Citizendia

'Henry Lawson'

Henry Lawson, circa 1902
BornJune 17, 1867(1867-06-17)
[Grenfell, New South Wales
DiedSeptember 2, 1922 (aged 55)
Sydney, Australia
OccupationAuthor,
Poet
Ballardist
SpouseBertha Marie Louise Bredt
ChildrenJoseph
Bertha

Henry Lawson (17 June 1867 – 2 September 1922) was an Australian writer and poet. Events 1462 - Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II ( The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Events 1462 - Vlad III the Impaler attempts to assassinate Mehmed II ( The Night Attack) forcing him to retreat Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Events 44 BC - Pharaoh Cleopatra VII of Egypt declares her son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV Caesarion. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. A writer is anyone who creates a written work although the word usually designates those who write creatively or professionally as well as those who have written in many different forms A poet is a person who writes Poetry. Etymology From the Ancient greek: ποιέω, poieō: "I make or compose" Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period, and is often called Australia's "greatest short story writer". Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson (17 February 1864 – 5 February 1941 was a famous Australian Bush poet, journalist and author [1]

Contents

Early life

Lawson was born in a town on the Grenfell goldfields of New South Wales. Grenfell ( is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. His mother was Louisa Lawson (née Albury), a prominent suffragist and owner/editor of The Dawn journal which was partly responsible for Australia becoming one of the first countries to introduce adult female suffrage. Louisa Lawson ( February 17, 1848 - August 12, 1920) was an Australian writer publisher suffragist, and Feminist His father was Niels Herzberg Larsen, a Norwegian-born miner who went to sea at 21, arrived in Melbourne in 1855 and joined the gold rush. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 [2] Larsen travelled to different goldfields, and at Pipeclay (now Eurunderee, New South Wales) met Louisa and married her on 7 July 1866; he was 32 and she, 18. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common On Henry's birth, the family surname was anglicised and Niels became Peter Lawson. Anglicisation or anglicization (see -ise vs -ize) is a process of conversion of verbal or written elements of any other language into a more comprehensible English The newly-married couple were to have an unhappy marriage.

Henry Lawson attended school at Eurunderee from 2 October 1876 but suffered an ear infection at around this time that left him with partial deafness and by the age of fourteen he had lost his hearing entirely. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule Year 1876 ( MDCCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year He later attended a Catholic school at Mudgee, New South Wales around 8 km away; the master there, Mr. Catholic is an Adjective derived from the Greek adjective '' / 'katholikos' meaning "whole" or "complete". Mudgee is a town in central New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley 261 kilometres north west of Sydney Kevan, would talk to Lawson about poetry. He was a keen reader of Dickens and Marryat and serialised novels such as Robbery under Arms and For the Term of his Natural Life; an aunt had also given him a volume by Bret Harte. Bret Harte ( August 25, 1836 &ndash May 6, 1902) was an American Author and Poet, best remembered for his accounts Reading became a major source of his education because, due to his deafness, he had trouble learning in the classroom.

In 1883, after working on building jobs with his father and in the Blue Mountains, Lawson joined his mother in Sydney at her request. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Louisa was then living with Henry's sister and brother. Lawson studied for his matriculation, but failed.

In 1896, he married Bertha Bredt Jr. , daughter of Bertha Bredt, the prominent socialist. Bertha McNamara Bredt née Matilda Emilie Bertha Kalkstein 28 September 1853 &ndash 1 August 1931) was a Sydney -based They had two children, son Jim (Joseph) and daughter Bertha. However, the marriage ended unhappily. [3]

Poetry and prose writing

Lawson's first published poem was 'A Song of the Republic' which appeared in The Bulletin, 1 October 1887; his mother's radical friends were an influence. The Bulletin is a discontinued Australian weekly Magazine that was published in Sydney from 1880 until January 2008 Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common This was followed by 'The Wreck of the Derry Castle' and then 'Golden Gully. '

