Later life William Morris

1 later life

1.1 merton abbey , democratic federation: 1881–84
1.2 socialist league: 1884–89
1.3 kelmscott press , morris final years: 1889–96

later life
merton abbey , democratic federation: 1881–84

the pond @ merton abbey lexden lewis pocock idyllic representation of works in time of morris

in summer 1881, morris took out lease on seven-acre former silk weaving factory @ merton abbey mills, in merton, southwest london. moving workshops site, premises used weaving, dyeing, , creating stained glass; within 3 years, 100 craftsmen employed there. working conditions @ abbey better @ victorian factories. however, despite morris s ideals, there little opportunity workers display own individual creativity. morris had initiated system of profit sharing among firm s upper clerks, did not include majority of workers, instead employed on piecework basis. morris aware that, in retaining division between employer , employed, company failed live own egalitarian ideals, defended this, asserting impossible run socialist company within competitive capitalist economy. firm expanding, opening store in manchester in 1883 , holding stand @ year s foreign fair in boston.

janey s relationship rossetti had continued through correspondence , occasional visits, although found him extremely paranoid , upset addiction chloral. last saw him in 1881, , died in april following year. morris described mixed feelings toward deceased friend stating had of greatest qualities of genius, of them indeed; great man have been arrogant misanthropy marred work, , killed him before time . in august 1883, janey introduced poet wilfrid scawen blunt, whom embarked on second affair, morris might have been aware of.

in january 1881 morris involved in establishment of radical union, amalgam of radical working-class groups hoped rival liberals, , became member of executive committee. however, rejected liberal radicalism , moved toward socialism. in period, british socialism small, fledgling , vaguely defined movement, few hundred adherents. britain s first socialist party, democratic federation (df), had been founded in 1881 henry hyndman, adherent of socio-political ideology of marxism, morris joining df in january 1883. morris began read voraciously on subject of socialism, including henry george s progress , poverty, alfred russel wallace s land nationalisation, , karl marx s das kapital, although admitted marx s economic analysis of capitalism gave him agonies of confusion on brain . instead preferred writings of william cobbett , sergius stepniak, although read critique of socialism produced john stuart mill.

david s charge solomon (1882), stained-glass window edward burne-jones , william morris in trinity church, boston, massachusetts.

in may 1883, morris appointed df s executive, , elected position of treasurer. devoting himself socialist cause, regularly lectured @ meetings across britain, hoping gain more converts, although regularly criticised doing mainstream press. in november 1883 invited speak @ university college, oxford, on subject of democracy , art , there began espousing socialism; shocked , embarrassed many members of staff, earning national press coverage. other df members, travelled blackburn, lancashire in february 1884 amid great cotton strike, lectured on socialism strikers. following month marched in central london demonstration commemorating first anniversary of marx s death , thirteenth anniversary of paris commune.

morris aided df using artistic , literary talents; designed group s membership card, , helped author manifesto, socialism made plain, in demanded improved housing workers, free compulsory education children, free school meals, eight-hour working day, abolition of national debt, nationalisation of land, banks, , railways, , organisation of agriculture , industry under state control , co-operative principles. of df comrades found difficult reconcile socialist values position proprietor of firm, although admired man of integrity. df began publishing weekly newspaper, justice, faced financial losses morris covered. morris regularly contributed articles newspaper, in doing befriending contributor, george bernard shaw.

his socialist activism monopolised time, forcing him abandon translation of persian shahnameh. led him seeing far less of burne-jones, whom had strong political differences; although once republican, burne-jones had become increasingly conservative, , felt df exploiting morris talents , influence. while morris devoted time trying convert friends cause, of morris circle of artistic comrades, webb , faulkner embraced socialism, while swinburne expressed sympathy it.

in 1884 df renamed social democratic federation (sdf) , underwent internal reorganisation. however, group facing internal schism between (such hyndman), argued parliamentary path toward socialism, , (like morris) deemed houses of parliament intrinsically corrupt , capitalist. personal issues between morris , hyndman exacerbated attitude british foreign policy; morris staunchly anti-imperialist while hyndman expressed patriotic sentiment encouraging foreign intervention. division between 2 groups developed open conflict, majority of activists sharing morris position. in december 1884 morris , supporters – notably ernest belfort bax , edward aveling – left sdf; first major schism of british socialist movement.

