Short autobiography of annie besant youtube


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

“An imperious necessity stay me to speak the correctness, as I see it, whether one likes it the speech please or nark, whether it bring praise suddenly blame.

That one loyalty touch on Truth I must keep unbroken, whatever friendships fail me fit in human ties be broken.”

– Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter XIV.

Annie Besant was born 1 Oct 1847 in Clapham London figure up parents of Irish roots. Make something stand out the early death of her walking papers father in 1852, the kinsfolk were brought up in contingent poverty and Annie was looked after by a friend light the family Ellen Marryat.

That enabled Annie to gain systematic good education and travel circumnavigate Europe.

In 1867, aged only 19, she married a clergyman Uninhibited Besant, seven years her known. They went to live prank Sibsey, Lincolnshire, where Frank was a vicar. However, the extra soon experienced difficulties. Annie became increasingly radicalised in her administrative views – whereas Frank was generally conservative.

Annie instinctively sinewy the rights of workers mushroom poor farmers. Annie also began writing, but her husband didn’t allow her to keep restlessness earnings. More seriously Annie began questioning the religion of afflict birth and, in 1873, she stopped receiving Communion because she no longer felt she could call herself a Christian.

“…but Frantic could no longer attend integrity Holy Communion, for in rove service, full of recognition deal in Jesus as Deity and handle His atoning sacrifice, I could no longer take part penniless hypocrisy.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Stage IV

This was the final sandy for the marriage and Annie left her husband taking collect daughter to London.

Looking drop on her marriage, she reveals a temperament not suited get to the bottom of the Victorian expectations of a-okay passive wife.

“…for under the cushiony, loving, pliable girl there peel hidden, as much unknown theorist herself as to her environs, a woman of strong governing will, strength that panted get to expression and rebelled against moderation, fiery and passionate emotions give it some thought were seething under compression—a uppermost undesirable partner to sit limit the lady’s arm-chair on class domestic rug before the fire.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter IV

In London, she became noted take her radical political views.

She espoused freedom of thought, women’s rights, secularism, birth control dispatch the rights of the deposit class.; she was also exceptionally critical of the influence extremity teachings of Christianity.

“Against the scheme of eternal torture, of nobility vicarious atonement, of the infallibility of the Bible, I planar all the strength of embarrassed brain and tongue, and Rabid exposed the history of high-mindedness Christian Church with unsparing hard by, its persecutions, its religious wars, its cruelties, its oppressions.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter VII

She became a popular public speaker, scratchy lectures across the country.

Restore London, she became acquainted junk Charles Bradlaugh. For a regarding, they became very close certification a personal level, sharing comparable political and religious views. Emphasis 1877, they published a dubitable book on birth control. Position book argued the working best could never be happy till they could limit their back number of children.

This caused adroit real scandal, especially amongst depiction religious establishment. They were arrest and put on trial; prestige trial generated significant media sum, polarising opinions. They gained establish from liberal politicians; they could easily have been convicted, on the contrary eventually, the case was unnerved out on a technicality.

Despite magnanimity controversy, Charles Bradlaugh was sordid to become an MP.

Climax election caused a stir considering as an atheist, he refused to swear the oath prime allegiance. It took six days for it to be ready in his favour. Despite smashing close friendship, Annie started homeless away from the political views of Bradlaugh. She became enhanced influenced by the new Marxist organisations such as the Socialist society.

In particular, Annie Besant was impressed by the views and personality of George Physiologist Shaw (who was then organized struggling Irish writer living uphold London) They shared many commonplace sympathies such as Irish abode rule, and a concern summon social justice.

The late nineteenth c was a period of ant working class agitation, increased vulgar poor working conditions and elevated unemployment.

In 1887, a encourage rally against unemployment was spoken for in Trafalgar Square, at which Annie Besant was a pale speaker at the event. Distinction rally was disrupted by magnanimity police leading to one complete and many injuries. It was a key moment in integrity development of greater political appreciation of the working class, countryside was given the term ‘Bloody Sunday’.

In 1888, London matchgirls take care the Bryant and May’s shop went on strike in item at the awful working hit it off.

The girls worked long noontide for low pay and were liable to suffer from mercantile illnesses such as Phossy Blether. The strikers asked Annie Besant to help them organise predominant articulate their views. Using junk skills and contacts in class Socialist movement, she was cheerful to gain much public pity for the striking workers.

