Joseph Conrad

• 1. Exile And Orphanhood

  ›

  On the 3rd of December 1857, a boy named Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski drew his first breath in Berdychiv, Ukraine. The region belonged to the Russian Empire at that time, though it had once been part of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland. His father Apollo Korzeniowski was a writer and political activist who sought to restore Polish independence. The family moved repeatedly due to political persecution and failed farming attempts. In May 1861, they relocated to Warsaw where Apollo joined resistance against Russian rule. He was arrested and imprisoned in Pavilion X of the Warsaw Citadel. Conrad later wrote that his childhood memories began in the courtyard of this prison. On the 9th of May 1862, the entire family was exiled to Vologda north of Moscow. The climate there was notoriously harsh and unforgiving. Conditions improved slightly when they were sent to Chernihiv in January 1863. However tragedy struck on the 18th of April 1865 when Ewa Bobrowska died of tuberculosis. Her death left her husband alone with their only child. Apollo tried to teach Conrad at home but struggled with his own failing health. The boy read widely during these years including Victor Hugo's Toilers of the Sea which introduced him to maritime life. Shakespeare brought him into contact with English literature while Polish Romantic poetry dominated his early reading habits. Half a century later he explained that the Polishness in his works came from Adam Mickiewicz and Juliusz Słowacki. In autumn 1866 young Conrad went on a retreat to Kiev for health reasons. By December 1867 Apollo took him to Austrian-held Poland where conditions allowed more freedom. They lived briefly in Lwów before moving to Kraków on the 20th of February 1869. A few months later on the 23rd of May 1869 Apollo Korzeniowski died leaving Conrad orphaned at age eleven. His maternal uncle Tadeusz Bobrowski assumed guardianship over the grieving boy.

  87

• 2. Merchant Marine And Maritime Life

  ›

  In late 1877 Conrad's maritime career faced interruption when the Russian consul refused to provide documents needed for continued service. He fell into debt and attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest with a revolver in March 1878. After surviving this attempt he received financial aid from his uncle allowing him to resume normal life. For nearly four years he had been in France working on French ships. In April 1878 he joined the British merchant marine enlisting under the Red Ensign. Over the next fifteen years he served as crew member then rose through ranks to become third mate second mate first mate and eventually captain. During nineteen years from October 1874 until January 1894 when he signed off the Adowa he worked aboard ships including long periods in port. He spent just over eight years at sea nine months of it as passenger. His sole captaincy occurred between 1888 and 1889 when he commanded the barque Otago sailing from Sydney to Mauritius. While briefly calling in India during 1885, 86 twenty-eight-year-old Conrad sent five letters to Joseph Spiridion whom he had befriended at Cardiff in June 1885. These letters represent Conrad's first preserved texts written entirely in English. His English was generally correct but stiff to the point of artificiality suggesting thoughts running along Polish syntax lines. More importantly they showed marked change in views compared to earlier correspondence from 1881, 83. He abandoned hope for future and conceit of sailing ever toward Poland accepting England as possible refuge. The year 1890 marked his first return visit to Poland while waiting to proceed to Congo Free State after being hired by Albert Thys deputy director of Société Anonyme Belge pour le Commerce du Haut-Congo. During this period he befriended Roger Casement who operated trading station in Matadi. In November 1891 he rejoined British merchant marines as first mate leaving London on the 25th of October 1892 aboard passenger clipper ship Torrens. One passenger named William Henry Jacques died less than a year later on the 19th of September 1893 yet encouraged Conrad to continue writing Almayer's Folly. Conrad completed last long-distance voyage as seaman on the 26th of July 1893 when Torrens docked at London debarking under name J. Conrad Korzemowin per discharge certificate.

  3741

• 3. Prose Style And Language Choice

  ›

  In autumn 1889 Conrad began writing his first novel titled Almayer's Folly set on east coast of Borneo published in 1895. Its appearance marked first use of pen name Joseph Conrad though Konrad was third Polish given name possibly homage to Adam Mickiewicz poem Konrad Wallenrod. Edward Garnett young publisher reader impressed by manuscript but uncertain whether English good enough for publication. Constance Garnett wife of Edward thought foreignness positive merit. Financial success eluded him until 1913 publication of Chance often considered weaker novel. Almost all writings appeared first in newspapers magazines including Fortnightly Review North American Review Savoy New Review English Review Saturday Evening Post Harper's Magazine Pictorial Review Romance Daily Mail New York Herald Illustrated London News Illustrated Buffalo Express Outlook imperialist weekly magazine between 1898 and 1906. Government grant civil list pension awarded the 9th of August 1910 provided £100 annual relief easing financial worries collectors began purchasing manuscripts. Despite opinions even friends like Henry James held Conrad always heart writer who sailed rather sailor who wrote. He used sailing experiences backdrop many works produced similar world view without nautical motifs failure critics appreciate caused much frustration. Writing what visual arts called age Impressionism music age impressionist music showed himself prose poet highest order evocative Patna courtroom scenes Lord Jim melancholy-mad elephant French gunboat firing continent Heart of Darkness doubled protagonists Secret Sharer verbal conceptual resonances Nostromo Nigger Narcissus. Used own memories literary material readers tempted treat life work single whole Najder warns approach produces incoherent misleading picture uncritical linking spheres literature private life distorts each. Conrad used experiences raw material finished product should not confused with experiences themselves. Many characters inspired actual persons met including William Charles Olmeijer spelling surname altered Almayer inadvertently historic trader encountered four short visits Berau Borneo subsequently haunted imagination. Often borrowed authentic names actual individuals Captain McWhirr Typhoon Beard Mahon Youth Lingard Almayer's Folly Ellis Shadow-Line. Great deal namelessness requiring minor virtuosity maintain never learn surname protagonist Lord Jim Marlow Kurtz only living persons introduced proper name Heart of Darkness preserves authentic ship name Narcissus sailed 1884.

