Illness and death Richard Jefferies

1 illness , death

1.1 onset
1.2 after london
1.3 final years

illness , death
onset

in december 1881, jefferies began suffer until undiagnosed tuberculosis, anal fistula. after series of painful operations, moved west brighton convalesce. time wrote extraordinary autobiography, story of heart (1883). had been planning work seventeen years and, in words, absolutely , unflinchingly true . not autobiography of events of life, outpouring of deepest thoughts , feelings.

articles surbiton area reprinted in popular nature near london (1883), although last chapters of book refer beachy head, ditchling beacon , other sussex landmarks.

in brighton, third child, richard oliver launcelot jefferies, born on 18 july 1883. life short one. jefferies moved eltham, in kent, part of greenwich, in june 1884, , here, in 1885, child died of meningitis. jefferies affected not attend funeral.

after london

jefferies s next novel, after london (1885), can seen example of post-apocalyptic fiction : after sudden , unspecified catastrophe has depopulated england, countryside reverts nature, , few survivors quasi-medieval way of life.

the book has 2 parts. first, relapse barbarism , account later historian of fall of civilisation , consequences, loving description of nature reclaiming england: fields becoming overrun forest, domesticated animals running wild, roads , towns becoming overgrown, hated london reverting lake , poisonous swampland. second part, wild england , largely straightforward adventure set many years later in wild landscape , society (here jefferies setting example genre); opening section, despite improbabilities, has been admired rigour , compelling narrative.

critics dissatisfied second part make exception of chapters 22–24, go beyond recreation of medieval world give disturbing , surreal description of site of fallen city.

jefferies s interest in catastrophes predates after london: 2 short unpublished pieces 1870s describe social collapse after london paralysed freak winter conditions. in better achieved of these, narrator future historian piecing story surviving accounts. fantasy of second part has predecessor in short work, rise of maximin, emperor of occident, serialised in new monthly magazine in 1876, in case adventure set in remote , imaginary past.

although society jefferies depicts after fall of london unpleasant one, oppressive petty tyrants @ war each other, , insecurity , injustice poor, still served inspiration william morris s utopian news (1890). in letter of 1885, writes of reaction after london: absurd hopes curled around heart read it. after london influenced m.p. shiel s disaster novel, purple cloud.

final years

after eltham, jefferies lived briefly in various parts of sussex, first @ rotherfield, in house on crowborough hill. in crowborough jefferies completed ambitious , unusual novel, amaryllis @ fair (1887). closely based on own family @ coate, describes farm , family imperceptibly approaching disaster. there little narrative development; instead significant or typical moments presented in short scenes or tableaux.

illness , resulting lower productivity had impoverished jefferies; , editor charles longman suggested application royal literary fund. @ first jefferies resisted suggestion, regarding aid aristocratic patrons not involved in literary work humiliating: patrons of literature! there ever such disgrace in nineteenth century? patrons of literature! thing abominable! longman succeeded in convincing jefferies fund assisted had made success in literature . application accepted , committee voted grant of 1 hundred pounds. fund arranged longman enabled jefferies move nearer sea, worthing suburb of goring. here, on 14 august 1887, died of tuberculosis , exhaustion. buried in broadwater , worthing cemetery in worthing.

after death, number of posthumous collections made of writings published in newspapers , magazines, beginning field , hedgerow (1889), edited widow. new collections have appeared on century following birth, not have been reprinted in book form.