Norfolk and Classical Literature

Children's Writers

Captain Marryat, who wrote the children's classic "The Children of the New Forest", was born in London but lived at and is buried at Langham, Norfolk.

Anna Sewell is one of the few well-known writers who was born in Norfolk. She was born in Yarmouth but wrote "Black Beauty" whilst living in Old Catton; the horse that inspired her famous book was said to have been stabled in Sewell Barn, Norwich.

Sir Henry Rider Haggard, who was born in Bradenham, wrote "King Solomon's Mines", which inspired a "lost world" genre of fiction.

Arthur Ransome was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, but set "Coot Club" and "The Big Six" on Norfolk's Broads.

"Biggles" creator, W.E. Johns, was a sanitary inspector in Swaffham.

Novelists

In "Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe, Crusoe anchored in Yarmouth Roads and was then shipwrecked in the sea outside Winterton. Defoe is thought to have named his hero after seeing the grave of a Robinson Cruso in King's Lynn.

P.G.Wodehouse wrote "Money For Nothing" whilst relaxing at Hunstanton Hall. Hunstanton Hall was the inspiration for Rudge Hall in "Very Good, Jeeves".

In "Emma", Jane Austen writes that "Percy was a week at Cromer once".

Charles Dickens visited Yarmouth in 1949 and used it as a setting for "David Copperfield".

Poets

William Wordsworth is associated with his beloved Lake District but his sister, Dorothy, moved to live with her uncle at Forncett St Peter rectory in 1788. Wordsworth visited her in Norfolk and his uncle was going to find him a local parish; his uncle then discovered that Wordsworth had fathered an illegitimate child in France and Wordsworth's chances of religious life in Norfolk ended although his career as a romantic poet took off.

Lord Byron's famous poem, "Don Juan", was influenced by the experiments with Italian ottava rima narrative form by John Hookham Frere, whose family home was Roydon, Norfolk.

A very early writer, Geoffrey Chaucer, mentions the "Holy Cross of Bromholm" in "The Canterbury Tales".

Two poet laureates have Norfolk connections. John Skelton, who is thought to have been born in Diss in the 15th century, styled himself as a poet laureate; in the 20th century, John Betjeman visited Diss in 1963, became fond of the town, and later wrote "Dear Mary, Yes, it will be bliss, To go with you by train to Diss" to Mary Wilson, wife of the former prime minister.

This information is provided by Justin whose blog is flats and houses; a recent blog entry is ARLA agents.

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Four Authors of Classical Contemporary Literature Defined the Craft of Writing Perfect Prose

From academicians to book critics to lay readers, each is often eager to recommend a list of authors who will provide aspiring writers with a sound foundation from which to build.  Any suggestions should be revered, and it would be ridiculous for one person to state that her/his idea of quality prose is better than another's.  

However, there are four aspects of the craft of writing that many who understand literature would argue have never been better addressed:  Steinbeck's perfection with dialogue, Faulkner's depth of characterization, Hemingway's precise narrative, and Fitzgerald's palpable creation of mood.

One of the quickest ways to appreciate John Steinbeck's brilliance in the realm of dialogue is to read TORTILLA FLAT, THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT, and OF MICE AND MEN.  Accents are often hard to maintain in a novel without eventually grating on the reader, yet Steinbeck's last line of dialogue in TORTILLA FLAT is as fresh as his first.  THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT provides a perfect medium for demonstrating his range.  And it is then a simple step to OF MICE AND MEN to gain an understanding of Steinbeck's genius in the art of writing divergent dialogue at an extraordinary level.        

The mere mention of William Faulkner can cause many to quail.  But a lot of Faulkner aficionados, of which I am included in this group, feel he is unchallenged in the realm of characterization.  (As an aside, if his work is broken down to the length of his clauses, it is often much easier to appreciate his talent.)  Many erudite souls recommend ABSALOM, ABSALOM as an ideal example of why Faulkner rules the world of characterization, and one needs to read only the first paragraph in the initial chapter to realize the reason for this praise.  Another suggestion is that serious writers read THE SOUND AND THE FURY.  The characterization of Dilsey the maid is, in itself, a masterpiece.  

Hemingway's art is an example of elevating a single element of writing to such a high level that the weaker aspects of (his) prose can be ignored.  With simple words his narratives were so powerful and his depictions so poignant that he is credited with creating a unique style.  An efficient way to experience his skill is to read THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA.  What is often overlooked about Hemingway's crisp, concise style is the quality of pitch his technique enables.  His passages of perfect pitch, in themselves, can be important to analyze by anyone desiring to become a better writer.     

Mood like voice is one of those magical areas that is easy to recognize but impossible for a great many people to define.  But whatever mood happens to be, it can be experienced in the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald.  In THE GREAT GATSBY, THIS SIDE OF PARADISE, and TENDER IS THE NIGHT, there is an unmistakable mood that is so sentient the reader can easily (and pleasantly) become enveloped by it.  A leading example is the opening paragraph in TENDER IS THE NIGHT, which sets the mood for the entirety of a story as well as any novel that comes to mind for many learned readers.  Whatever Fitzgerald's voice was, he found it.  And whatever mood is, he created it with exceptional flair.  

There are numerous other writing elements, and subcategories of each, that anyone serious about becoming a novelist must consider.  But for those who desire an understanding of what many regard as the four pillars necessary for developing a proficiency in writing quality prose, especially if the interest is to be published by a major royalty publisher, it is difficult to argue against venturing into the oeuvres of Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald.

Robert L. Bacon

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Thirukural - Tamil's Classical Literature

This book consisting of 133 sections of 10 couplets each which was recognized as a masterpiece of literature in Tamil, has stood the test of history and is accepted by posterity as a seminal work which has influenced the thoughts of man throughout the centuries. It is a work of not only great aesthetic and stylistic literary value, but also a guide to the art of living with nuggets of invaluable wisdom.

The range of these verses covers subjects like ethics, statecraft, citizenship, love, the art of life in its myriad forms. It deals with the three ARAM, PORUL, INBUM which are essential for a life of action.

Thirukural is separated into three sections. The first section deals with Aram doing things, with conscience and principle, for the good of the less privileged, the second one deals with Porul realities or essentials of life, and the third one dwells on Inbam the delights that a man and a woman encounter in the course of their relationship. There you can find 38 chapters in the first section, 70 chapters in the second and 25 chapters in the third section.

The profound thoughts and ideas of this great saint-poet are encapsulated in the shortest possible Tamil metre called "Kural". Thus the wisdom of Thiru Valluvar (Author) is expressed in unparalleled verses which combine beauty with brevity. The translation of these verses into other languages will enrich the literature of this language as well.

Two thousand years later, we see the same concern for ethical values and the same commitment to expressing these sublime thoughts in a language and an idiom understood by the common man in the Thirukural.

Mohideen Basha (sukkran)

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