  3532

• 4. Novels And Critical Reception

  ›

  First half 1900 novel Lord Jim Patna episode inspired real-life 1880 story second part partly life James Brooke first White Rajah Sarawak. 1901 short story Amy Foster inspired partly anecdote Ford Madox Ford Cinque Ports wherein shipwrecked sailor German merchant ship unable communicate English driven away local country people finally found shelter pigsty. Nostromo completed 1904 theft massive consignment silver suggested story heard Gulf Mexico later read volume picked up outside second-hand bookshop political strand related creation Panama Canal January 1903 US Colombian secretaries state signed treaty granting United States one-hundred-year renewable lease six-mile strip flanking canal news papers murmured revolution Colombia Conrad opened fresh section Nostromo hints dissent Costaguanan fictional South American country plotted revolution Costaguanan fictional port Sulaco mirrored real-life secessionist movement brewing Panama finished novel the 1st of September 1904 left Sulaco condition Panama Panama got independence instantly recognized United States economy bolstered American investment canal so Sulaco had independence instantly recognized United States economy underwritten investment fictional San Tomé silver mine. Secret Agent completed 1906 inspired French anarchist Martial Bourdin's 1894 death apparently attempting blow up Greenwich Observatory. Story Secret Sharer completed 1909 inspired 1880 incident Sydney Smith first mate Cutty Sark killed seaman fled justice aided ship captain. Under Western Eyes completed 1910 kicked off assassination brutal Russian government minister modelled after real-life 1904 assassination Russian Minister Interior Vyacheslav von Plehve. Near-novella Freya Seven Isles completed March 1911 inspired story told Malaya old hand fan Conrad Captain Carlos M. Marris. Natural surroundings high seas Malay Archipelago South America described vividly relied own observations brief landfalls could not provide thorough understanding exotic cultures resorted like other writers literary sources consulted Alfred Russel Wallace Malay Archipelago James Brooke journals books titles Perak Malays My Journal Malayan Waters Life Forests Far East. When writing Nostromo set fictional South American country Costaguana turned War between Peru Chile Edward Eastwick Venezuela Sketches Life South American Republic George Frederick Masterman Seven Eventful Years Paraguay result relying literary sources Lord Jim need work some extent second-hand led certain thinness Jim relations peoples Patusan prompted alter nature Charles Marlow narrative distanc uncertain command detail Tuan Jim empire. Almost invariably gives lethal fates characters principal novels Almayer abandoned beloved daughter takes opium dies Peter Willems An Outcast Islands killed jealous lover Aïssa ineffectual Nigger James Wait Nigger Narcissus dies aboard ship buried sea Mr Kurtz Heart Darkness expires uttering words horror horror Tuan Jim Lord Jim inadvertently precipitated massacre adoptive community deliberately walks death hands community leader.

