A biography is a record of a person’s life. Written in third person, biographies generally span a subject’s lifetime, from birth to death, and include major events in his or her public and private life. Biographies may delve into a person’s psychology and explore their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual lives.
A biography is a record of a person’s life. Written in third person, biographies generally span a subject’s lifetime, from birth to death, and include major events in his or her public and private life. Biographies may delve into a person’s psychology and explore their emotional, intellectual, and spiritual lives.
The biography is one of the oldest forms of literature. Since ancient times, writers have recorded the lives of great leaders and warriors. Some early biographies were viewed as a form of historical record, others took on fantastical elements and grew into cultural epics. Notable ancient biographies include Plato’s Apology, which records a portion of the life of Socrates, and the Gospels of the Christian bible, which present four biographies of Jesus Christ. As the centuries progressed, the biography as a style of literary importance waxed and waned. In 1791, James Boswell reshaped the image of the biography with his Life of Samuel Johnson, a two-volume tome that recounted his own interactions with Johnson in exhaustive detail. As the influence of Romanticism and later psychoanalysis intersected with the world of literature, biographies continued to become more detailed in their explorations of the subject’s emotional and psychological experiences.
Although biographies and autobiographies are categorized as nonfiction, they are not necessarily devoid of bias. Biographers may portray their subjects in various lights depending on their relationship to and opinion regarding the subject. Shakespeare’s historical plays, for example, purport to be historical accounts of British kings (Richards, and Henrys), but the portrayal of each king is clearly influenced by Shakespeare’s own opinion, literary artistry, and awareness of his audience.
Today biographies make up a stable portion of yearly publications. Some take the form of plays, such as The Miracle Worker depicting the life of Helen Keller; others have been successfully adapted into films, like the 2014 film adaptation of Louis Zamperini’s biography Unbroken. Whether they are read or watched, biographies continue to fascinate and inform their modern audience.
Want to learn more? Check out our educational article on Literary Genres!
A biography is a detailed account of a person's life, including their experiences, achievements, and important events. Biographies help readers understand the background and impact of notable individuals.
A biography is written by someone other than the subject, while an autobiography is written by the person themselves. Both describe life stories, but the perspective differs.
Biographies teach students about history, culture, and personal growth by exploring real-life examples. Learning from others' experiences can inspire and inform students in their own lives.
Popular biographies for kids include stories about Helen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr., Malala Yousafzai, and Albert Einstein. These books share inspiring journeys and achievements.
A good biography lesson covers major life events, achievements, challenges, and impact on society. It encourages students to explore the person's character and contributions.