In 1890-1891 Lawson worked in Albany. Albany ( is located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, situated around a port on the southern coast [4] He then received an offer to write for the Brisbane Boomerang in 1891, but he lasted only around 7-8 months as the Boomerang was soon in trouble. He returned to Sydney and continued to write for the Bulletin which, in 1892, paid for an inland trip where he experienced the harsh realities of drought-affected New South Wales. [5] This resulted in his contributions to the Bulletin Debate and became a source for many of his stories in subsequent years. The "Bulletin Debate" was a famous dispute in The Bulletin magazine from 1892-93 between two of Australia's most iconic writers and poets [2] Elder writes of the trek Lawson took between Hungerford and Bourke as "the most important trek in Australian literary history" and says that "it confirmed all his prejudices about the Australian bush. Bourke is a town and Local Government Area (see Bourke Shire Council) in the north of New South Wales, Australia. Lawson had no romantic illusions about a 'rural idyll'. "[6] As Elder continues, his grim view of the outback was far removed from "the romantic idyll of brave horsemen and beautiful scenery depicted in the poetry of 'The Banjo' [Paterson]". [6]

His most successful prose collection is While the Billy Boils, published in 1896. [7] In it he "continued his assault on Paterson and the romantics, and in the process, virtually reinvented Australian realism". [5] Elder writes that "he used short, sharp sentences, with language as raw as Ernest Hemingway or Raymond Carver. Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21 1899 — July 2 1961 was an American novelist short-story writer, and Journalist. Raymond Clevie Carver Jr ( May 25, 1938 &ndash August 2, 1988) was an American Short story Writer With sparse adjectives and honed-to-the-bone description, Lawson created a style and defined Australians: dryly laconic, passionately egalitarian and deeply humane. "[5] Most of his work focuses on the Australian bush, such as the desolate "Past Carin'", and is considered by some to be among the first accurate descriptions of Australian life as it was at the time. Outback or the Outback refers to remote arid areas of Australia, although the term colloquially can refer to any lands outside of the main Urban areas "The Drover's Wife" with its "heart-breaking depiction of bleakness and loneliness" is regarded as one of his finest short stories. [5] It is regularly studied in schools and has often been adapted for film and theatre. [8][9][10]

Lawson was a firm believer in the merits of the sketch story, commonly known simply as 'the sketch,' claiming that "the sketch story is best of all. A sketch story in older usage is a piece of writing that is generally shorter than a Short story, and contains very little if any plot. "[11][12] Lawson's Jack Mitchell story, On The Edge Of A Plain, is often cited as one of the most accomplished examples of the sketch. Jack Mitchell (usually referred to only as 'Mitchell' is a recurring fictional character in many short stories and sketches by popular Australian writer and poet Henry "On The Edge Of A Plain" is a well-known Sketch story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. [12]

Like the majority of Australians, Lawson lived in a city, but had had plenty of experience in outback life, in fact, many of his stories reflected his experiences in real life. In Sydney in 1898 he was a prominent member of the Dawn and Dusk Club, a bohemian club of writer friends who met for drinks and conversation. The Dawn and Dusk Club was an Australian bohemian club of writer friends from the late 1800s who met for drinks and camaraderie

Later years

During his later life, the alcohol-addicted writer was probably Australia's best-known celebrity. At the same time, he was also a frequent beggar on the streets of Sydney, notably at the Circular Quay ferry turnstiles. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Sydneyferries4JPG|right|thumb| Ferries moored at Circular Quay]]Circular Quay1 He was gaoled at Darlinghurst Gaol for drunkenness and non-payment of alimony, and recorded his experience in the haunting poem "One Hundred and Three" - his prison number - which was published in 1908. Darlinghurst Gaol was an Australian prison located in Darlinghurst, New South Wales. He refers to the prison as "Starvinghurst Gaol" because of the meagre rations given to the inmates.

