Form and Purpose in Boswell's Biographical Works

Form and Purpose in Boswell's Biographical Works provides a detailed comparative analysis of James Boswell’s three major biographical works: The Life of Johnson, The Tour to the Hebrides, and the Account of Corsica. Through this examination, the book challenges the traditional view that Boswell’s biographical method developed in a simple, linear progression from one work to the next. It argues that each of these works represents a distinct artistic achievement, with Boswell consciously shaping and organizing his factual materials in ways that go beyond mere documentation. The book demonstrates that Boswell’s talent as a biographer was not limited to presenting facts, but involved a sophisticated process of interpretation and organization, especially evident in The Life of Johnson, where his portrayal of Johnson’s character is built around a cohesive narrative structure.

The study also highlights how Boswell’s approach to biography evolved depending on the subject and context of each work. In The Account of Corsica, Boswell uses a propagandistic approach to portray Paoli, employing different dramatic techniques than those he used in later works. In contrast, The Tour to the Hebrides presents a more static image of Johnson, focusing on his public persona in unusual and often humorous contexts, but without delving into his complex character as Boswell did in The Life of Johnson. By comparing these works, the book offers a fresh perspective on Boswell’s artistic abilities, demonstrating that he was a far more deliberate and interpretive biographer than previously acknowledged, capable of creating unified and compelling portraits of his subjects.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1972.