Marcus Clarke
Marcus Clarke | |
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Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts |
Marcus Andrew Hislop Clarke
Biography
Background and early life
Marcus Clarke was born in 11 Leonard Place
Marcus Clarke was educated at Highgate School (1858–62), where his classmates included Gerard Manley Hopkins, Cyril Hopkins and E.H. Coleridge. Clarke attracted Hopkins' attention primarily due to his eloquence, leading Hopkins to describe him as a "kaleidoscopic, parti-coloured, harlequinesque, thaumatropic Being"[2]: 30 Clarke had problems with applying himself to his schoolwork, and was deprived, in his senior year, of the poetry prize as punishment.[1] On one hand he was considered charming and witty, but on the other spoilt, conceited and aimless which could be partially attributed to his Bohemian upbringing by this father, and the novels which he spent much of his time reading.[1]
In 1862, father William was sent to Northumberland House suffering a mental, physical, and financial breakdown and died there a year later, leaving Clarke an orphan and without the means to live as a dilettante, which had been his expectation. The biography "Cyril Hopkins' Marcus Clarke" is the only first-hand account of Clarke's early life in London.[3] It draws on first-hand experiences of both author and subject.[4]: 24 [5]
At age 17, his cousin,
Writing career
Clarke was already writing stories for the Australian Magazine, when in 1867 he joined the staff of
In 1868 Clarke founded the Yorick Club, which soon numbered among its members the chief Australian men of letters[1] and 1869 he married the actress Marian Dunn (often "Marion"), daughter of actor and comedian John Dunn, with whom he had six children.[1] Clarke wrote "two sparkling comedies" specially for Marian, A Daughter of Eve and Forbidden Fruit.[6] One of his writing projects at this time was he and Henry Kendall working together to produce the short-lived satirical magazine Humbug (1869–70).
Clarke briefly visited Tasmania in 1870 at the request of The Argus to experience at first hand the settings of articles he was writing on the convict period. Old Stories Retold began to appear in The Australasian from February. The following month his great novel His Natural Life (later called For the Term of His Natural Life) commenced serialization in the Australasian Journal (which Clarke was editing), and was later published in book form in 1874. For the Term of His Natural Life is a "ripping yarn", which at times relies on unrealistic coincidences. The story follows the fortunes of Rufus Dawes, a young man transported for a theft that he did not commit, when rendering assistance to the victim of a mugging. The harsh and inhumane treatment meted out to the convicts, some of whom were transported for relatively minor crimes, is clearly conveyed. The conditions experienced by the convicts are graphically described. The novel was based on research by the author as well as a visit to the penal settlement of Port Arthur.[1] Clarke originally referred to the novel as "His Unnatural Life."[4]: 22–24 One critic has claimed that Clarke's novel is "the book that, more than any other, has defined our perception of the Australian convict experience.".[4]: 24 For the Term of his Natural Life is considered a novel in the grand tradition, that places Clarke with Charles Reade, Victor Hugo and Fyodor Dostoevsky among the great nineteenth-century visionaries who found in the problems of crime and punishment a new insight, especially relevant in the convict-founded Australian colonies, into the foundations of human worth.[1]
Clarke also wrote The Peripatetic Philosopher (1869), a series of amusing papers reprinted from The Australasian; Long Odds (London, 1870), a novel; and numerous comedies and pantomimes, the best of which was Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Theatre Royal, Melbourne; Christmas, 1873). In spite of his popular success, Clarke was constantly involved in financial difficulties and twice (1874 and 1881) he was forced into insolvency. His financial difficulties in 1874 forced him to sell his furniture and the 574 volumes that made up his personal library.[7]
In 1872, Clarke was appointed secretary to the trustees of the
Clarke was an important literary figure in Australia, and at the centre of a bohemian circle in Melbourne. Among the writers in contact with him were Victor Daley, Thomas Bracken, John Shillinglaw, Henry Kendall, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Julian Thomas, Robert P. Whitworth, Adam Lindsay Gordon and George Gordon McCrae. As well as friends, he also made enemies. These included James Neild and James Smith. In 1877, he served a term as the chairman of the library committee of the Melbourne Athenaeum (founded 1839) the oldest cultural institution in the city.[10]
Anxiety, overwork, disappointment and health problems are said to have hastened his death (officially of erysipelas)[1] in Melbourne on 2 August 1881 at the age of 35. Clarke was buried in Melbourne General Cemetery and in August 1898, a "fine granite monument" was erected over the grave.[6]
Legacy
Shortly after Clarke's death, the theatre community rallied to support his family, organizing a charity costumed Australian rules football match which was held at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground. For two hours "Heroes of familiar opera, tragedy, comedy, farce, and pantomime were banded together in strange juxtaposition. It was as if the silent figures of the Waxworks exhibition has been suddenly stirred to into wild life and energetic action".[11] Whilst the match was not high scoring (the Opera House team kicked six goals, the other team only one), nearly a thousand spectators attended the event, and £74/1/6 was raised.
In 1884 Marcus Clarke Memorial Volume, assembled by his friend and literary executor Hamilton Mackinnon, was published. It contained a "a selection of his most popular journalism with a biographical introduction" with a dedication to the 5th Earl of Rosebery, Archibald Philip Primrose (Prime Minister of England from March 1894 till June 1895) who was a great support of His Natural Life.[8] In a five-page letter to his wife Marian Clarke, dated 16 January 1884, Lord Rosebery states that he had always admired the book, had given copies to his friends and compared it favourably with Oliver Twist and Victor Hugo's works.[8]
Recognition
For the Term of his Natural Life has been translated into Dutch, German, Russian, Swedish, and Chinese.[12][13] A number of editions were published in Britain and the United States.
