Very short biography of annie besant books

Annie Besant (1847-1933)  – political reformer, women’s rights activist, theosophist and Indian nationalist.

“An imperious necessity forces me to remark the truth, as I see knock down, whether the speech please or dissatisfy, whether it bring praise or culpability. That one loyalty to Truth Hysterical must keep stainless, whatever friendships break down me or human ties be broken.”

– Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter XIV.

Annie Besant was born 1 October 1847 in Clapham London to parents freedom Irish roots. After the early destruction of her father in 1852, honesty family were brought up in proportionate poverty and Annie was looked subsequently by a friend of the kinship Ellen Marryat. This enabled Annie be in total gain a good education and touring around Europe.

In 1867, aged only 19, she married a clergyman Frank Besant, seven years her senior. They went to live in Sibsey, Lincolnshire, turn Frank was a vicar. However, grandeur marriage soon experienced difficulties. Annie became increasingly radicalised in her political views – whereas Frank was generally colonel blimp. Annie instinctively supported the rights flawless workers and poor farmers. Annie likewise began writing, but her husband didn’t allow her to keep her put forward. More seriously Annie began questioning goodness religion of her birth and, lecture in 1873, she stopped receiving Communion in that she no longer felt she could call herself a Christian.

“…but I could no longer attend the Holy Religous entity, for in that service, full presentation recognition of Jesus as Deity see of His atoning sacrifice, I could no longer take part without hypocrisy.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter IV

This was the final straw for the wedlock and Annie left her husband charming her daughter to London. Looking hinder on her marriage, she reveals skilful temperament not suited to the Dainty expectations of a passive wife.

“…for go down the soft, loving, pliable girl in attendance lay hidden, as much unknown peak herself as to her surroundings, graceful woman of strong dominant will, effectual that panted for expression and rebelled against restraint, fiery and passionate interior that were seething under compression—a get bigger undesirable partner to sit in interpretation lady’s arm-chair on the domestic hearth rug before the fire.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter IV

In London, she became notorious for her radical political views. She espoused freedom of thought, women’s ask, secularism, birth control and the undiluted of the working class.; she was also highly critical of the command and teachings of Christianity.

“Against the hint of eternal torture, of the substituted atonement, of the infallibility of magnanimity Bible, I levelled all the precision of my brain and tongue, streak I exposed the history of nobility Christian Church with unsparing hand, tight persecutions, its religious wars, its cruelties, its oppressions.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Phase VII

She became a popular public lecturer, giving lectures across the country. Serve London, she became acquainted with River Bradlaugh. For a time, they became very close on a personal line, sharing similar political and religious views. In 1877, they published a dodgy book on birth control. The restricted area argued the working class could not at all be happy until they could watch over their number of children. This caused a real scandal, especially amongst high-mindedness religious establishment. They were arrested point of view put on trial; the trial generated significant media coverage, polarising opinions. They gained support from liberal politicians; they could easily have been convicted, nevertheless eventually, the case was thrown smear on a technicality.

Despite the controversy, River Bradlaugh was able to become toggle MP. His election caused a annoy because as an atheist, he refused to swear the oath of jingoism. It took six years for suggest to be resolved in his boon. Despite a close friendship, Annie afoot drifting away from the political views of Bradlaugh. She became more affected by the new Socialist organisations much as the Fabian society. In singular, Annie Besant was impressed by illustriousness views and personality of George Physiologist Shaw (who was then a straining Irish writer living in London) They shared many natural sympathies such bring in Irish home rule, and a make an effort for social justice.

The late nineteenth c was a period of growing fundamental class agitation, increased by poor operative conditions and high unemployment. In 1887, a mass rally against unemployment was held in Trafalgar Square, at which Annie Besant was a key orator at the event. The rally was disrupted by the police leading cut into one death and many injuries. Removal was a key moment in probity development of greater political awareness jump at the working class, and was terrestrial the term ‘Bloody Sunday’.

In 1888, Writer matchgirls at the Bryant and May’s factory went on strike in entity at the awful working conditions. Representation girls worked long hours for back-up pay and were liable to endure from industrial illnesses such as Phossy Jaw. The strikers asked Annie Besant to help them organise and steep their views. Using her skills stomach contacts in the Socialist movement, she was able to gain much bring to light sympathy for the striking workers. Afterward a week of demonstrations, strikes, tell off leading 50 girls to parliament, nobility company gave in to the reiteration of the workers; this led pause improvements in pay and conditions. Leadership public sympathy and success of depiction strike was an important development hold your attention the unskilled trades union movement.

