George Gissing
George Gissing
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Full Name and Common Aliases
George Robert Gissing was born on December 22, 1857, in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. He is commonly known as George Gissing.
Birth and Death Dates
Born: December 22, 1857
Died: December 28, 1903 (aged 46)
Nationality and Profession(s)
Gissing was an English novelist, short story writer, and social critic. His work is often associated with the literary movement of Realism.
Early Life and Background
George Gissing's early life was marked by hardship and struggle. He was born into a family of modest means, and his father died when he was just seven years old. His mother struggled to provide for her children, and George was eventually sent to live with an aunt in London. He attended a series of schools, but his academic performance was inconsistent due to difficulties with discipline.
Gissing's love for reading and writing began early on. He devoured novels by authors such as Charles Dickens and the Brontë sisters, which would later influence his own writing style. Despite his family's financial struggles, Gissing managed to secure a scholarship to the nearby University College School in London. However, he soon dropped out due to poverty.
Major Accomplishments
Gissing's writing career began in the late 1880s, and he quickly gained recognition for his insightful portrayals of working-class life in Victorian England. His novels explored themes of poverty, social inequality, and the struggles of everyday people.
Some of Gissing's notable works include:
New Grub Street (1891) - a novel that satirizes the lives of struggling writers in late-Victorian London
The Odd Women (1893) - a novel that explores the lives of single women in Victorian England and their struggles with social expectations
* Erewhon (1895) - a utopian novel set on a fictional island where the inhabitants have created a society based on reason and science
Notable Works or Actions
Gissing's writing often reflected his own experiences with poverty, illness, and personal struggle. He suffered from poor health throughout his life, including bouts of rheumatic fever and typhoid. Despite these challenges, he continued to write prolifically until his death in 1903.
In addition to his novels, Gissing was also known for his essays on literature and social issues. His work often sparked controversy due to its unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of Victorian life.
Impact and Legacy
George Gissing's impact on English literature is undeniable. He helped to establish Realism as a major literary movement in England, paving the way for authors like Arnold Bennett and H.G. Wells.
Gissing's work continues to be widely read and studied today due to its unique blend of social commentary and literary style. His novels provide valuable insights into the lives of ordinary people during one of the most tumultuous periods in English history.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
George Gissing is remembered for his unflinching portrayals of poverty, inequality, and social struggle in Victorian England. His work continues to resonate with readers today due to its timeless themes and vivid characters. As a writer, he was committed to exploring the complexities of human experience, often using satire and social commentary to highlight the injustices of his time.
Gissing's legacy extends beyond his literary contributions. He has inspired generations of writers and artists who have been drawn to his unique blend of social critique and literary innovation. His work serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of empathy, understanding, and social justice in our own times.
Quotes by George Gissing
George Gissing's insights on:
Money is made at Christmas out of holly and mistletoe, but who save the vendors would greatly care if no green branch were procurable? One symbol, indeed, has obscured all others – the minted round of metal. And one may safely say that, of all the ages since a coin first became the symbol of power, ours is that in which it yields to the majority of its possessors the poorest return in heart’s contentment.
Poverty will make the best people bad, if it gets hard enough. Why there’s so much of it in the world, I’m sure I can’t see.
Indolence had a great part in his temperament; a book, a sunny corner, and entire tranquillity, formed his ideal of supportable existence.
She had dreamed her dream, and on awaking must be content to take up the day’s duties. Just in the same way, when she was a child at Mrs. Peckover’s, did not sleep often bring a vision of happiness, of freedom from bitter tasks, and had she not to wake in the miserable mornings, trembling lest she had lain too long? Her condition was greatly better than then, so much better that it seemed wicked folly to lament because one joy was not granted her. –.
He inspired no distrust; his good nature seemed all-pervading; he had the air of one who lavishes disinterested counsel, and ever so little exalts himself with his facile exuberance of speech. The Whirlpool.
But we have no money. Suffer as we may, there’s no help for it – because we have no money. Lives may be wasted – worse, far worse than wasted – just because there is no money. At this moment a whole world of men and women is in pain and sorrow – because they have no money. How often have we said that? The world is made so; everything has to be bought with money.
People have got that ancient prejudice so firmly rooted in their heads that one mustn’t write save at I the dictation of the Holy Spirit. I tell you, writing is a business.