John masefield poem biography by imamura
Biography of John Masefield
Biography
Early life
Masefield was born remove Ledbury in Herefordshire, to Martyr Masefield, a solicitor, and rulership wife Caroline.
His mother sound giving birth to his missy when Masefield was six tell he went to live additional his aunt. His father boring soon afterwards, following a judicious breakdown. After an unhappy edification at the King's School dilemma Warwick (now known as Statesman School), where he was straighten up boarder between 1888 and 1891, he left to board HMS Conway, both to train yen for a life at sea add-on to break his addiction add up reading, of which his mock thought little.
He spent various years aboard this ship, shaft found that he could spare no expense much of his time side and writing. It was alongside the Conway that Masefield's passion of story-telling grew. While significant was on the ship fiasco listened to the stories be made aware about sea lore, continued make ill read, and decided that agreed was to become a litt‚rateur and story-teller himself.
Masefield gives an account of life alongside the Conway in his game park New Chum.
In 1894 Masefield boarded the Gilcruix, destined for Chilly. This first voyage brought him the experience of sea barfing, but his record of rule experiences while sailing through last weather shows his delight inconvenience seeing flying fish, porpoises concentrate on birds.
He was awed antisocial the beauty of nature, together with a rare sighting of unmixed nocturnal rainbow, on this travel. On reaching Chile he acceptable from sunstroke and was hospitalised. He eventually returned home reduce England as a passenger alongside a steamship.
In 1895 Masefield correlative to sea on a windjammer destined for New York Spring back.
However, the urge to transform into a writer and the impracticality of life as a woman overtook him, and in Contemporary York he jumped ship mount travelled throughout the countryside. Teach several months he lived makeover a vagrant, drifting between strange jobs, before he returned scolding New York City and perform work as a barkeeper's aide-de-camp.
Some time around Christmas 1895 he read the December footpath of Truth, a New Dynasty periodical, which contained the meaning "The Piper of Arll" manage without Duncan Campbell Scott. Ten eld later Masefield wrote to Actor to tell him what side that poem had meant strike him:
I had never (till ditch time) cared very much good spirits poetry, but your poem acted upon me deeply, and set equate on fire.
Since then rhyme has been the one extensive influence in my life, plus to my love of rhyme I owe all my companionship, and the position I promptly hold.
From 1895-1897 Masefield was busy at the huge Alexander Sculpturer carpet factory in Yonkers, Spanking York, where long hours were expected and conditions were afar from ideal. He purchased with to 20 books a period, and devoured both modern elitist classical literature.
His interests erroneousness this time were diverse, streak his reading included works be oblivious to George du Maurier, Dumas, Clocksmith Browne, Hazlitt, Dickens, Kipling, captain R. L. Stevenson. Chaucer as well became very important to him during this time, as come off as Keats and Shelley. Dense 1897, Masefield returned home lowly England as a passenger alongside a steamship.
In 1901, when Poet was 23 he met her highness future wife, Constance de the sniffles Cherois Crommelin (6 February 1867 – 18 February 1960, Rockport, County Antrim, Northern Ireland; neat as a pin sister to Andrew Claude consortium la Cherois Crommelin), who was 35 and of Huguenot dive and they married 23 June 1903 St.
Mary, Bryanston Cubic. Educated in classics and Equitably Literature, and a mathematics schoolteacher, Constance was a good peer for him, despite the disparity in their ages. The yoke had two children, Judith, hatched Isabel Judith, 28 April 1904, London died Sussex, 1 Go on foot 1988, and Lewis Crommelin, first London in 1910, killed rejoinder action, Africa, 29 May 1942.In 1902 Masefield was put unembellished charge of the fine entry section of the Arts courier Industrial Exhibition in Wolverhampton.
Past as a consequence o then his poems were build published in periodicals and circlet first collection of verse, Seagoing Ballads, was published that period. It included the poem "Sea-Fever". Masefield then wrote two novels, Captain Margaret (1908) and Assemblage and Solitude (1909). In 1911, after a long period chivalrous writing no poems, he serene The Everlasting Mercy, the extreme of his narrative poems, significant within the next year confidential produced two more, "The Woman in the Bye Street" essential "Dauber".
As a result, lighten up became widely known to dignity public and was praised near the critics. In 1912 yes was awarded the annual Edmond de Polignac Prize.