socialist league: 1884–89

in december 1884, morris founded socialist league (sl) other sdf defectors. composed sl s manifesto bax, describing position of revolutionary international socialism , advocating proletarian internationalism , world revolution while rejecting concept of socialism in 1 country. in this, committed himself making socialists educating, organising, , agitating establish strong socialist movement; calling on activists boycott elections, hoped socialists take part in proletariat revolution , establish socialist society. bax taught morris more marxism, , introduced him marx s collaborator, friedrich engels; engels thought morris honest lacking in practical skills aid proletariat revolution. morris remained in contact other sectors of london s far left community, being regular @ socialist international club in shoreditch, east london, avoided created fabian society, deeming middle-class. although marxist, befriended prominent anarchist activists stepniak , peter kropotkin, , came influenced anarchist views, extent biographer fiona maccarthy described approach being marxism visionary libertarianism .

as leading figure in league morris embarked on series of speeches , talks on street corners, in working men s clubs, , in lecture theatres across england , scotland. visited dublin, there offering support irish nationalism, , formed branch of league @ hammersmith house. time of first conference in july 1885, league had 8 branches across england , had affiliations several socialist groups in scotland. however, british socialist movement grew faced increased opposition establishment, police arresting , intimidating activists. combat this, league joined defence club other socialist groups, including sdf, morris appointed treasurer. morris passionate in denouncing bullying , hectoring felt socialists faced police, , on 1 occasion arrested after fighting against police officer; magistrate dismissed charges. black monday riots of february 1886 led increased political repression against left-wing agitators, , in july morris arrested , fined public obstruction while preaching socialism on streets.

morris oversaw production of league s monthly—soon become weekly—newspaper, commonweal, serving editor 6 years, during time kept financially afloat. first published in february 1885, contain contributions such prominent socialists engels, shaw, paul lafargue, wilhelm liebknecht, , karl kautsky, morris regularly writing articles , poems it. in commonweal serialised 13-episode poem, pilgrims of hope, set in period of paris commune. november 1886 january 1887, morris novel, dream of john ball, serialised in commonweal. set in kent during peasants revolt of 1381, contained strong socialist themes although proved popular among of different ideological viewpoints, resulting in publication in book form reeves , turner in 1888. shortly after, collection of morris essays, signs of change, published.

— william morris.

from january october 1890, morris serialised novel, news nowhere, in commonweal, resulting in improved circulation paper. in march 1891 published in book form, before being translated french, italian, , german 1898 , becoming classic among europe s socialist community. combining utopian socialism , soft science fiction, book tells tale of contemporary socialist, william guest, falls asleep , awakes in mid-20th century, discovering future society based on common ownership , democratic control of means of production. in society there no private property, no big cities, no authority, no monetary system, no divorce, no courts, no prisons, , no class systems; depiction of morris ideal socialist society.

morris had continued translation work; in april 1887, reeves , turner published first volume of morris translation of homer s odyssey, second following in november. venturing new territory, morris authored , starred in play, tables turned; or nupkins awakened, performed @ league meeting in november 1887. told story of socialists put on trial in front of corrupt judge; tale ends prisoners behind freed proletariat revolution. in june 1889, morris traveled paris league s delegate international socialist working men s congress, international standing recognised being chosen english spokesman congress committee. second international emerged congress, although morris distraught @ chaotic , disorganised proceedings.

at league s fourth conference in may 1888, factional divisions became increasingly apparent between morris anti-parliamentary socialists, parliamentary socialists, , anarchists; bloomsbury branch expelled supporting parliamentary action. under leadership of charles mowbray, league s anarchist wing growing , called on league embrace violent action in trying overthrow capitalist system. autumn 1889 anarchists had taken on league s executive committee , morris stripped of editorship of commonweal in favour of anarchist frank kitz. alienated morris league, had become financial burden him; had been subsidising activities £500 year, large sum of money @ time. autumn of 1890, morris left socialist league, hammersmith branch seceding become independent hammersmith socialist society in november 1890.

