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.

Uncertain date
 * Charles Thomson's Bible Translation from the Greek (Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Covenant) is printed by Jane Aitken in Philadelphia (United States).

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 (Completed by Walter Scott)
 * 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 (Béla's War with His Father)
 * Richard Cumberland – The Jew of Mogadore
 * Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy (published)
 * Theodore Hook – The Siege of St Quintin
 * Heinrich von Kleist
 * Penthesilea
 * The Broken Jug (Der zerbrochne Krug)
 * Adam Oehlenschläger
 * Baldur hin Gode
 * Hakon Jarl
 * John Tobin – The School for Authors

Poetry

 * William Blake – Milton (probable date)
 * 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 (New Critique of Reason)
 * 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 (died 1874)
 * February 5 – Carl Spitzweg, German poet (died 1885)
 * February 16 – Gustave Planche, French critic (died 1857)
 * March 16 – Hannah T. King, British-born American writer and pioneer (died 1886)
 * March 22 – Caroline Norton (née Caroline Sheridan), English poet, pamphleteer and social reformer (died 1877)
 * March 25 – José de Espronceda, Spanish poet (died 1842)
 * April 18 – Teréz Karacs, Hungarian novelist, poet and memoirist (died 1892)
 * May 22 – Gérard de Nerval, French poet and translator (died 1855)
 * June 17 – Henrik Wergeland, Norwegian poet (died 1845)
 * June 21 – John Critchley Prince, English poet (died 1866)
 * June 22 – Xavier Marmier, French writer and translator (died 1892)
 * June 28 – James Spedding, English author and editor (died 1881)
 * July 10 – Solomon Northup, African-American memoirist (died c. 1864)
 * September 9 – Wendela Hebbe, Swedish playwright, journalist and novelist (died 1899)
 * October 21 – Julia Maitland, English writer on India and children's writer (died 1864)
 * November 2 – Jules Amédée Barbey d'Aurevilly, French novelist (died 1889)
 * Unknown date – Harriet Ward, English non-fiction and fiction writer (died 1873)

Deaths

 * February 12 – Anna Maria Bennett, English novelist (born c. 1760)
 * April 4 – Lady Charlotte Murray, English writer and botanist (born 1854)
 * May 2 – John Collins, English poet and entertainer (born 1742)
 * September 5 – John Home, Scottish poet (born 1722)
 * September 13 – Saverio Bettinelli, Italian man of letters (born 1718)
 * September 25 – Richard Porson, English classicist (born 1757)
 * November 4 – Melchiore Cesarotti, Italian poet (born 1730)
 * December 28 – John Duncan, English miscellanist (born 1721)
 * c. November/December – Nólsoyar Páll, Faroese merchant and poet, lost at sea (born 1766)

Uncertain date
 * Maria Riddell – West Indies-born poet, naturalist and travel writer (born 1772)