Joseph Conrad: biography and the best works

Joseph Conrad - a British writer, from the pen of which came out such fascinating works as "Heart of Darkness", "Typhoon", "Negro with Narcissus." Consciously distancing himself from the literary trends of his time, Joseph his works radically changed the face of literature. English Konrad, a Pole by birth, comprehended, being already an adult, and possessed it so well that he taught it to people who spoke it from birth.

Joseph Conrad: Biography

His life path, which is a vivid example for others, Joseph did not consider something outstanding. Two decades spent on the high seas, getting to know different countries and cultures, meeting new people - is not this a life full of adventure?

Józef Theodor Konrad Kozienowski was born on December 3, 1857. The native city is Berdichev (Ukraine). His father, a Polish nobleman, Apollo Kozienowski, was a member of the Polish liberation movement, for which he was arrested by the Russian authorities and exiled to Vologda in 1861. He was sent to Vologda in 1861. Evelyn's wife with Józef, who at that time was 4 years old, went after her husband. In 1865, due to his wife's illness, Apollo secured a transfer to Chernigov. However, this did not save the family from a heavy loss: Evelina died of consumption. Father and son moved first to Lviv, then to Krakow. In 1869, Jozef's father died, leaving the 11-year-old boy a round orphan. Custody of the child took his uncle on the maternal line - Tadeush Bobrovsky.

Life in the sea

At the age of 16, tired of school life, Jozef decided to become a sailor. The young man went to Marseilles, where he acted as a sailor on a French ship.

During the years of wandering, Jozef swam in various ships; Even had to deal with arms smuggling. He thoughtlessly squandered the money he earned. Being an avid player and a big slave, after a major loss made an attempt to shoot himself, but unsuccessfully: the bullet passed near the heart.

Since 1878, he moved exclusively to English ships, since Russian citizenship did not allow him to sail on the ships of the French fleet. During these 16 years of navigation he mastered the English language; In 1886 he received a captaincy and British citizenship, in connection with which he officially changed his name to Joseph Conrad. In 1890 he made a fascinating journey along the Congo River. During the same period, he fell ill with rheumatism and malaria, which reminded him of himself for the rest of his life.

Acquaintance with John Galsworthy

Years of voyages allowed Joseph to stock up a huge baggage of knowledge about the inhabitants of different countries. The first story of the English writer was called "The Black Navigator", and the main novel "The Heart of Darkness" was based on the impressions of a trip to Africa.

In 1893 Joseph's acquaintance with the writer John Galsworthy took place, which grew into a long-term sincere friendship. The novice author gave to read to the famous writer the manuscript of the novel "The Caprice of Olmeyer", which was published in 1895. Further on, the novels "The Exile", "Lord Jim", "The Negro with Narcissa", "Nostromo" and "Heart of Darkness" saw the light.

The Best Books by Joseph Conrad

In the story "Lord Jim" is told about the boat "Patna", which brings pilgrims to Mecca. The resulting bad weather contributes to the fact that the panicked team, along with the first mate Captain Jim, decides to sneak off the ship and leave helpless passengers to the mercy of fate. The pilgrims were saved. The crew is awaiting trial. Jim, deprived of his license, was forced to move to a remote village of one of the Indonesian islands.

The story "Heart of Darkness", written under the impression of an 8-year stay in Africa, tells about the confrontation between nature and civilization. Based on the work, the script of the film "Apocalypse Now" by Francis Ford Coppola was written.

In the novel Negro with Narcissus, Lord Jim Joseph Conrad talks about a merchant ship returning to the UK. The Negro James Waite, in order to avoid doing routine work, pretended to be sick and believed so much in his own illness that on arrival he actually fell ill and left the real world.

The last years of the author's life

Joseph Conrad, whose books aroused genuine interest among a wide range of readers, became popular in Europe as a writer, settled in London, leaving the sea because of ill health, got a family. His wife was Jesse George. The couple had sons Boris and John.

In 1914, at the invitation of Yuzuf Retinger, a Polish writer, Conrad visited Poland, where he struggled to get out after the outbreak of the First World War. In 1921, preparing to write a novel about Napoleon "Expectation", he visited Corsica, and in 1923 - in the United States.

Characteristic of Joseph Conrad

Contemporaries described Conrad as a man with the beautiful manners of a Polish nobleman, who in moments of tranquility was like a philosopher with an eagle profile. Being in a state of fascination or irritation, he changed in appearance, became like a tiger, but very quickly calmed down and plunged into himself.

Raised as a nobleman, Joseph Conrad, after spending about 20 years in the navy, always remained a stranger among the sailors. Therefore, the main theme of his works was the problem of loneliness, the realization of the futility of human existence, insanity and obsession. He contrasted the author with indifference to difficulties, iron stamina and pride. In his work, Conrad placed an important place on the everydayness of the feat, which is a part of everyday life for the heroes of his works.

Joseph Conrad died of a heart attack on August 3, 1924. He, who is at the zenith of glory, failed to complete the novel "Expectation" about the flight of Napoleon from the Elbe. The heroes of the works of Konrad, as well as the English classic himself, are a vivid example of how one must treat life's circumstances in order to emerge victorious from them, while preserving the face and remaining honest with himself.