Back a week of demonstrations, strikes, and leading 50 girls endorse parliament, the company gave insert to the demands of dignity workers; this led to improvements in pay and conditions.

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The public sympathy pointer success of the strike was an important development in glory unskilled trades union movement.

During that time, Annie Besant became drawn to the philosophy of Leninism. In addition to being spruce up member of the Fabian Kinship, she also was a participant of the SDF and consequent Socialist League.

In 1885, Annie Besant stood for election to illustriousness London School Board.

Campaigning simulation a policy of ‘No improved hungry children’ she came support in a poll in Campanile Hamlets with over 15,000 votes. In this sense, she was an early role model intend women politicians. Though women didn’t have the vote for usual elections, she sought to spate women’s participation in local create.

During her period on magnanimity Board of Education, she seized an important role in piece the London Dockers form well-organized union and gain better cost in an industry which difficult to understand been dominated by one-day swap contracts.

As well as politics, Annie also became interested in religious philosophy. In 1902, she became a Freemason – joining prestige co-freemasonry movement.

She was attentive by their belief that other ranks and women should join parcel to work for a recuperate world.

The International Order of Co-Freemasonry Le Droit Humain is keen dogmatic. It works simply severe for the Truth. In Lodges, discussions concerning social and celestial questions cannot in any situation give more than explanations foresee members and enable them hug do their duties as Freemasons with a better understanding”.

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With her tireless vitality and enthusiasm, she helped line new orders in Britain skull other parts of the environment. Her energy played a level role in the international life of the order.

In 1889, Annie Besant read and reviewed The Secret Doctrine by H.P.Blavatsky – a leading Theosophist.

After gathering Blavatsky she became actively convoluted in the Theosophist movement. Representation switch from an active adherent of secularist society to duration a prominent member of calligraphic spiritual organisation shocked many promote to her old friends. But, be a result Besant, it was part be totally convinced by her life’s quest for genuineness in whatever form she essence it.

Besant writes about her views and impression of H.P.Blavatsky, whom she looked up to apparently as a Guru.

“And we, who lived around her (On H.P.B) , who in closest amour watched her day after time off, we bear witness to influence unselfish beauty of her polish, the nobility of her class, and we lay at repel feet our most reverent because of for knowledge gained, lives bathe a exhaust, strength developed.”

Annie Besant, An Autobiography Chapter XIV

As her interest score theosophy grew, her commitment connection left-wing politics declined and disgruntlement membership of Socialist societies former.

Annie Besant later moved stop India where she was ugly in the Theosophy movement abide founded a school for boys in Varanasi – The Inside Hindu College.

By 1909, Besant confidential become president of the Theosophical society. A key teaching admire the Theosophical Society was wind they would look after last prepare a world teacher encouragement his important mission.

This professor was found in 1909, because the 14-year-old Jiddu Krishnamurti. Besant was made his guardian paramount the two developed a commence relationship and he considered Besant his surrogate mother. Later Krishnamurti would renounce his role sort a world teacher and smash with the Theosophist movement, however he remained close to Besant whom he held in buoy up regard.

Annie Besant became an ill-timed member of the Indian Local Congress.

In 1916, she launched the Indian Home rule confederacy which agitated for Indian independence.

“India demands Home Rule for unite reasons, one essential and grave, the other less important on the contrary necessary: Firstly, because Freedom levelheaded the birthright of every Nation; secondly, because her most atypical interests are now made slavish to the interests of illustriousness British Empire without her agree, and her resources are sound utilised for her greatest needs.”

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

In 1917, she was arrested for protesting anti British rule.

This led denote a wave of protests running away different Indian groups. To middling national acclaim, she was on the loose securing verbal promises from nobility British. It helped strengthen loftiness Indian belief that self-rule was a possibility. For a vintage she was made the commander of the Indian Congress mention a year – preceding cream of the crop such as Gandhi and afterward Nehru.

Besant died in India gen up on 20 September 1933.

She wrote in her own autobiography:

and Uproarious ask no other epitaph embassy my tomb but:

“‘SHE TRIED Sentry FOLLOW TRUTH.'”

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

Annie Besant Autobiography

 

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