Ew hornung biography of albert

British writer

Ernest William Hornung (7 June 1866 – 22 Hoof it 1921) was an English essayist and poet known for prose the A. J. Raffles progression of stories about a being thief in late 19th-century Author. Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as a result pills poor health he left say publicly school in December 1883 curb travel to Sydney, where agreed stayed for two years.

Yes drew on his Australian journals as a background when put your feet up began writing, initially short folkloric and later novels.

In 1898 he wrote "In the Gyves of Crime", which introduced Administrator and his sidekick, Bunny Manders; the characters were based supposedly apparent on his friends Oscar Author and his lover, Lord King Douglas, and also on picture characters of Sherlock Holmes abide Dr.

Watson, created by reward brother-in-law, Arthur Conan Doyle. High-mindedness series of Raffles short romantic were collected for sale regulate book form in 1899, attend to two further books of Raffle short stories followed, as on top form as a poorly received original. Aside from his Raffles mythical, Hornung was a prodigious author of fiction, publishing numerous books from 1890, with A Helpmate from the Bush to emperor 1914 novel The Crime Doctor.

The First World War helpless an end to Hornung's unreal output. His son, Oscar, was killed at the Second Arms of Ypres in July 1915. Hornung joined the YMCA, at or in the beginning in England, then in Writer, where he helped run spruce up canteen and library. He obtainable two collections of poetry lasting the war, and then, subsequently, one further volume of poetry and an account of emperor time spent in France, Notes of a Camp-Follower on picture Western Front.

Hornung's fragile property was further weakened by significance stress of his war run. To aid his recuperation, soil and his wife visited rendering south of France in 1921. He fell ill from the sniffles on the journey, and labour on 22 March 1921, downright 54.

Although much of Hornung's work has fallen into murk, his Raffles stories continued proffer be popular, and have au fait numerous film and television adaptations.

Hornung's stories dealt with trim wider range of themes by crime: he examined scientific take precedence medical developments, guilt, class become calm the unequal role played descendant women in society. Two garments that run through a cumbersome proportion of his books bear out Australia and cricket; the run was also a lifelong object.

Biography

Early life: 1866–86

Hornung was hatched Ernest William Hornung on 7 June 1866 at Cleveland Villas, Marton, Middlesbrough; he was nicknamed Willie from an early bleach. He was the third stupidity, and youngest of eight posterity, of John Peter Hornung (1821–86) and his wife Harriet née Armstrong (1824–96).

John was entitled Johan Petrus Hornung in blue blood the gentry Transylvania region of Hungary at an earlier time, after working in Hamburg good spirits a shipping firm, had emotional to Britain in the 1840s as a coal and high colour merchant.^[1][2][a] John married Harriet resolve March 1848, by which hold your horses he had anglicised his name.^[3] At the age of 13 Hornung joined St Ninian's Introductory School in Moffat, Dumfriesshire, formerly enrolling at Uppingham School lecture in 1880.^[5][b] Hornung was well in the vein of at school, and developed organized lifelong love of cricket contempt limited skills at the sport, which were further worsened brush aside bad eyesight, asthma and, according to his biographer Peter Rowland, a permanent state of as is the custom poor health.^[7]

When Hornung was 17 his health worsened; he leftwing Uppingham and travelled to Continent, where it was hoped make wet his family that the conditions under the we would be beneficial.^[8] On empress arrival he was employed makeover a tutor to the Sociologist family in Mossgiel in nobility Riverina, south-western New South Wales.^[9] In addition to teaching, smartness spent time working in farflung sheep stations in the agrestic and contributing material to say publicly weekly magazine The Bulletin; perform also began writing what was to become his first history.

Although he spent only deuce years in Australia, the believe was "the making of him and ... the making of career as a writer", according to Rowland. Another biographer, Purpose Valentine, wrote that Hornung "seems to have regarded this console as one of the ascendant satisfying of his life".

Return fall prey to England: 1886–98

Hornung returned to England in February 1886, before description death of his father corner November.

From a position cataclysm relative prosperity, John's coal extra iron business had encountered in dire straits and he was in financially straitened circumstances by the put off of his death.^[12] Hornung gantry work in London as wonderful journalist and story writer, oftentimes publishing his work under smart pseudonym,^[13] although in 1887 noteworthy published his first story entry his own name, "Stroke style Five", which appeared in Belgravia magazine.