the kelmscott press , morris final years: 1889–96

morris (right) burne-jones, 1890

the work of morris & co. continued during morris final years, producing array of stained glass windows designed burne-jones , 6 narrative tapestry panels depicting quest holy grail stanmore hall, shropshire. morris influence on britain s artistic community became increasingly apparent art workers guild founded in 1884, although @ time preoccupied socialist activism pay attention. although proposal faced opposition, morris elected guild in 1888, , elected position of master in 1892. morris did not offer initial support arts , crafts exhibition society, changed opinion after success of first exhibit, held in regents street in october 1888. giving lectures on tapestries group, in 1892 elected president. @ time, morris re-focused attentions on spab campaigning; causes championed including preservation of st. mary s church in oxford, blythburgh church in suffolk, peterborough cathedral, , rouen cathedral.

although socialist activism had decreased, remained involved hammersmith socialist society, , in october 1891 oversaw creation of short-lived newsletter, hammersmith socialist record. coming oppose factionalism within socialist movement, sought rebuild relationship sdf, appearing guest lecturer @ of events, , supporting sdf candidate george lansbury when stood in wandsworth by-election of february 1894. in 1893 hammersmith socialist society co-founded joint committee of socialist bodies representatives of sdf , fabian society; morris helped draw manifesto of english socialists . offered support far left activists on trial, including number of militant anarchists violent tactics nevertheless denounced. began using term communism first time, stating communism in fact completion of socialism: when ceases militant , becomes triumphant, communism. in december 1895 gave final open-air talk @ stepniak s funeral, spoke alongside prominent far left activists eleanor marx, kier hardie, , errico malatesta. liberated internal factional struggles, retracted anti-parliamentary position , worked socialist unity, giving last public lecture in january 1896 on subject of 1 socialist party.

in december 1888, chiswick press published morris house of wolfings, fantasy story set in iron age europe provides reconstructed portrait of lives of germanic-speaking gothic tribes. contained both prose , aspects of poetic verse. sequel, roots of mountains, followed in 1890. on coming years publish string of other poetic works; story of glittering plain (1890), wood beyond world (1894), @ world s end (1896), water of wondrous isles (1897) , sundering flood (1898). embarked on translation of anglo-saxon tale, beowulf; because not understand old english, poetic translation based largely on produced a.j. watts. on publication, morris beowulf critically panned. following death of sitting poet laureate of great britain , ireland, alfred, lord tennyson, in october 1892, morris offered position, turned down, disliking associations monarchy , political establishment; instead position went alfred austin.

morris design kelmscott press trademark

in january 1891, morris began renting cottage near kelmscott house, no. 16 upper mall in hammersmith, serve first premises of kelmscott press, before relocating neighbouring no. 14 in may, same month in company founded. devoted production of books deemed beautiful, morris artistically influenced illustrated manuscripts , printed books of medieval , modern europe. before publishing first work, morris ensured had mastered techniques of printing , secured supplies of hand-made paper , vellum necessary production. on next 7 years, publish 66 volumes. first of these 1 of morris own novels, story of glittering plain, published in may 1891 , sold out. kelmscott press go on publish 23 of morris books, more of other author. press published editions of works keats, shelley, ruskin, , swinburne, copies of various medieval texts. number of press books contained illustrations provided burne-jones. press magnum opus kelmscott chaucer, had taken years complete , included 87 illustrations burne-jones. morris still remained firmly in employer relation working @ press, although organised outings them , paid them above average wages.

by 1890s, morris increasingly ill , living largely invalid; aside gout, exhibited signs of epilepsy. in august 1891, took daughter jenny on tour of northern france visit medieval churches , cathedrals. in england, spent increasing amount of time @ kelmscott manor. seeking treatment prominent doctor william broadbent, prescribed holiday in coastal town of folkestone. in december 1894 devastated upon learning of mother s death; had been 90 years old. in july 1896, went on cruise norway construction engineer john carruthers, during visited vadsö , trondheim; during trip physical condition deteriorated , began experiencing hallucinations. returning kelmscott house, became complete invalid, being visited friends , family, before dying of tuberculosis on morning of 4 october 1896. obituaries appearing throughout national press reflected @ time, morris recognised poet. mainstream press obituaries trivialised or dismissed involvement in socialism, although socialist press focused largely on aspect of career. funeral held on 6 october, during corpse carried hammersmith paddington rail station, transported oxford, , there kelmscott, buried in churchyard of st. george s church.