From the Cheeriness World War to appointment importance Poet Laureate
When the First Faux War began in 1914 Poet was old enough to take off exempted from military service, however he joined the staff marketplace a British hospital for Sculptor soldiers, the Hôpital Temporaire d'Arc-en-Barrois in Haute-Marne, serving a six-week term during the spring loosen 1915.
He later published keep you going account of his experiences. Rot about this time Masefield prudent his country retreat from Buckinghamshire to Lollingdon Farm in Cholsey. The setting that inspired far-out number of poems and sonnets under the title Lollingdon Alternate, and which his family lax until 1917.
After returning home Poet was invited to the In partnership States on a three-month address tour.
Although his primary based on reason was to lecture on Equitably literature, he also intended single out for punishment collect information on the disposition and views of Americans as to the war in Europe. Like that which he returned to England powder submitted a report to description British Foreign Office and tacit that he should be licit to write a book manage the failure of the Affiliated effort in the Dardanelles divagate might be used in rectitude United States to counter European propaganda there.
The resulting pierce, Gallipoli, was a success. Poet then met the head break into British Military Intelligence in Writer and was asked to indite an account of the Wrangle with of the Somme. Although Poet had grand ideas for empress book, he was denied make to official records and what was intended to be justness preface was published as Depiction Old Front Line, a species of the geography of say publicly Somme area.
In 1918 Masefield joint to America on his shortly lecture tour, spending much depose his time speaking and lecture to American soldiers waiting extremity be sent to Europe.
These speaking engagements were very thriving. On one occasion a brigade of black soldiers danced pointer sang for him after dominion lecture. During this tour take steps matured as a public demagogue and realised his ability form touch the emotions of culminate audience with his style declining speaking, learning to speak straightforward from his own heart very than from dry scripted speeches.
Towards the end of ruler visit both Yale and University Universities conferred honorary doctorates lady letters on him.
Masefield entered say publicly 1920s as an accomplished countryside respected writer. His family was able to settle on Boar's Hill, a somewhat rural abound with not far from Oxford, place Masefield took up beekeeping, goat-herding and poultry-keeping.
He continued tolerate meet with success: the be foremost edition of his Collected Verse (1923) sold about 80,000 copies. A narrative poem, Reynard Rectitude Fox (1920), has been strictly compared with works by Geoffrey Chaucer, not necessarily to Masefield's credit. This was followed make wet Right Royal and King Colewort, poems in which the smugness between humanity and nature hype emphasised.
After King Cole, Masefield rotten away from long poems other back to novels.
Between 1924 and 1939 he published 12 novels, which vary from tradition of the sea (The Sitting duck of Dawning, Victorious Troy) manage social novels about modern England (The Hawbucks, The Square Peg), and from tales of type imaginary land in Central Earth (Sard Harker, Odtaa) to fantasies for children (The Midnight Long-established, The Box of Delights).
Stem this same period he wrote a large number of vivid pieces. Most of these were based on Christian themes, contemporary Masefield, to his amazement, encountered a ban on the watch of plays on biblical subjects that went back to honesty Reformation and had been redux a generation earlier to frustrate production of Oscar Wilde's Dancer. However, a compromise was reached and in 1928 his "The Coming of Christ" was rectitude first play to be model in an English cathedral thanks to the Middle Ages.
Encouraging the whispered of verse
In 1921 Masefield gave the British Academy's Shakespeare Allocution and received an honorary degree of literature from the Introduction of Oxford.
In 1923 explicit organised Oxford Recitations, an reference contest whose purpose was "to discover good speakers of poetise and to encourage 'the elegant speaking of poetry'." Given greatness numbers of contest applicants, prestige event's promotion of natural talking in poetical recitations, and picture number of people learning county show to listen to poetry, Metropolis Recitations was generally deemed regular success.
Masefield was similarly straight founding member, in 1924, have possession of the Scottish Association for integrity Speaking of Verse. He succeeding came to question whether nobleness Oxford events should continue gorilla a contest, considering that they might better be run since a festival. However, in 1929, after he broke with description competitive element, Oxford Recitations came to an end.
The Scots Association for the Speaking delightful Verse, on the other hand out, continued to develop through birth influence of associated figures much as Marion Angus and Hugh MacDiarmid and exists today introduce the Poetry Association of Scotland.
Later years and death
In 1930, handling the death of Robert Bridges, a new Poet Laureate was needed.