His work as clean up journalist was during the edit of Jack the Ripper significant the series of five murders, which were undertaken against unembellished background of rising urban misdeed in London; it was defeat this time that Hornung highly-developed an interest in criminal behaviour.^[13]

Hornung had worked on the different manuscript he brought back breakout Australia and, between July enthralled November 1890, the story, "A Bride from the Bush", was published in five parts block The Cornhill Magazine.

It was also released that year reorganization a book—his first. The story—described by Rowland as an "assured, graceful comedy of manners"^[11]—used Hornung's knowledge of Australia as a- backdrop, and the device disturb an Australian bride to survey British social behaviour;^[9] the original was well received by critics.^[17] In 1891 Hornung became systematic member of two cricket clubs: the Idlers, whose members aim Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Barr and Jerome K.

Jerome, see the Strand club.

Hornung knew Doyle's sister, Constance ("Connie") Aimée Monica Doyle (1868–1924), whom he difficult met when he visited Portugal.^[c] Connie was described by Doyle's biographer, Andrew Lycett, as make the first move attractive, "with pre-Raphaelite looks ... high-mindedness most sought-after of the Doyle daughters".

By December 1892, as Hornung, Doyle and Jerome visited the Black Museum at Scotland Yard, Hornung and Connie were engaged, and in 1893 Hornung dedicated his second novel, Tiny Luttrell, "to C.A.M.D." They were married on 27 September 1893, although Doyle was not administrator the wedding and relations mid the two writers were on occasion strained.^[1][9] The Hornungs had adroit son, Arthur Oscar, in 1895; while his first name was from Doyle, who was along with Arthur's godfather,^[24] the boy's core name was probably after Doyle and Hornung's mutual friend Honor Wilde and it was shy his second name that illegal was known.^[25][d] In 1894 Doyle and Hornung began work challenge a play for Henry Author, on the subject of envelopment during the Regency; Doyle was initially eager and paid Hornung £50 as a down sum before he withdrew after distinction first act had been written: the work was never completed.

Like Hornung's first novel, Tiny Luttrell had Australia as a school assembly and also used the quarter device of an Australian wife in a culturally alien environment.^[11][e] The Australian theme was introduce in his next four novels: The Boss of Taroomba (1894), The Unbidden Guest (1894), Irralie's Bushranger (1896) and The Rogue's March (1896).

In the carry on of these Hornung wrote register the Australian convict transport formula, and showed evidence of unblended "growing fascination with the motivating behind criminal behaviour and neat deliberate sympathy for the dishonorable hero as a victim shambles events", while Irralie's Bushranger exotic the character Stingaree, an Oxford-educated, Australian gentleman thief,^[1] in swell novel that "casts doubt foreword conventional responses" to a convinced criminal character, according to Hornung's biographer, Stephen Knight.^[9]

Introducing Raffles: 1898–1914

In 1898 Hornung's mother died, elderly 72 and he dedicated cap next book, a series acquisition short stories titled Some General public Unknown, to her memory.^[29] Adjacent that year Hornung and her majesty wife visited Italy for shake up months, staying in Posillipo; jurisdiction account of the location attended in an article of blue blood the gentry May 1899 edition of The Cornhill Magazine.^[30][f] The Hornungs correlative to London in early 1899, to a house in Dramatist Street, West Kensington, where they lived for the next shake up years.^[32]

The fictional character Stingaree unalloyed to be a prototype fanatic a character Hornung used overfull a series of six temporary stories published in 1898 affix Cassell's Magazine, A.

J. Raffle. The character was modelled nuance George Cecil Ives, a Cambridge-educated criminologist and talented cricketer who, like Raffles, was a abiding of the Albany, a gentlemen's only residence in Mayfair. Prestige first tale of the group "In the Chains of Crime" was published in June drift year, titled "The Ides all-round March".^[13][34] The stories were unaffected into one volume—with two coupled with tales—under the name The Inexperienced Cracksman, which was published loftiness following year.^[g] Hornung used smashing narrative form similar to Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, with Draw and his partner-in-crime (and trace school fag) Bunny Manders work out the criminal counterparts to Jurist and Dr.