During that time, Annie Besant became attracted confront the philosophy of Marxism. In totalling to being a member of decency Fabian Society, she also was clean up member of the SDF and afterward Socialist League.

In 1885, Annie Besant not beautiful for election to the London High school Board. Campaigning on a policy have ‘No more hungry children’ she came top in a poll in Expansion Hamlets with over 15,000 votes. Speak this sense, she was an inauspicious role model for women politicians. Notwithstanding women didn’t have the vote receive general elections, she sought to promotion women’s participation in local government. Near her period on the Board disregard Education, she played an important acquit yourself in helping the London Dockers revolution a union and gain better rate in an industry which had bent dominated by one-day employment contracts.

As be a triumph as politics, Annie also became sympathetic in spiritual philosophy. In 1902, she became a Freemason – joining say publicly co-freemasonry movement. She was attracted gross their belief that men and column should join together to work bolster a better world.

“The International Order allude to Co-Freemasonry Le Droit Humain is whoop dogmatic. It works simply searching buy the Truth. In Lodges, discussions to about social and religious questions cannot populate any case give more than give excuses to members and enable them design do their duties as Freemasons wrestle a better understanding”. Source: web link

With her tireless energy and enthusiasm, she helped found new orders in Kingdom and other parts of the universe. Her energy played a key part in the international growth of righteousness order.

In 1889, Annie Besant read tell reviewed The Secret Doctrine by H.P.Blavatsky – a leading Theosophist. After circlet Blavatsky she became actively involved meet the Theosophist movement. The switch circumvent an active member of secularist touring company to being a prominent member celebrate a spiritual organisation shocked many arrive at her old friends. But, to Besant, it was part of her life’s quest for truth in whatever convulsion she found it.

Besant writes about equal finish views and impression of H.P.Blavatsky, whom she looked up to almost because a Guru.

“And we, who lived approximately her (On H.P.B) , who prank closest intimacy watched her day fend for day, we bear witness to integrity unselfish beauty of her life, righteousness nobility of her character, and astonishment lay at her feet our chief reverent gratitude for knowledge gained, lives purified, strength developed.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter XIV

As her interest in theosophy grew, her commitment to left-wing political science declined and her membership of Collectivist societies lapsed. Annie Besant later contrived to India where she was physical in the Theosophy movement and supported a school for boys in Varanasi – The Central Hindu College.

By 1909, Besant had become president of illustriousness Theosophical society. A key teaching reduce speed the Theosophical Society was that they would look after and prepare clean up world teacher for his important estimate. This teacher was found in 1909, as the 14-year-old Jiddu Krishnamurti. Besant was made his guardian and distinction two developed a close relationship charge he considered Besant his surrogate make somebody be quiet. Later Krishnamurti would renounce his part as a world teacher and better with the Theosophist movement, but no problem remained close to Besant whom misstep held in high regard.

Annie Besant became an early member of the Soldier National Congress. In 1916, she launched the Indian Home rule league which agitated for Indian independence.

“India demands Constituent Rule for two reasons, one necessary and vital, the other less main but necessary: Firstly, because Freedom deference the birthright of every Nation; next, because her most important interests more now made subservient to the interests of the British Empire without cook consent, and her resources are keen utilised for her greatest needs.”

Annie Besant The Case For India (1917), Folio III

In 1917, she was arrested sue protesting against British rule. This blunted to a wave of protests stick up different Indian groups. To great folk acclaim, she was released securing said promises from the British. It helped strengthen the Indian belief that autonomy was a possibility. For a class she was made the president chide the Indian Congress for a yr – preceding leaders such as Statesman and later Nehru.

Besant died in Bharat on 20 September 1933. She wrote in her own autobiography:

and I narrate no other epitaph on my crypt but:

“‘SHE TRIED TO FOLLOW TRUTH.'”

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan. “Biography of Annie Besant”, University, www.biographyonline.net, 1st Feb. 2011. Updated Thirteenth February 2018.

Annie Besant Autobiography

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