On his death, of cerebral haemorrhage, in Abbotsford, Sydney in 1922, he was given a state funeral. Abbotsford is a Suburb in the Inner West region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It was attended by the Prime Minister W. M. Hughes and the Premier of New South Wales Jack Lang (who was the husband of Lawson's sister-in-law Hilda Bredt), as well as thousands of citizens. William Morris 'Billy' Hughes, CH, KC (25 September 1862 &ndash 28 October 1952 Australian politician was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia John Thomas Lang ( 21 December 1876 - 27 September 1975) Australian politician usually referred to as J He is interred at Waverley Cemetery. The Waverley Cemetery opened in 1877 and is a cemetery located on top of the cliffs at Bronte in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Lawson was the first person to be granted a state funeral.

Henry Lawson was featured on the first (paper) Australian ten dollar note issued in 1966 when decimal currency was first introduced into Australia. The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas The Australian dollar ( sign: $; code: AUD) is the Currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas This note was replaced by a polymer note in 1993. Lawson was pictured against scenes from the town of Gulgong in NSW. Gulgong is a 19th century Gold rush town in the Central-West of the Australian state of New South Wales. [13]

Collections of Poetry and/or Prose

Lawson's grave at Waverley Cemetery, Sydney
Lawson's grave at Waverley Cemetery, Sydney

Posthumous Collections

Popular Poems, Short Stories and Sketches

Recurring Characters

Recurring Themes of Lawson's Stories

Main article: Themes of Henry Lawson's works

Many of Henry Lawson's short stories explore similar themes:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Elder (2008) p. " Freedom on the Wallaby " Henry Lawson 's well known poem was written as a comment on the 1891 Australian shearers' strike and published by William Scots of the Riverina is an Australian bush poem by Henry Lawson. Up The Country is a popular poem by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. The City Bushman is a poem by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "The Bush Undertaker" is a popular short story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "The Loaded Dog" is a popular short story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "A Child in the Dark and a Foreign Father" is a short story written by the iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "The Union Buries Its Dead" is a well-known sketch story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Joe Wilson is a Fictional character appearing in several well-known short stories written by popular Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "A Double Buggy at Lahey Creek" is a short story written by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Jack Mitchell (usually referred to only as 'Mitchell' is a recurring fictional character in many short stories and sketches by popular Australian writer and poet Henry "On The Edge Of A Plain" is a well-known Sketch story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "Bill the Ventriloquial Rooster" is a well-known Sketch story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Steelman and Smith are two fictional characters appearing in several well-known short stories written by popular Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson Dave Regan is a Fictional character appearing in several well-known short stories written by popular Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Jim Bently is a Fictional character appearing in several well-known short stories written by popular Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Andy Page is a Fictional character appearing in several well-known short stories written by popular Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. "The Loaded Dog" is a popular short story by iconic Australian writer and poet Henry Lawson. Henry Lawson is an iconic Australian Writer and Poet, and one of the best-known writers of the Australian colonial period The "Bulletin Debate" was a famous dispute in The Bulletin magazine from 1892-93 between two of Australia's most iconic writers and poets 115
  2. ^ a b Brian Matthews (1986). Lawson, Henry (1867 - 1922). Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10 18-22. The Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB or AuDB is a multi-volume project published by Melbourne University Press. MUP. Melbourne University Publishing (MUP is the book publishing arm of the University of Melbourne ( Australia) Retrieved on 2007-07-15. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final
  3. ^ Falkiner (1992), p. 64
  4. ^ Falkiner (1992), p. 62
  5. ^ a b c d Elder (2008) p. 113
  6. ^ a b Elder (2008) p. 95
  7. ^ Falkiner (1992), p. 63
  8. ^ "Multi-media Theatre: The Drover's Wife, Australia
  9. ^ "Keeping bush ballads alive and well"
  10. ^ "The Drover's Wife: Australian film icon"
  11. ^ 'Three or Four Archibalds and the Writer'
  12. ^ a b The Penguin Henry Lawson Short Stories (First published 1986) Edited with an introduction by John Barnes - Introduction
  13. ^ Museum of Australian Currency Notes Accessed on June 7, 2007

References

External links

Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic