होता.
सवाांिाच त्ांच्या आजीिे खास प्रेम क
े ले होते. दुसिीकडे एलीयाचे बालपि एकाकीपिात परिपूिव होते आनि
आयुष्यभि तो स्थथि िानहला. त्ाचे मि वेगवाि होते पिंतु शािीरिक दृष्ट्या तो पूिवपिे आळशी होता. तो लंगडा
झाला आनि जॉििे प्रत्ेक शक्यतो मदत क
े ली जो त्ाला त्ाच्या मागे घेऊि जात असे. दुदैवािे, जॉि देखील
लंगडा झाला पिंतु अलीयािे त्ाला कधीही मदत क
े ली िाही आनि त्ाच्या मृत्ूिंति त्ाला जािीव झाली.
निबंधाच्या शेवटी, अनलस आनि जॉि हे सवव ऐक
ू ि िडत आहेत. एनलस त्ाच्या पत्नीकडे पहात आहे, मूल बावळट
होऊ लागली आनि म्हिाली की आम्ही तुमची खिी मुलं िाहीत आनि अॅनलस तुमची बायको आनि आमची आई
िाही. चार्ल्व लँब जागा झाला आनि स्वत: ला खुचीवि सापडला. संपूिव कथा चार्ल्व लँब च्या जीविावि आधारित
आहे, तो कधीही लग्न करू शकला िाही. तो आपल्या भावाबद्दल, आजीबद्दल, बालपि इत्ादी गोष्ींबद्दलही खेद
व्यक्त कितो, म्हिूि संपूिव निबंध चार्ल्व लँब आयुष्यातील नवनचत्र आनि दुुःखी स्विांिी परिपूिव आहे.
आपल्या वास्तनवक जीविात लम्बिे एि नसमन्सचा नववाह क
े ला पिंतु ती नतच्याशी लग्न करू शकली िाही, त्ाला
मूल किावेसे वाटत होते पिंतु त्ांिा मूल होऊ शकले िाही. जेव्हा त्ािे आपल्या काल्पनिक मुलांच्या मनहन्ांत
पुढील शब्द नलनहले तेव्हा तो आपल्या निबंधाच्या समाप्तीच्या नदशेिे अनतशय दयिीय टीपािे प्रहाि कितो, “आम्ही
iceनलस नक
ं वा तुझे काहीच िाही आनि आम्ही मुळीच मुलं िाहीत… आम्ही काहीच कमी िाही, कमी आहोत
काहीही िाही, स्वप्ने. आम्ही फक्त नतथेच होतो. अॅनलस येथे कोठे ही िसूि एि् नसमन्स मुलगी लग्न लम्बशी करू
इस्ित होती, पिंतु नतचे लग्न ठिले िाही. वस्तुतुः नदवास्वप्न नक
ं वा कल्पिािम्य हा निबंध 'ए िेविी' हा उपशीर्वक
आपल्याला वास्तनवकतेकडे पित येण्याच्या मागावसाठी तयाि कितो जिी निबंध एखाद्या भ्रामक यथाथववादी
नचन्हावि प्रािंभ झाला.
डर ीम नचल्ड
र ि हा एक वैयस्क्तक निबंध आहे. चार्ल्व लँब त्ाच्या स्वतुःच्या जीविातील चरित्र आनि घटिा सादि
कितो - त्ाची आजी नमसेस फील्ड, त्ाचा भाऊ - जॉि लँब, त्ाची बहीि मेिी लम्ब, एि नसमन्स यांच्याशी त्ाचे
प्रेममय प्रेम प्रकिि. पिंतु Lamb िेहमीच तथ्य आनि कस्ल्पत गोष्ींसह खेळतो आनि वास्तनवकतेचे रूपांति
कितो.

7. साराांश:
सवव मुले जसे कितात तशीच चार्ल्व लँब याच्या मुलांिाही त्ांच्या पालकांच्या लहािपिीच्या गोष्ी ऐकायच्या असतात.
