A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig by Charles Lamb (Summary & Analysis)

 

A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig

by Charles Lamb

(Summary & Analysis) 

Summary

"A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig" is a funny essay written by Charles Lamb, a famous English writer, in the early 1800s. The essay talks about how roast pig came to be and why people enjoy it.

It starts with a story about a boy from China named Bo-bo. He accidentally burns down the place where pigs were kept while trying to save his house from a fire. Bo-bo and his father, Ho-ti, decide to try the roasted pig and find it amazingly tasty. They become obsessed with it and try different ways of cooking pigs. They even think of making a house that can be easily set on fire to cook pigs in the future.

Lamb then jokes about how roast pig might have started in different cultures and times. He suggests that it could have been discovered accidentally but became a tradition and a reason to celebrate. He imagines ancient Greeks and Romans having big feasts with roasted meat. He also mentions medieval feasts and how roasted pig became popular during Christmas.

Lamb's storytelling is light-hearted and amusing. He shows how people take pleasure in food and cooking. He says that enjoying food is something all humans have in common and that it's important to appreciate simple pleasures. Lamb also makes fun of some human customs and traditions, suggesting that our desire for roasted pig comes from our basic instincts rather than being logical.

Overall, "A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig" is a funny and clever essay that talks about how roast pig became popular in a playful and imaginative way. It makes us think about our behavior and relationship with food while using humor and showing appreciation for cooking.

Analysis

"A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig" by Charles Lamb is a funny and clever essay that talks about human behavior and traditions. Here are some important points to understand:

Making Fun and Being Funny: Lamb uses humor to entertain readers and also to make some smart observations. He shows how silly it is that a burnt-down pigsty leads to the accidental discovery of a delicious dish. The funny things that Ho-ti and Bo-bo do, like building a house for roasting pigs, show how people can become obsessed and passionate about food in a funny way.

Basic Human Desires and Enjoyment: The essay explores how people have basic desires and pleasures related to food. Lamb suggests that finding roast pig wasn't something people planned or deliberately created. Instead, it happened by chance and brought a lot of pleasure. This challenges the idea that all progress comes from deliberate thinking and shows that our natural desires also play a role in shaping our experiences.

Imagining History and Culture: Lamb playfully imagines the cultural and historical importance of roast pig. He creates vivid scenes of ancient Greek and Roman feasts, medieval banquets, and Christmas traditions where roasted meats were central. This shows that food enjoyment is something that people from different times and places have in common, and it also shows how food traditions change over time.

Questioning Traditions: Lamb subtly questions why people follow traditions without thinking. By showing that roast pig was discovered accidentally, he suggests that some customs and rituals may not have a logical basis. This makes readers think about their own traditions and why they follow them. It also makes them consider how traditions affect human behavior.

Enjoying Simple Pleasures: Alongside the funny parts, Lamb celebrates the simple joys of life, especially the pleasure of eating. He focuses on the sensory and physical experience of eating roast pig, showing how enjoyable it is. This celebration of simple pleasures encourages readers to find happiness in small things.

In conclusion, "A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig" is a funny and clever essay that uses food exploration to talk about human behavior, traditions, and the pursuit of pleasure. Lamb engages readers in a light-hearted reflection on food, natural desires, and the importance of enjoying simple things in life.