Clarke came first in a 1927 newspaper poll in Melbourne to identify the top Australian novelist.[14]
Clarke's life was dramatised in a 40min 1946 radio play Marcus Clarke, written by Brian Elliott.[15][16][17] Elliott was a lecturer in Australian history and an expert on Clarke.[18] The play was broadcast to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of Clarke's birth.[19][20] On the same week Elliott also appeared on air giving a talk about Clarke.[21]
Elliott wrote a full-length biography of Clarke that was published in 1958.[22]
He was also recognised in an episode of the television series Behind the Legend.
Clarke's contribution to Australian literature is recognised in a number of place names. A main street in
In 1973 he was honored on a postage stamp bearing his portrait issued by Australia Post[24] and he is one of the writers commemorated with a plaque on the Sydney Writers Walk.
He was inducted into The Australian Media Hall of Fame in 2017.[25]
References
- ^ ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-812099-5.
- ISBN 978-1-921509-12-4.
- ^ a b c d Hergenhan, Laurie (Winter 2010). "A New Biography of Marcus Clarke" (PDF). SL Winter 2010. 3 (2): 24.
- State Library of Victoria, retrieved 28 December 2019
- ^ a b c Bert, Martin (1899). Testimonial benefit, Wednesday evening, May 10, 1899: dramatic and musical: tended to Mrs Marcus Clarke. Melbourne, Australia: Bert Martin. p. 4.
- ISBN 9780646533407.
- ^ a b c "Papers of Marcus Clarke: MS 8222, Box 455". State Library Victoria. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ "Bohemian Melbourne". State Library Victoria. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ The Argus, 6 March 1877, p.10.
- ^ "The Costume Football Match". Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil. Vol. IX, no. 132. Victoria, Australia. 10 September 1881. p. 289. Retrieved 25 May 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ISBN 0909962391.
- ^ Weekly Examiner, 17 February 1877, p.11.
- ISBN 0855610298.
- ^ "WEDNESDAY", ABC Weekly, 8 (14), Sydney: ABC, 20 April 1946, nla.obj-1334063032, retrieved 9 March 2024 – via Trove
- ^ "RADIO PLAYS OF THE WEEK", ABC Weekly, 8 (14), Sydney: ABC, 20 April 1946, nla.obj-1334063300, retrieved 9 March 2024 – via Trove
- Cairns Post. No. 13, 772. Queensland, Australia. 24 April 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 9 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "MARCUS CLARKE". The West Australian. Vol. 62, no. 18, 648. Western Australia. 20 April 1946. p. 5. Retrieved 9 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "National PROGRAMME NEWS Commercial Memorable Week for Listeners", ABC Weekly, 8 (14), Sydney: ABC, 20 April 1946, nla.obj-1334063156, retrieved 9 March 2024 – via Trove
- ^ "CENTENARY OF BIRTH OF MARCUS CLARKE". The Herald. No. 21, 506. Victoria, Australia. 24 April 1946. p. 9. Retrieved 9 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- The Mail (Adelaide). Vol. 34, no. 1, 769. South Australia. 20 April 1946. p. 12. Retrieved 9 March 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Red Page MARCUS CLARKE", The Bulletin., 79 (4103), Sydney, N.S.W: John Haynes and J.F. Archibald, 1 October 1958, nla.obj-702841117, retrieved 9 March 2024 – via Trove
- ^ Hibbins, Gillian (1981). "Marcus Clarke at Dingley". Margin: Life and Letters in Early Australia. 7: 28.
- ^ "Marcus Clarke" (image of postage stamp). Australia Post.
- ^ "Marcus Clarke". Australian Media Hall of Fame. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
Bibliography
- Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. .
Attribution
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Clarke, Marcus Andrew Hislop". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
Further reading
- Clarke, Marcus; Mackinnon, Hamilton (1896), Australian tales (1st ed.), A. & W. Bruce
- Elliott, Brian (1952), Marcus Clarke, Canberra University College, retrieved 28 December 2019
- Simmons, Samuel Rowe; Hergenhan, Laurence Thomas (1975), Marcus Clarke: an annotated checklist, 1863–1972, Wentworth Press, ISBN 978-0-85587-094-2
- Wilding, Michael (1977), Marcus Clarke, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-550508-5
- Michael Wilding (2014), Wild Bleak Bohemia: Marcus Clarke, Adam Lindsay Gordon and Henry Kendall: a Documentary, Australian Scholarly Publishing, ISBN 978-1-925003-80-2
- Michael Wilding (2021), Marcus Clarke: Novelist, Journalist and Bohemian, Australian Scholarly Publishing ISBN 978-1-922454-43-0
External links
- Mennell, Philip (1892). . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
- Works by Marcus Clarke at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about Marcus Clarke at Internet Archive
- Works by Marcus Clarke at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
- Online version of For the Term of His Natural Life
- Henderson, Ian (2002). "There are French Novels and there are French Novels': Charles Reade and the 'Other' Sources of Marcus Clarke's His Natural Life". JASAL. 1.
- Barlow, Damien (2007). "Oh, You're Cutting my Bowels Out!' Sexual Unspeakability in Marcus Clarke's His Natural Life". JASAL. 6.