एक नदवस, तो त्ांिा 'िॉिफोकमध्ये एका महाि घिात िाहिा -या त्ांच्या आजी,-शेताबद्दल' सांगत होता. ते िाहत
असलेले घि सध्या िाहिार्या घिापेक्षा 'शंभि पट मोठे ' होते. त्ा घिात बहुदा घडलेल्या शोकांनतक
े च्या घटिांबद्दल ('द
वुडि इि नचल्ड
रेिच्या गदीतूि') मुलांिीही ऐकले होते. मुलांची आनि त्ांच्या क्र
ू ि काकांची दुदैवी कहािी नचमिीच्या
तुकड्यावि लाक
ू डात कोिली गेली होती. तथानप, एका श्रीमंत मािसािे लाकडी जागी संगमिविी वस्तू घेतली आनि कथा
हिवली. चार्ल्व लँब िे उल्लेख क
े ला की जेव्हा एनलसिे हे ऐकले तेव्हा नतिे नतची िािाजी दाखनवली.
चार्ल्व लँब मुलांिा सांगते की मालक अनधक फशिेबल हवेलीमध्ये िाहण्यास आवडत असल्यािे आजी फील्डला घिाची
जबाबदािी देण्यात आली होती. तो सांगतो की ती धानमवक आनि खूप चांगली स्त्री होती, आनि नतचा प्रत्ेकािे आदि क
े ला
होता. नतिे घिाची काळजीपूववक काळजी घेतली. नतच्या िंति घिाचे जुिे दानगिे काढ
ू ि मालकाच्या घिात बसवले. जेव्हा
लँबिे िमूद क
े ले की जुन्ा दागदानगिे िवीि हवेलीमध्ये सभ्यपिे बसत िाहीत, तेव्हा जॉि हसले, की हा एक मूखवपिाचा
किाि आहे असा आपला किाि व्यक्त किण्यासाठी हसला.
ती इतकी 'चांगली आनि धानमवक मनहला' होती की नतच्या अंत्संस्कािास मोठ्या संख्येिे लोक उपस्थथत होते. ती 'नतला
सवव स्लटिी हृदयािे मानहत होती' आनि 'किािाचा एक चांगला भाग' देखील सूनचत किते की ती एक चांगली आनि
धानमवक स्त्री होती. कक
व िोग िावाच्या आजािािे नतला उभे िाहण्यास भाग पाडल्यानशवाय नतला सवोत्क
ृ ष् ितवक मािली
जात असे. तथानप, नतचे नवचाि अजूिही सिळ िानहले. चार्ल्व लँब िे िमूद क
े ले की ती स्वत: 'महाि एकयाच्या एका
खोलीत झोपली' असूिही दोि नशशुंचे भूत ती झोपलेल्या पायairsॅ
् यांवरूि खाली सिकते. त्ा नदवसांत, लँब स्वत: दासी
घाबित झोपला असता. तो िमूद कितो की तो खूपच कमी धानमवक होता पिंतु त्ािे भुतांिा कधीच पानहले िाही. जॉि
याक्षिी धैयाविे पाहण्याचा प्रयत्न किीत होता.
लँबिे असा उल्लेखही क
े ला आहे की ती नतच्या िातवंडांशी खूप चांगली होती. सुट्टीच्या नदवसांत जेव्हा ते 'ग्रेट हाऊस' भेट
देतात तेव्हा त्ाला 'बािा सीझिच्या बस' वि टक लावूि पाहिे आवडत असे. हवेलीमध्ये असतािा त्ाला आकनर्वत
किण्यासाठी वापिल्या जािार्या कोक्यािे अिेक गोष्ींचा उल्लेखही क
े ला. तेथे 'पीच, अमृतसि, संत्री आनि मुलांच्या
सामान् आनमर्ांसािख्या गोड फवादांपेक्षा' जास्त असलेल्या नठकािी त्ािे वेळ घालवला. दोन्ही मुलांिा पानहजे
असलेल्या द्राक्षेच्या तुकडीकडे दुलवक्ष करूि त्ाच्या विविाचा प्रभाव दशवनवला.
