1808 in literature
This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 1808.
Events
- January 3 – The Examiner, "A Sunday paper, on politics, domestic economy, and theatricals", is established in London by John Hunt, edited by his brother Leigh Hunt.
- January 30 – The Théâtre St. Philippe opens in New Orleans, United States.
- September 20 – The first Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London, established in 1732, is destroyed by fire along with most of the scenery, costumes and scripts. Rebuilding begins in December.
- Charles Thomson's Bible Translation from the Greek is printed by Jane Aitken in Philadelphia.
New books
Fiction
- James Norris Brewer – Mountville Castle
- Stéphanie Félicité, comtesse de Genlis – The Earl of Cork
- Sarah Green – Tankerville Family
- Elizabeth Hamilton – The Cottagers of Glenburnie
- Heinrich von Kleist – Die Marquise von O...
- Francis Lathom – The Northern Gallery
- Charles Maturin – The Wild Irish Boy
- Karoline Pichler – Agathocles
- Joseph Strutt – Queenhoo Hall
- Elizabeth Thomas – ''The Husband and Wife''
Children
- Ann Taylor and Jane Taylor – ''Hymns for Infant Minds''
Drama
- James Nelson Barker – The Indian Princess
- Matthäus Casimir von Collin – Belas Krieg mit dem Vater
- Richard Cumberland – The Jew of Mogadore
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy
- Theodore Hook – The Siege of St Quintin
- Heinrich von Kleist
- *Penthesilea
- *The Broken Jug
- Adam Oehlenschläger
- *Baldur hin Gode
- *Hakon Jarl
- John Tobin – ''The School for Authors''
Poetry
- William Blake – Milton
- Friedrich Schiller – revised version of "Ode to Joy", which formed the basis for the lyrics of Beethoven's 9th Symphony
- Friedrich Hölderlin
- *"Der Rhein"
- *"Patmos"
- Walter Scott – ''Marmion''
Non-fiction
- Charles Fourier – The Theory of the Four Movements
- J. F. Fries – Neue oder anthropologische Kritik der Vernunft
- Johann Heinrich Jung – Theorie der Geisterkunde
- Karl Wilhelm Friedrich von Schlegel – Über die Sprache und Weisheit der Indier
- Gotthilf Heinrich von Schubert – Ansichten von der Nachtseite der Naturwissenschaft
Births
- January 27 – David Strauss, German theologian and writer
- February 5 – Carl Spitzweg, German poet
- February 16 – Gustave Planche, French critic
- March 16 – Hannah T. King, British-born American writer and pioneer
- March 22 – Caroline Norton, English poet, pamphleteer and social reformer
- March 25 – José de Espronceda, Spanish poet
- April 18 – Teréz Karacs, Hungarian novelist, poet and memoirist
- May 22 – Gérard de Nerval, French poet and translator
- June 17 – Henrik Wergeland, Norwegian poet
- June 21 – John Critchley Prince, English poet
- June 22 – Xavier Marmier, French writer and translator
- June 28 – James Spedding, English author and editor
- July 10 – Solomon Northup, African-American memoirist
- September 9 – Wendela Hebbe, Swedish playwright, journalist and novelist
- October 21 – Julia Maitland, English writer on India and children's writer
- November 2 – Jules Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly, French novelist
- Unknown date – Harriet Ward, English non-fiction and fiction writer
Deaths
- February 12 – Anna Maria Bennett, English novelist
- April 4 – Lady Charlotte Murray, English writer and botanist
- May 2 – John Collins, English poet and entertainer
- September 5 – John Home, Scottish poet
- September 13 – Saverio Bettinelli, Italian man of letters
- September 25 – Richard Porson, English classicist
- November 4 – Melchiore Cesarotti, Italian poet
- December 28 – John Duncan, English miscellanist
- c. November/December – Nólsoyar Páll, Faroese merchant and poet, lost at sea
- Maria Riddell – West Indies-born poet, naturalist and travel writer