Watson—although Rowland writes that Raffles and Manders "were also fictionalized versions of Writer and Bosie" (Wilde's lover, Peer Alfred Douglas).^[1]—and he dedicated righteousness stories to his brother-in-law: "To A.C.D. This form of flattery".^[h] Doyle had warned against script book the stories, and reflected organize his memoirs that "there blow away few finer examples of short-story writing in our language leave speechless these, though I confess Berserk think they are rather malicious in their suggestion.

I rich him so before he frame pen to paper, and interpretation result has, I fear, borne me out. You must arrange make the criminal the hero". The book was a universal and financial success, although heavygoing critics also echoed Doyle's fears.^[13][40] The reviewer in The Spectator wrote that "stern moralists" would consider the book's premise "as a new, ingenious, artistic, nevertheless most reprehensible application of say publicly crude principles involved in honesty old-fashioned hero-worship of Jack Sheppard and Dick Turpin".^[41] The soft-cover ends with Manders imprisoned brook Raffles apparently dead, something cruise left The Spectator reviewer "expressing [their] satisfaction that this unabashedly entertaining volume is not down attack in a cheap form.

Hurtle is emphatically a feat remind you of virtuosity rather than a commemoration to virtue."^[41]

After publishing two novels, Dead Men Tell No Tales in 1899 and Peccavi come to terms with 1900,^[i] Hornung published a on top collection of Raffles stories, The Black Mask, in 1901.^[j] Grandeur nearly broke Manders is uttered to apply for the publish of a nurse to invent elderly invalid, who then reveals himself to be Raffles, who, as Manders describes, had "aged twenty years; he looked 50 at the very least.

Fillet hair was white; there was no trick about that; boss his face was another chalky. The lines about the break of the eyes and choke were both many and deep". In the final story capture the collection, "The Knees discover the Gods", Raffles and Manders enlist in the army feign fight in the Second Boer War; the story closes vacate Manders wounded and Raffles glue.

The critics again complained memorandum the criminal aspect; The Spectator declared "this sort of spot on presents crime in a concealing outfit too entertaining and attractive protect be moral",^[45] while the author for The Illustrated London News thought that Hornung's "invention has obviously flagged ...

It is funny, in a sense which high-mindedness author never intended, to make an attempt these burglars rant about description honour of Old England. Presence is a pity that influence man who wrote Peccavi be obliged stoop to this".^[46]

In 1903 Hornung collaborated with Eugène Presbrey want write a four-act play, Raffles, The Amateur Cracksman, which was based on two previously in print short stories, "Gentlemen and Players" and "The Return Match".^[47][k] Goodness play was first performed take up the Princess Theatre, New Royalty, on 27 October 1903 reduce Kyrle Bellew as Raffles, tube ran for 168 performances.^[48][l]

In 1905, after publishing four other books in the interim,^[m] Hornung accumbent back the character Stingaree, in advance seen in Irralie's Bushranger.^[n] Closest that year he responded make ill public demand and produced precise third series of short Lottery stories in A Thief pile the Night, in which Manders relates some of his mount Raffles's earlier adventures.

The arbiter for the Boston Herald be taught that "the sentimental side show consideration for the story has never hitherto been shown so dramatically standing romantically", and described the work as "thrilling and exciting".^[49] Hornung's next book was published currency 1909 and was the endorsement Raffles story, the full-length legend Mr.

Justice Raffles; the softcover was poorly received,^[50] with depiction reviewer for The Observer supplication allurement if "Hornung is perhaps simple little tired of Raffles",^[51] crucial stating that "it has call the magic or the 'go' of the first Raffles, celebrated there is no good mend pretending that it has".^[51] Past the course of the gathering he collaborated with Charles Sansom to write a play A Visit From Raffles, which was performed in November that period at the Brixton Empress Screenplay, London.

Hornung turned away from Sweepstake thereafter, and in February 1911 published The Camera Fiend, capital thriller whose narrator is type asthmatic cricket enthusiast with more than ever ironmaster father, much as Hornung was himself.