चार्ल्व लँब सांगतो की मुलांचे काका जॉि कोकरू नवशेर्तुः आजी फील्ड नतच्या सवव िातवंडांमधूि आवडले. तो इतिांपेक्षा
अनधक देखिा आनि उत्साही होता. तो इतका उत्साही होता की बाकीच्या हवेलीमध्ये वेळ घालवायचा असेल ति तो लांब
पल्ल्यासाठी घोड्यावि स्वाि होऊि नशकािीमध्ये सामील व्हायचा. कोकरू मिि पावला तेव्हा त्ांच्या काकांची आठवि
कशी झाली याचा उल्लेख त्ांिी क
े ला तिी त्ािे ते बिेच काही दाखवले िाही. काकांचा दयाळू पिा तसेच क्रॉसिेस तो
चुकला. कोक्यािे काकांच्या लंगडीचा वािंवाि उल्लेख क
े ला आहे ज्यावरूि असे नदसूि येते की तो त्ाच्यासाठी खूप
काळजीत होता. काकांच्या विविामुळे मुलांिा अस्वथथ वाटले आनि चार्ल्व लँब ला 'त्ांच्या सुंदि, मृत आई' बद्दल
सांगायला उद् युक्त क
े ले.
त्ािंति, लँबिे सांनगतले की त्ािे त्ांच्या आईला 'फ
े अि iceनलस नवंटिसि' साठी सात वर्े एकनत्रत क
े ले. नतिे नतच्या
'कोवळे पिा' आनि 'िकाि' यामुळे मुलांिा कसे त्रास सहि किावा लागला हे स्पष्ीकिि देण्याचा प्रयत्न क
े ला. या क्षिी,
त्ाला त्ाची पत्नी आनि iceनलस यांच्या देखावा यांच्यात दृढ साम्य नदसले. Feelsनलसच्या माध्यमातूि त्ाची पत्नी
त्ाच्याशी संवाद साधत असल्याचे त्ाला वाटते. शेवटी, तो जागा झाला व त्ाला झोपायला नमळालेल्या आमव चेअिमध्ये
सापडला. ते म्हितात की जेम्स एलीया तेथे िव्हते आनि आतापयांतच्या निबंधात जे काही सांनगतले गेले आहे त्ाचे विवि
अलीया कित होते.

8. परिचय:
यह निबंध एक सपिे क
े बािे में है। इस निबंध में बच्ों एनलस औि जॉि को छोड़कि सभी पात्र वास्तनवक हैं।
शीर्वक से हम अिुमाि लगा सकते हैं नक यह एक सपिा औि श्रद्धा है, अथावत, एक नदि का सपिा। एनलस औि
जॉि जेम्स एनलया (चार्ल्व लैम्ब) क
े बच्े हैं। वे अपिे नपता, जेम्स एनलया से उिकी दादी क
े बािे में बतािे क
े नलए
कहते हैं। दादी का िाम फील्ड है जो बड़े गुिों वाली एक परिपूिव मनहला क
े रूप में चार्ल्व लँब से हमें परिनचत
किाया गया है। चार्ल्व लँब क
े जीवि से घटिाएं वास्तनवक हैं। घि से जुड़ी एक कहािी है जहां दादी श्रीमती फील्ड
कीपि थीं। यह उिक
े क्र
ू ि चाचा द्वािा बच्ों की हत्ा क
े बािे में था। एनलस औि जॉि को यह कहािी एक पेड़ पि
िक्काशीदाि लेखि क
े माध्यम से पता चली, नजसे बाद में एक अमीि आदमी द्वािा लाया गया था। दादी की मृत्ु
क
े बाद, घि क
े मानलक िे उिका सामाि छीि नलया औि उन्हें अपिे िए घि में िख नदया, जहाँ वे अजीब लग िहे
थे। जब दादी जीनवत थी तो वह अक
े ली सोती थी लेनकि एनलया चाचा द्वािा मािे गए नशशुओं की आत्माओं से डिती
थी क्योंनक यह सोचा जाता था नक उि बच्ों की आत्माओं द्वािा घि को प्रेतवानधत नकया गया था। एनलया क
े उत्साह
औि जोश से भिा एक भाई जॉि था, नजसे हि कोई अपिी दादी द्वािा नवशेर् रूप से प्याि किता था दू सिी ओि
एनलया का बचपि अलगाव से भिा था औि वह जीवि भि स्थथि िहा। उसका नदमाग तेजी से काम कि िहा था
लेनकि शािीरिक या शािीरिक रूप से वह पूिी तिह से सुस्त औि आलसी था। वह हि संभव तिीक
े से जॉि द्वािा
लंगड़ा कि उसकी मदद किता था जो उसे अपिी पीठ पि लादे िहता था। दुभावग्य से, जॉि भी लंगड़ा हो गया,
लेनकि एनलया िे कभी उसकी मदद िहीं की औि उसकी मृत्ु क
े बाद उसे एहसास हुआ नक वह लापता है।
निबंध क
