The Autobiography of Charles Darwin by Charles Darwin [PDF]

Information: The Autobiography of Charles Darwin

• Author: Charles Darwin
• Publication Date: 1887
• Main Characters:
  • Charles Darwin: The author and central figure, a naturalist who recounts his intellectual development from a curious but unfocused youth to the scientist who proposed the theory of natural selection
  • Robert Darwin: Charles's father, a successful physician whose early disappointment in his son's academic performance is a recurring theme in the memoir
  • John Stevens Henslow: A Cambridge botany professor who became Darwin's mentor and recommended him for the HMS Beagle voyage, changing the course of his life
  • Emma Darwin: Charles's wife and first cousin, whose religious faith contrasted with his growing skepticism, a tension he addresses with tenderness
  • Francis Darwin: Charles's son, who later edited and published the autobiography as part of his father's collected letters and life story
• Brief Summary: Charles Darwin recounts his life from boyhood in Shrewsbury through his education at Edinburgh and Cambridge, his transformative five-year voyage on HMS Beagle, and his decades of quiet research at Down House. He describes how he gradually developed the theory of natural selection and the anxious years before publishing "On the Origin of Species" in 1859. The memoir also covers his family life, his working methods, and his reflections on religion, offering a candid self-assessment from a man who changed the course of science.
• Thematic Analysis: The autobiography explores the tension between scientific curiosity and personal doubt, showing how Darwin wrestled with the implications of his own discoveries. It also examines the role of patience and persistence in intellectual work, as Darwin spent over twenty years developing his theory before going public. His reflections on faith and its gradual erosion reveal the personal cost of following evidence wherever it leads.
• Historical Context: Darwin wrote the autobiography in 1876, during the height of the Victorian era, when his theory of evolution had already sparked fierce public and religious debate. It was published posthumously in 1887 by his son Francis, who edited out passages about religion and personal opinions deemed too controversial. The uncensored version did not appear until 1958, edited by his granddaughter Nora Barlow, finally giving readers the full, unfiltered account.