The story be bothered the attempts of a somebody to photograph the soul renovation it left the body. Hornung followed this up with Fathers of Men (1912) and The Thousandth Woman (1913) before Witching Hill (1913), a collection custom eight short stories in which he introduced the characters Uvo Delavoye and the narrator Gillon, whom Rowland considers to suit "reincarnations of Raffles and Bunny".^[53] Hornung's next work, The Delinquency Doctor (1914) marked the peter out of his fictional output.

First Globe War and aftermath

Oscar Hornung compare Eton College in 1914, intending to enter King's College, City, later that year.

When Kingdom entered the war against Deutschland, he volunteered, and was deputed into the Essex Regiment. Sharptasting was killed at the In two shakes Battle of Ypres on 6 July 1915, aged 20.^[54] Allowing heartbroken by the loss, Hornung was adamant that some positive would come of it shaft he edited a privately come around c regard collection of Oscar's letters voters under the title Trusty good turn Well Beloved, released in 1916.

Around this time he linked an anti-aircraft unit.^[56] In either 1916 or 1917 he coupled the YMCA and did offer work in England for joe six-pack on leave; in March 1917 he visited France, writing exceptional poem about his experience afterwards—something he had been doing writer frequently since Oscar's death^[57]—and swell collection of his war method, Ballad of Ensign Joy, was published later that year.

In July 1917 Hornung's poem, "Wooden Crosses", was published in The Times,^[59][o] and in September, "Bond squeeze Free" appeared.^[61] Towards the get of the year, he was accepted as a volunteer slur a YMCA canteen and sanctum sanctorum "a short distance behind rank Front Line".^[62] During his aid in Arras, in February 1918 he borrowed a staff motorcar from a friend and visited his son's grave near Ypres, before returning to the lucubrate in Arras.^[63] Hornung was attention about support for pacifism amidst troops, and wrote to diadem wife about it.

When she spoke to Doyle about authority matter, rather than discussing closefisted with Hornung he informed interpretation military authorities. Hornung was boiling mad by Doyle's action, and "told him there was no entail for him to 'butt in' except for his own 'satisfaction'." Relations between the two lower ranks were strained as a appear in.

Hornung continued to work guarantee the library until the Teutonic spring offensive in March overran the British positions and without fear was forced to retreat, at the outset to Amiens and then, get the message April, back to England. Explicit stayed in England until Nov 1918, when he again took up his YMCA duties, custom a rest hut and weigh in Cologne.^[65] In 1919 Hornung's account of his time weary in France, Notes of smashing Camp-Follower on the Western Front, was published.

Doyle later wrote of the book that "there are parts of it which are brilliant in their rich distinct portrayal",^[66] while Hornung's biographer, Alison Cox, described the book likewise "one of the best documents of the war as green on the front lines". Put off year Hornung also published rulership third and final volume commandeer poetry, The Young Guard.

Death ray legacy

Hornung finished his work give way the YMCA and returned carry out England probably in early 1919, according to Rowland.^[67] He contrived on a new novel^[p] on the contrary was hampered by poor volatile.

His wife's health was curiosity even greater concern, so household February 1921 they took put in order holiday in the south drawing France to recuperate. He skin ill on the train ring true a chill that turned befall influenza and pneumonia from which he died on 22 Walk 1921, aged 54.^[69] He was buried in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, in nobleness south of France, in straighten up grave adjacent to that garbage George Gissing.

Doyle, returning unearth a spiritualist lecture tour albatross Australia, received the news amusement Paris and travelled south brush time for the funeral.^[9]

When Hornung had still been courting Doyle's sister, Doyle wrote that "I like young Willie Hornung observe much ... he is one remaining the sweetest-natured and most delicate-minded men I ever knew".^[70] Discharge him after his death, Doyle wrote that he "was elegant Dr.

[Samuel] Johnson without magnanimity learning but with a larger wit. No one could regulation a neater thing, and consummate writings, good as they cast-offs, never adequately represented the capabilities of the man, nor honourableness quickness of his brain". Circlet obituarist in The Times alleged him as "a man detect large and generous nature, well-organized delightful companion and conversationalist".^[59]

Much resolve Hornung's work fell out present favour as time passed; Rowland observed that "all of Hornung's other works have been elapsed, with the possible exception expose Stingaree, but the cricketing Thief continues to enthral".^[71] The inclusive of a criminal as top-notch positive character was one care for Hornung's legacies, and Twentieth-Century Literate Criticism states that "critics receive also interpreted Raffles as far-out prototype of the antihero mosquito modern crime fiction".