े अंत में, ऐनलस औि जॉि यह सब सुिकि िो िहे हैं। एनलया अपिी पत्नी, नजसका िाम भी आनलया है,
को एनलस चेहिे में देख िही है। नशष्या बेहोश होिे लगती है औि एनलया या मेमिे से कहती है नक हम तुम्हािे
असली बच्े िहीं हैं औि ऐनलस तुम्हािी पत्नी औि हमािी माँ िहीं है। चार्ल्व लँब उठते हैं औि खुद को सशस्त्र
क
ु सी पि पाते हैं औि जेम्स एनलया गायब हो गया। पूिी कहािी मेम्ने क
े जीवि पि आधारित है, वह कभी शादी
कििे में सक्षम िहीं थी औि निुःसंताि की मृत्ु हो गई। वह अपिे भाई क
े बािे में, दादी क
े बािे में, उिक
े बचपि
आनद क
े बािे में भी पछता िहा है औि याद कि िहा है। इसनलए, निबंध का पूिा नहस्सा उदासी औि चार्ल्व लँब क
े
जीवि क
े उदास स्वि से भिा है।
• अपिे वास्तनवक जीवि में चार्ल्व लँब िे एि सीमन्स से शादी की लेनकि वह उससे शादी िहीं कि सका, वह
बच्े पैदा कििा चाहता था लेनकि कोई भी िहीं कि सकता था। इस प्रकाि वह अपिे निबंध क
े अंत की ओि एक
बहुत ही दयिीय नटप्पिी किता है जब वह अपिे काल्पनिक बच्ों क
े महीिों में निम्ननलस्खत शब्द डालता है, “हम
ि तो ऐनलस क
े हैं, ि तुम क
े , औि ि ही हम बच्े हैं… हम क
ु छ भी िहीं हैं, कम क
ु छ भी िहीं, सपिे। हम क
े वल
वही हैं जो हो सकता है ”। ऐनलस यहाँ कोई औि िहीं है नक ऐि सीमन्स लड़की लैम्ब शादी कििा चाहती थी,
लेनकि उससे शादी कििे में नवफल िही। वास्तव में, निबंध 'ए िेवेिी' का उपशीर्वक, नजसका शास्ब्दक अथव एक
नदवास्वप्न या कल्पिा है-हमें वास्तनवकता में वापसी क
े मागव क
े नलए तैयाि किता है, हालांनक निबंध एक भ्रामक
यथाथववादी िोट पि शुरू होता है।
डर ीम नचल्ड
र ि एक व्यस्क्तगत निबंध है। चार्ल्व लँब अपिे जीवि से चरित्रों औि घटिाओं को प्रस्तुत किता है -
उिकी दादी श्रीमती फील्ड क
े िेखानचत्र, उिक
े भाई- जॉि लैम्ब, उिकी बहि- मैिी लैम्ब, एि नसमंस क
े साथ
उिक
े दुखद प्रेम-प्रसंग। लेनकि लँब िे हमेशा तथ्यों औि कल्पिाओं क
े साथ खेलते हैं औि वास्तनवक को सानहत्
में बदल देते हैं।

9. साराांश:
जैसे सभी बच्े किते हैं, लैम्ब क
े बच्े भी अपिे माता-नपता की बचपि की कहानियाँ सुििा चाहते थे। एक नदि, वह उन्हें
'उिकी पिदादी दादी क
े बािे में बता िहा था, जो िोिफोक क
े एक महाि घि में िहती थीं'। वह नजस घि में िहती थी, वह
घि वतवमाि में िहिे वाले घि से 'सौ गुिा बड़ा' था। बच्ों िे उस घि में होिे वाली दुखद घटिाओं क
े बािे में भी सुिा था
('नचल्ड
र ि ऑफ द वुड ऑफ द वुड')। बच्ों औि उिक
े क्र
ू ि चाचा की दुखद कहािी को नचमिी क
े टुकड़े पि लकड़ी में
उक
े िा गया था। हालांनक, एक अमीि आदमी िे लकड़ी को एक संगमिमि से बदल नदया औि कहािी खो गई। मेमिे का
उल्लेख है नक जब उसिे सुिा तो ऐनलस िे उसकी िािाजगी नदखाई।
लैंब बच्ों को बताता है नक दादी फील्ड को घि का प्रभाि नदया गया था क्योंनक मानलक अनधक फ
ै शिेबल हवेली में िहिा
पसंद किते थे। वह बताता है नक वह धानमवक औि बहुत अिी मनहला थी, औि सभी का सम्माि किती थी। वह बहुत
सावधािी से घि की देखभाल किती थी। उसक
े बाद, घि क
े पुिािे गहिे छीि नलए गए औि मानलक क
े घि में थथानपत
नकए गए। जब मेम्ने िे उल्लेख नकया नक पुिािे गहिे िई हवेली में शालीिता से नफट िहीं हो सकते हैं, तो जॉि अपिे
समझौते को व्यक्त कििे क
े नलए मुस्क
ु िाया नक यह एक मूखवतापूिव कायव था।
