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Joseph Conrad, 1857 – 1924

 

Joseph Conrad grew up in the Polish Ukraine, the Conrad's family, belonged to a hereditary class below the aristocracy, which combined qualities of gentry and nobility. They had the political power, despite their impoverished state. Conrad's father, Apollo Korzeniowski, belonged to this class. He studied for six years at St. Petersburg University, which he left before earning a degree. Conrad's mother, Eva Bobrowska, was thirteen years younger than Apollo; the two were married in 1856.

Instead of devoting himself to the management of his wife's agricultural estates, Apollo pursued literary and political activities, which brought in little money. He wrote a variety of plays and social satires. Although his works were little known, they would have tremendous influence on his son.

 

A year into the marriage, Joseph was born in 1857. ("Conrad" is actually a middle part of his name.) The Crimean War had just ended, and hopes were high for Polish independence. Music was one of his earliest memories, and the image of his mother at the piano was lasting.

 

Family happiness was then shattered--Apollo was arrested on suspicion of involvement in revolutionary activities. From then on, the family was thrown into exile and unsettled. Eva gradually developed tuberculosis, and she died in 1865. The seven-year-old Conrad, who witnessed her decline, was absolutely devastated. He also developed health problems (migraines and lung inflammation), which persisted throughout his life. Unfortunately, Apollo too fell into decline, frustrated with his lack of success in stirring up revolution, and he died of tuberculosis in 1869. At age eleven, Joseph became an orphan.

The young boy became the ward of his uncle, who loved him dearly and essentially replaced Apollo. Thus began Joseph's Cracow years, which ended when he left Poland in 1874.  He spent the next few years in France, mastering his second language and the fundamentals of seamanship. The author made acquaintances in many circles, but his "bohemian" friends were the ones who introduced him to drama, opera and theatre. In the meantime, he was strengthening his maritime contacts, and he soon became an observer on pilot boats.  By 1878, Joseph had made his way to England with the intention of becoming an officer among the British ships. He ended up spending twenty more years at sea. Conrad would take voyages for a long period and then take rest time on shore. This was a cyclic pattern.

When he was not at sea, writing letters or writing in journals, Joseph was exploring other means of making money. Unlike his father, who practically abhorred money, Conrad was obsessed by it; he was always on the lookout for business opportunities.

Once the author had worked his way up to shipmaster, he made a series of eastern voyages over three years. At this time he suffered a severe back injury from which he never completely recovered. Conrad remained in the English port of Mauritius for two months. In Mauritius he unsuccessfully courted two women. Frustrated, he left and journeyed to England for a good long while.

In England in the summer of 1889, Conrad began the crucial transition from sailor to writer by starting his first novel, Almayer's Folly. Interestingly, he chose to write in English, his third language. This decision showed his commitment to England.

A journey to the Congo in 1890 was Joseph's real inspiration to write “Heart of Darkness”. His outrage and condemnation of colonialism were well documented in the journal he kept during his visit. In the meantime,

Then, 1894 was a landmark year for Conrad: his first novel was published; he met Edward Garnett, who would become a lifelong friend; and he met Jessie George, his future wife. The two-year courtship between the 37-year-old Conrad and the 21-year-old Jessie was somewhat discontinuous in that Conrad pursued other women in the first year of their relationship--but since they all rejected his advances, his attention became strongly focused on Jessie by the autumn of 1895. Garnett disapproved of the match, especially since Jessie was miles below Joseph in education and intellectual culture. However, they married in March 1896.

The children who followed the union were not warmly welcomed by their father; an absent-minded sort, he expressed surprise each time Jessie delivered a baby. His days were consumed with writing, trying to find the right word for every sentence. His struggle was no doubt accentuated by the gaps in his knowledge of the English language.

The major productive phase of Conrad's career spanned from 1897 to 1911, during which time he composed  “Heart of Darkness”,” Lord Jim”,” among others. During this period, he also experienced serious financial difficulties, often living off of advances and state grants, there being little in the way of royalties. It was not until the publication of “Chance” in 1914 that he experienced the level of commercial success that afforded a prosperous lifestyle.

As his work declined, he grew increasingly comfortable in his wealth and status. Conrad had a true genius for companionship, and his circle of friends included talented authors.

Still always writing, he eventually traveled to America, where he died of a heart attack in 1924, at the age of 67.