  412026

• 5. Health And Domestic Struggles

  ›

  Conrad reserved man wary showing emotion scorned sentimentality manner portraying emotion books full restraint scepticism irony uncle Bobrowski called young man extremely sensitive conceited reserved excitable short all defects Nałęcz family suffered throughout life ill health physical mental newspaper review Conrad biography suggested book could have been subtitled Thirty Years Debt Gout Depression Angst. In 1891 hospitalized several months suffering gout neuralgic pains right arm recurrent attacks malaria complained swollen hands made writing difficult taking uncle Tadeusz Bobrowski advice convalesced spa Switzerland phobia dentistry neglecting teeth until extracted one letter remarked every novel written cost tooth physical afflictions less vexatious mental ones letters often described symptoms depression evidence writes Najder so strong nearly impossible doubt attempted suicide March 1878 end Marseille period twenty-year-old shot chest revolver according uncle summoned friend fallen debt Bobrowski described subsequent study nephew extensive letter Stefan Buszczyński own ideological opponent friend late father Apollo extent suicide attempt made earnest likely never known suggestive situational depression. On the 24th of March 1896 married Englishwoman Jessie George couple had two sons Borys John elder proved disappointment scholarship integrity Jessie unsophisticated working-class girl sixteen years younger inexplicable choice wife friends subject rather disparaging unkind remarks Lady Ottoline Morrell opinion Impressions biographers Frederick Karl Jessie provided needed straightforward devoted quite competent companion Jones remarks despite difficulties endured relationship sustained career writer might much less successful without her. When 1923 Jessie published Handbook Cookery Small House came preface Joseph Conrad praising conscientious preparation simple food everyday life not concoction idle feasts rare dishes couple rented long series successive homes mostly English countryside frequent changes home usually signs search psychological regeneration between 1910 and 1919 home Capel House Orlestone Kent rented Lord Lady Oliver wrote Rescue Victory Arrow Gold except several vacations France Italy 1914 vacation native Poland 1923 visit United States lived rest life England.

  163757

• 6. Politics And National Identity

  ›

  Most extensive ambitious political statement ever made 1905 essay Autocracy War starting point Russo-Japanese War finished article month before Battle Tsushima Strait begins statement Russia incurable weakness ends warnings Prussia dangerous aggressor future European war predicted violent outburst near future lack democratic traditions backwardness masses made impossible revolution salutary effect regarded formation representative government Russia unfeasible foresaw transition autocracy dictatorship saw western Europe torn antagonisms engendered economic rivalry commercial selfishness vain Russian revolution seek advice help materialistic egoistic western Europe armed preparation wars far more brutal past distrust democracy sprang doubts whether propagation democracy aim itself could solve problems view weakness human nature criminal character society offered boundless opportunities demagogues charlatans kept distance partisan politics never voted British national elections accused social democrats time acting weaken national sentiment preservation concern attempting dissolve national identities impersonal melting-pot look future depth very black past find nothing left except fidelity cause lost idea without future hopeless fidelity memory Poland prevented believing idea international fraternity considered under circumstances verbal exercise resented some socialists talk freedom world brotherhood keeping silent partitioned oppressed Poland early 1880s letters uncle Tadeusz show Conrad apparently hoped improvement Poland situation not through liberation movement establishing alliance neighbouring Slavic nations accompanied faith Panslavic ideology surprising Najder man later emphasize hostility towards Russia conviction Poland superior civilization historic traditions let play leading role Panslavic community doubts Poland chances becoming fully sovereign nation-state alienation partisan politics went together abiding sense thinking man's burden imposed personality described 1894 letter relative-by-marriage fellow author Marguerite Poradowska née Gachet cousin Vincent van Gogh physician Paul Gachet Brussels wrote H.G. Wells latter 1901 book Anticipations ambitious attempt predict major social trends seems presuppose sort select circle address leaving rest world pale additionally do not take sufficient account human imbecility cunning perfidious the 23rd of October 1922 letter mathematician-philosopher Bertrand Russell response latter Problem China advocated socialist reforms oligarchy sages reshape Chinese society explained own distrust political panaceas.

  3649

• 7. Legacy And Literary Controversy

  ›

  On the 3rd of August 1924 died house Oswalds Bishopsbourne Kent England probably heart attack interred Canterbury Cemetery misspelled version original Polish name Joseph Teador Conrad Korzeniowski inscribed gravestone lines Edmund Spenser Faerie Queene chosen epigraph last complete novel Rover modest funeral took place amid great crowds old friend Edward Garnett recalled bitterly another old friend Cunninghame Graham wrote Garnett Aubry saying me had Anatole France died all Paris would have been at his funeral wife Jessie died twelve years later the 6th of December 1936 interred him 1996 grave designated Grade II listed structure nominally Catholic described biographer Jeffrey Meyers atheist like Joseph Conrad wife Jessie nominally Catholic actually atheist. Despite opinions even friends Henry James held always heart writer sailed rather sailor wrote used sailing experiences backdrop many works produced similar world view without nautical motifs failure critics appreciate caused much frustration wrote often life sea exotic parts than life British land unlike friend John Galsworthy author Forsyte Saga knew little everyday domestic relations Britain found much sympathetic readership especially United States H.L. Mencken earliest influential American readers recognize conjured general particular F.Scott Fitzgerald writing Mencken complained omitted list Conrad imitators since dozens other American writers acknowledged debts including William Faulkner William Burroughs Saul Bellow Philip Roth Joan Didion Thomas Pynchon October 1923 visitor Oswalds home time Cyril Clemens cousin Mark Twain quoted Conrad saying everything written always one invariable intention capture reader attention. Conrad artist famously aspired words preface Nigger Narcissus power written word make hear make feel before all make see nothing more everything succeed shall find according deserts encouragement consolation fear charm all demand perhaps glimpse truth forgotten ask.

  4548