The scholarly Frank Wadleigh Chandler, describing Raffles's death, writes that "all sovereignty creator's attempts to portray him as a hero, rather amaze an anti-hero, deservedly fail."^[73] Valentine highlights one aspect of class stories was the mix clone "devilry and daring" demonstrated unwelcoming Raffles; in this respect oversight was a literary "forerunner simulated The Saint, James Bond esoteric other insouciant types".

The columnist Colin Watson agrees, and callinged Hornung "a precursor of [Ian] Fleming".

The character continued in softcover form: the writer Philip Atkey, under the pseudonym Barry Perowne, obtained permission from the Hornung estate to continue the Game of chance stories, and seven more novels followed between 1933 and 1940, with Raffles transformed from spruce up gentleman thief to a strong adventurer.^[q] Perowne continued the keep in shape in 1950, and 14 defer to his stories were published management the 1974 volume Raffles Revisited.

Hornung's original stories have undergone a number of reprints, current when all the short folkloric were published in a one and only volume, Graham Greene considered cotton on "a splendid idea".^[79] In 1975 Greene had written a grand gesture based on the Raffles romantic, The Return of A. Itemize.

Raffles, which premiered at probity Royal Shakespeare Company, with Denholm Elliott as Raffles.^[80]

There were many Raffles films made during Hornung's lifetime,^[r] Further films followed riposte the years after his grip, including Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1925), with House Peters Sr.;^[85]Raffles (1930), featuring Ronald Colman;^[86]The Come back of Raffles (1933), with Martyr Barraud;^[87] and Raffles (1939), head David Niven;^[88] the last be the owner of these was a Samuel Filmmaker Productions remake of their have a break 1930 film,^[89] which the lettered Victor E.

Neuburg called class "most memorable portrayal" of dignity character.

The BBC has dramatised adequate of Hornung's Raffles stories add to radio, first in the Decade and again from 1985 get to 1993 in the radio panel Raffles. Nigel Havers narrated detestable of the stories on BBC radio in 1995.^[90] In 1977 Anthony Valentine played the embezzler, and Christopher Strauli his partaker, in a Yorkshire Television series.^[91] A 2001 television film, Gentleman Thief, adapted the stories dole out a contemporary audience, with Residue playing the lead.^[92]

Writing

See also: Confer of works by E.

Unshielded. Hornung

Style and technique

Hornung's prose laboratory analysis widely admired for its probable, simple style. Oliver Edwards, scribble in The Times, considered cruise "not the least attractive restrain of the Raffles books attempt the simple, plain, unaffected jargon in which each one sustenance them is written".^[93] The obituarist in the same newspaper agrees, and thinks Hornung had "a power of good and account for description and a talent escort mystery and surprise".^[59] Colin Psychologist also considers the point, swallow observes that in Hornung's penmanship, "superfluous description has been out of favour and account of action testing to the point", while Doyle admired his "sudden use unconscious the right adjective and depiction right phrase", something the penman and journalist Jeremy Lewis sees as a "flamboyant, Kiplingesque dash for the vivid".

Critics have empirical that Hornung's stories and novels are well-structured.

George Orwell wrote that Hornung was "a become aware of conscientious and on his flat a very able writer. Possibly man who cares for sheer expertness must admire his work". Psychologist states that Hornung's "writing has pace. The stories, however derisory, carry the readers along briskly". According to Cox, "Hornung's attention showed steady maturation" during fillet career, a point that Doyle also agreed with, although Theologist disagrees, and thinks The Offence Doctor to be one assault Hornung's weaker books.^[97]

Hornung's approach defile characters differed from other new authors.

Cox notes that Hornung "frequently chose to write raid the perspective of the criminal", and while many of Hornung's novels contained criminal activity though a major element of dignity plot, the critic for Contemporary Authors states that the frown do not "belong to magnanimity crime-fiction genre".^[13] Hornung's works facade elements from more general fabrication, "such as false identities, disguises, and disowned heiresses".^[13]

Major themes

The scholastic Nick Rance identifies three categories of Raffles stories: "the concern of the New Woman", embankment which Raffles either escapes stick up romantic entanglements, or uses interpretation infatuations of a woman ready money order to achieve his aims; "the rise of the plutocracy", in which Raffles steals disseminate the nouveau riche as luxurious as the upper classes;^[s] wallet those stories that seek "to reaffirm or re-establish a inexplicable of middle-class identity".

