Summary
Presented as an English editor’s commentary on the eccentric German philosopher Diogenes Teufelsdröckh, Sartor Resartus weaves philosophy, satire, and allegory into a meditation on human existence.
Through Teufelsdröckh’s “Philosophy of Clothes,” Carlyle explores how outward forms—social customs, institutions, and material culture—are mere coverings for deeper spiritual truths. The narrative charts a journey from despair and doubt to spiritual renewal, offering both a critique of modern materialism and a vision of transcendence.