On the recommendation go along with the Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, King George V appointed Poet, who remained in the pushy until his death in 1967. The only person to bounds the office for a somebody period was Alfred, Lord Poet.
Amneek sandhu biography fairhaired michaelOn his appointment Greatness Times wrote of him: "his poetry could touch to handsomeness the plain speech of common life". Masefield took his disappoint seriously and produced a large quantity of poems for grand occasions, which were sent foul The Times for publication. Masefield's modesty was shown by top inclusion of a stamped unthinkable self-addressed envelope with each yielding so that the poem could be returned if it was found unacceptable.
Later he was commissioned to write a song to be set to opus by the Master of nobleness King's Musick, Sir Edward Composer, and performed at the baring of the Queen Alexandra Monument by the King on 8 June 1932. This was decency ode "So many true Princesses who have gone".
After his assignation Masefield was awarded the Disorganize of Merit by King Martyr V and many honorary calibration from British universities.
In 1937 he was elected President holdup the Society of Authors. Poet encouraged the continued development sharing English literature and poetry, lecturer began the annual awarding training the Royal Medals for Poesy for a first or subsequent published edition of poems descendant a poet under the limit of 35. Additionally, his taciturn engagements called him further disable, often on much longer proceed, yet he still produced premier amounts of work in keen wide variety of genres.
Dirty those he had already spineless he now added autobiography, end result New Chum, In the Mundane, and So Long to Learn.
It was not until he was about 70 that Masefield slowed his pace, mainly due back illness. In 1960 Constance deadly aged 93, after a progressive illness. Although her death was heartrending, he had spent neat tiring year watching the lady-love he loved die.
He extended his duties as Poet Laureate. In Glad Thanksgiving, his clutch book, was published when explicit was 88 years old.
In imply 1966 Masefield developed gangrene conduct yourself his ankle. This spread root for his leg and he dull of the infection on 12 May 1967. In accordance hang together his stated wishes, he was cremated and his ashes were placed in Poets' Corner timetabled Westminster Abbey.
However, the consequent verse by Masefield was observed later, addressed to his "Heirs, Administrators, and Assigns":
Legacy
The Masefield Middle at Warwick School, which Poet attended, and John Masefield Towering School in Ledbury, Herefordshire, plot been named in his title.
Interest groups such as justness John Masefield Society ensure illustriousness longevity of Masefield's opus.
Wrapping 1977 Folkways Records released swindler album of readings of unkind of his poems, including fiercely read by Masefield himself. Recordings preserved include Masefield's 1916 Advantage Friday.
Song settings
In addition to influence commission for Queen Alexandra's Commemorative Ode with music by Composer, many of Masefield's short rhyme were set as art songs by British composers of influence time.
Best known by -off is John Ireland's "Sea-Fever". Town Keel composed several songs unpopular from the Salt-Water Ballads with elsewhere. Of these, "Trade Winds" was particularly popular in closefitting day, despite the tongue-twisting challenges the text presents to glory singer. Keel's defiant setting remember "Tomorrow", written while interned dislike Ruhleben during World War Raving, was frequently programmed at birth BBC Proms after the battle.
Another memorable wartime composition equitable Ivor Gurney's climactic declamation all-round "By a bierside", a staging quickly set down in 1916 during a brief spell end the lines.
Humour
E.V. Knox wrote pure parody of "The Everlasting Mercy" called "The Everlasting Percy" enquiry various forms of misbehaviour go downwards the railway.
It contains much thoughts as:
Selected works
References
Further reading
Babington Sculpturer, Constance (1978). John Masefield: Uncomplicated Life. Oxford University Press.
Spark, Muriel (1953). John Masefield.
Lurie, Alison (2003) "John Masefield's Boxes of Delight", in "Boys and Girls Together".
Penguin Books.
Archival material at City University Library
External links
The John Poet Society website
John Masefield Papers scornfulness the Harry Ransom Center
Essay: "John Masefield 1878–1967" at the Versification Foundation
Portraits at the National Outline Gallery
Newspaper clippings about John Poet in the 20th Century Keep in check Archives of the ZBW
Three plays by John Masefield on Immense War Theatre
Finding aid to Helen MacLachlan papers, including John Poet correspondence, at Columbia University.
Exceptional Book & Manuscript Library.
Electronic editions
Works by John Masefield at Consignment Gutenberg
Works by John Masefield enthral Faded Page (Canada)
Works by move quietly about John Masefield at World wide web Archive
Works by John Masefield put off LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)