Themes and the context

Decline of patriarchal families (generation gap): a new generation was agnostic (szabadgondolkosó), politically committed, sexually promiscuous). Lack of communication between people (war of sexes). The class war (Social Reforms didn’t change the discrepancy between classes: the new generation was better educated but with few possibilities of success).

 

John Galsworthy. The Silver Box

Birth

On 14^th August 1867. At Kingston Hill in Surrey, England, into an established wealthy family. Son of John and Blanche Bailey Galsworthy. His large Kingston upon Thames estate is now the site of three schools Marymount International, Rokeby Preparatory School, Holy Cross

Education

Attended Harrow and New College, Oxford, training as a barrister, was called to the bar in 1890. However, he was not keen to begin practicing law

Travels

travelled abroad to look after the family's shipping business interests. During these travels he met Joseph Conrad, then the first mate of a sailing-ship moored in the harbour of Adelaide, Australia; the two future novelists became close friends

Marriage

In 1895 Galsworthy began an affair with Ada Nemesis Pearson Cooper, the wife of Maj. Arthur Galsworthy, one of his cousins. After her divorce ten years later, the pair married on 23^rd September 1905 and stayed together until his death in 1933.

Writing Career

From the Four Winds, a collection of short stories, was Galsworthy's first published work in 1897. These, and several subsequent works, were published under the pen name John Sinjohn. In 1904 he began publishing under his own name, probably owing to the death of his father. His first play, The Silver Box(1906), became a success and he followed it up with The Man of Property (1906), the first in the Forsyte trilogy. Along with George Bernard Shaw, his plays addressed the class system and social issues. Two best known plays are Strife (1909) and The Skin Game (1920). Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1932. He was too ill to attend the Nobel awards ceremony. Died six weeks later.

Death

John Galsworthy lived for the final seven years of his life at Bury in West Sussex. He died from a brain tumour on 31^st January 1933 at his London home, Grove Lodge, Hampstead. In accordance with his will he was cremated at Woking and his ashes scattered over the South Downs from an aero plane.