वह ऐसी 'अिी औि धानमवक मनहला' थींनक उिक
े अंनतम संस्काि में भािी संख्या में लोग शानमल हुए। वह 'वह सब भजि
को हृदय से जािती थी' औि 'वसीयतिामा का एक बड़ा नहस्सा' यह भी सुझाव देती है नक वह एक अिी औि धानमवक
मनहला थी। वह तब तक सबसे अिी डांसि मािी जाती थींजब तक नक क
ैं सि िामक बीमािी िे उन्हें थमिे पि मजबूि
िहीं नकया। हालांनक, उसकी आत्मा अभी भी ईमािदाि बिी हुई थी। मेम्ने का उल्लेख है नक वह अपिे दम पि 'महाि
अक
े ला घि क
े एक अक
े ला कक्ष में' सोता था, इसक
े बावजूद नक दो नशशुओं क
े भूत ऊपि औि िीचे की सीऩियों पि च़ि
गए, नजसक
े पास वह सोया था। उि नदिों क
े दौिाि, मेमिे डि क
े साथ सोते थे। उन्होंिे उल्लेख नकया है नक वह अभी
तक कम धानमवक थे लेनकि उन्होंिे भूतों पि कभी ध्याि िहीं नदया। जॉि इस समय साहसी नदखिे की कोनशश कि िहा
था।
चार्ल्व लँब िे यह भी उल्लेख नकया है नक वह अपिे पोते क
े नलए बहुत अिी थी। जब वह छु नट्टयों में he महाि घि ’का
दौिा किते थे, तो उन्हें es बािह क
ै सि की हलचल’ पसंद थी। मेम्ने िे नवनभन्न चीजों का भी उल्लेख नकया है जो हवेली में
िहते हुए उसे आकनर्वत किती थीं। उन्होंिे वहां नवनभन्न चीजों क
े बीच समय नबतािे का आिंद नलया, यहां तक नक 'आड़ू ,
अमृत, संतिे, औि बच्ों क
े आम चािा जैसे मीठे स्वादों' से भी ज्यादा। दोिों बच्ों िे अंगूि क
े गुिा को अिदेखा किक
े
अपिे नवविि का प्रभाव नदखाया, जो अन्था वे चाहते थे।
लैंब बताता है नक बच्ों क
े चाचा जॉि लैंब को उिक
े सभी पोते-पोनतयों में से दादी फील्ड खासतौि पि पसंद किती थीं।
वह बाकी की तुलिा में अनधक सुंदि औि उत्साही था। वह इतिा उत्साही था नक जब बाकी हवेली में समय नबताता, तो
वह लंबी दू िी तक घोड़े की सवािी किता औि नशकारियों में शानमल होता। मेमिे का उल्लेख है नक जब वह मि गया था
तो उसिे अपिे चाचा को क
ै से याद नकया था, हालांनक उसिे इसे उतिा िहीं नदखाया। वह चाचा की दयालुता क
े साथ-
साथ पाि हो गया। मेमिे िे चाचा की बाि-बाि की उदासी का भी उल्लेख नकया है जो दशावता है नक वह उिक
े नलए बहुत
नचंनतत थे। बच्ों िे चाचा क
े विवि से असहज महसूस नकया औि मेमिे से 'अपिी सुंदि, मृत माँ' क
े बािे में बतािे का
आग्रह नकया।
नफि, चार्ल्व लँब िे बताया नक उसिे अपिी माँ को सात साल क
े नलए 'फ
े यि ऐनलस नवंटसवि' से सम्मानित नकया। उन्होंिे
बच्ों को यह स्पष् कििे का भी प्रयास नकया नक नकस तिह से उन्हें अपिे 'पागलपि' औि 'इिकाि' क
े कािि समस्याओं
का सामिा कििा पड़ा। इस नबंदु पि, उन्होंिे अपिी पत्नी औि एनलस की उपस्थथनत क
े बीच मजबूत समािता पि ध्याि
नदया। उसे लगता है जैसे उसकी पत्नी एनलस क
े माध्यम से उसक
े साथ संवाद कि िही थी। अंत में, वह उठा औि उसिे
खुद को अपिी क
ु सी पि पाया जहाँ वह सो गया था। वह कहते हैं नक जेम्स एनलया वहां िहीं था औि अब तक निबंध में
नजस चीज का उल्लेख नकया गया है वह सब एनलया द्वािा वनिवत नकया जा िहा है।

10.  Que:- Critically appreciate the essay Dream children. OR
 Discuss Dream is a personal documants of Lamb’s life OR
 Sketch the character of Marry Field, Charles Lamb’s grandmother.
Ans: Charles Lamb wrote his essay under the pseudo name Elia.Therefore his essays are popular under
the title "Essay of Elia". His essays are very perfect and he has rightly been called as the prince of
English essayist. He occupies an important position in English literature, both as a writer and as a man.
The present essay Dream children' is a reverie of the tragic life of Charles Lamb. Being unsuccesstal
love affair with Anne Simmons, he remained bochlor. Hence, deeply touched by this frustration, he
imagines the enjoyment of family life. The dream children Alie and John are imaginary off springs of
imaginary marriage with Anne Simmons. Lamb in this essay named Anna simmon as Alie Winterton.
He, with his own tragic life describes his great grandmother, her big mansion, and his brother John
Lamb.
One evening lamb’s imaginary children Alie and John crept close to him to know something about their
great grandmother Mery Field. Lamb told them how pious, good and popular their great grandmother
was. She was not the owner of the house. She had only the charge of the house. Charles Lamb tells
his children that the house was associated with the tragedy of two small children in the wood. These
two children were forced to go in the wood with a pair of hired assassins. One of them was a good
hearted fellow who killed his cruel partner and left the children in the wood alone and run away. But
children were died because of cold and exposure. Their dead bodies were coversed by Robin Red
Breasts. It was belived children were supposed to live in the great house of Merry Field. Charles lamb
told them that she was the 'best dancer in her youth and was respected by call kinds of people. She
used to sleep alone in a room but did not feared the imaginary ghostly figures. She was died of cancer
and her funered way attended by a number of people.
In the middle of essay lamb espeaks about his dead brather John Lomb. The relation between the two
brothers was very cordinal. John Lomb was the favourite of the grand-mother. But John was very
short tempered. On the member of occaression they both enjoyed the quarrel. But Lamb says that he
missed him very much. He could not forget his brother John. Suddenly both the children request him
not to tell more about John, but to tell something more about the dead grandmother.
The concluding part of the essay is very pathetic. It reminded Charles Lamp that he was a bachelor.
He was deeply pained to see the children departed. The children said that they were not the children
of Lamb, they considered Borthum as their father. At last lamb woke up in his bachelor chair where
he was fallen asleep.
(Notes Prepared by Dr. G.N.Khamankar, Vivekanand Mahavidhyalay, Bhadrawati)

11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9i7DZEEx6A
https://youtu.be/z9i7DZEEx6A