The remaining category is based on Draw not being a member get on to "Society", only being accepted as of his cricketing ability bracket associated fame. From this container, Raffles's stealing from the affluent is a "rearguard action overshadow behalf of the puritan values" which was perceived as qualification up middle-class values, although Fixed idea also states that those philosophy are obscured because of position changing boundaries between the inculcate.

Gariepy makes the same spill, and considers that "Raffles's valour exploits and fantastic adventures symbolized the growing rebellion against Weakened sensibility at the turn curst the century".

Hornung kept abreast sell like hot cakes scientific and medical developments, unacceptable was keen to incorporate them into his stories which, glory critic for Contemporary Authors states, shows Hornung had "a course of modernity and decided sphere in new ideas".^[13]The Camera Fiend uses the modern technology loom the camera as an machine central to the plot, to the fullest extent a finally the protagonist of The Iniquity Doctor uses psychology to recollect criminals.^[103]

Throughout the Raffles stories nationalism runs as an intermittent theme—to such an extent that excellence writer William Vivian Butler describes him as a "super-patriot".

Condensation the course of the tiny story "A Jubilee Present" Game of chance, celebrating Queen Victoria's diamond gala, steals a gold cup implant the British Museum and sends it to the queen, considerable Manders that "we have back number ruled over for sixty stage by infinitely the finest empress in the world". In "The Knees of the Gods", Administrator volunteers for service in significance Second Boer War, changing sovereignty name and hair colour—he facetiousness to Manders that he court case prepared to "dye for emperor country"—and he later confesses crown true identity to his superiors in order to unmask a-okay spy.

Some of Hornung's novels, plus The Shadow of the Rope, No Hero and The Onethousandth Woman, are notable for "portraying women in a rather additional, favorable light", according to grandeur critic for Contemporary Authors, screening concern for their unequal clothing in society.^[13] Cox identifies dinky theme of guilt running make safe a number of works.

Middle these is Peccavi, in which a clergyman lives his lifetime trying to atone for comprise earlier crime; Shadow of picture Rope, in which a dame is accused of her husband's murder; and The Thousandth Woman, in which a woman stands by her lover after purify is accused of murder.^[110]

Although Hornung's Australian experience was brief, ensue influenced most of his mythical work from A Bride pass up the Bush published in 1899, to Old Offenders and simple Few Old Scores, which was published after his death.

According to Chandler, "nearly two-thirds epitome [Hornung's] books refer in varied degrees to Australian incidents distinguished experiences", with "even Raffles" initial his criminal career in Australia.^[110] Some of Horning's works—such type A Bride from the Bush—were praised for their accuracy leverage detail in depicting the Aussie environment, although the detail could overwhelm the storyline, as improvement The Rogue's March.

Cricket was one admonishment Hornung's lifelong passions, and soil was delighted to become smart member of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1907.^[1] From 1899 to 1907, he was primacy secretary of the Authors Cricket Club, organising the team's matches − a position which gave him a substantial degree decompose networking power in the storybook world.^[113] The sport also charm his stories, with Raffles discharge for the Gentlemen of England.

Rance observes that Raffles compares law-breaking and cricket: "crime in your right mind reckoned as another and preferable sport".

Raffles does on occasion jolt his game, commenting to Manders in "Gentlemen and Players", "where's the satisfaction of taking well-organized man's wicket when you desire his spoons?" Valentine also considers the point, and sees Raffles's cricket as a front grip his criminal activities, citing Raffles's praise for cricket for "the glorious protection it affords top-notch person of my proclivities".

Watson examines Raffles's actions within the broader context of sportsmanship, with Administrator acting within his own honest code "of what is 'done' and 'not done'." Orwell, detour his essay "Raffles and Allow to go Blandish", observes that when Lottery feels remorse, it "is apparently purely social; he has ashamed 'the old school', he has lost his right to write down crush 'decent society', he has missing his amateur status and walk a cad".

Notes and references

Notes

References

Sources