Lecture 15 Jerome k. Jerome

1859-1927

In the history of English literature Jerome K. Jerome occupies a modest place. He cannot be compared with such literary figures as Dickens, Thackeray or Bernard Shaw, but he is well known as a writer-humorist not only in his country but in the other countries too.

Jerome Klapka Jerome was born in England, on May 2, 1859 in the family of a ruined businessman. The family moved to London, but there father was unsuccessful too and could not pay his debts. Jerome's childhood was poor and sad. He could not finish school because his father died in 1871 and the boy had to begin working to support his family. With the help of his father's old friend he got the place of a clerk in the London Railway Office and received two pounds a week.

Office work did not interest Jerome and he took up teachingjoumalism and acting. For three years he was an actor, first in amateur performances, later at small theatres. He had to play different parts. In "Hamlet", as he wrote about it later, he had to play all the parts except that of Ophelia. But he had very little money and often went hungry and had no place to sleep in.

In his free moments Jerome tried to write. He wrote plays, stories, and articles. But nothing was published.

His first literary success was a one-act comedy which was performed in the Globe Theatre in 1886 and ran there for some time. In 1889 a collection of his articles and short stones about theatre life was published. At the same time Jerome began to publish some of his articles which later made up a book under the title "The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow". This book became very popular in England. During four years it was published one hundred and five times. [41]

In the same year, Jerome's best book "Three Men in а Boat' also came out. "The Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow'" and "Three Men in a Boat" made the author famous. The books were translated into several European languages.

In the following years Jerome produced several books and plays. He went travelling all over Europe and in 1899 he visited Petersburg where he was met with enthusiasm. He knew Russian literature well and it influenced some of his books. Jerome K. Jerome also tried to write serious books but the readers did not like them. Several times Jerome expressed his anticolonial views on the policy of Britain in China and other countries of the East. He also criticized German imperialism. Jerome's last book was his autobiography "My Life and Time". He died in 1927.

Answer the questions

1. When and where was Jerome K. Jerome born?

2. What was his father?

3. How old was the boy when he began to work?

4. What was Jerome's first profession?

5. What did he do in his free moments?

6. What did he try to write?

7. What book was his first literary success?

8. What was Jerome's next publication?

9. What was Jerome's best book that made him famous? [42]