Writer Lawrence Darrell: Biography and Creativity

This article will be devoted to such well-known English writer as Lawrence Darrell. To date, he is recognized as a classic of the 20th century. It is difficult to imagine, but at the beginning of the career the critic was rather negative about his work. Darrell was accused of pathetic imitation and verbiage, and the characters were called hinged and implausible. Years passed, and time put everything in its place, today there is no doubt about the literary gift of the writer.

Lawrence Darrell: Biography

Lawrence George Darrell was born on February 27, 1912 in the north of India in a small town called Jallandhar, located near Tibet. His parents, the Irish mother of Louise Florence Dixie and the English-father Lawrence Samuel Darrell, were, oddly enough, natives of India. Such a mixture of different nationalities strongly influenced the writer's becoming, and later on his work. Darrell himself believed that he had a "Tibetan mentality."

Getting to know England

Happiness for the little Darrell ended when he turned 11 years old. It was at this time that he was sent to England on a ship so that he could receive a full-fledged education. The historical homeland made a depressing and gloomy impression on the teenager. He called the way of life of the locals an "English death". Remaining completely alien to the English way of life, Darrell did not adapt to the new conditions, resisting the school's regulated life in every way. The result of this resistance was that he failed to pass the entrance exams to the university.

It did not upset Darrell, because at that moment he made a decision that became fatal-he decided to make a career as a writer. At first, he had problems with the definition of his own style both in prose and in poetry, but gradually the writer decided for himself this question.

First publications

In 1931, the future writer moved to London. Here, for the first time in 1932, Lawrence Darrell is published (a poetic collection "A Fanciful Fragment"). Then in 1933 a literary parody on B. Shaw's "Bromo Bombast" was published. This work Lawrence publishes under one of his pseudonyms - Gaffer Pisleik.

In 1935 Darrell, having received a considerable fee from the Greek publishing house, moved to Corfu, where he rented a house. Here, Darrell comes up with another nickname - Charles Norden. Under this name is published the first novel of the writer "Gamel'nskaya Puff of Love", publishing house "Cassel".

Important decisions (1935)

In this year there were two significant events for the writer, which seriously affected his career. First, Lawrence Darrell persuades his mother and wife Nancy to move to him in Corfu (Greece). He argued that this way they can save a little and save themselves from the English winter. Life itself in Greece was a real revelation for Darrell - he realized that his connections with India had broken up. Here he sketches a book, which in the future will turn into a series of "Alexandrian Quartet".

Secondly, Lawrence read the novel "Tropic of Cancer" by Henry Miller, after which he wrote a letter to the author. With this began their strong friendship, which lasted 45 years. Miller and Darrell often corresponded. They were united by the love of literature and the fascination of the Far East. Miller immediately appreciated the literary talent of a new friend and morally supported him when the criticism spoke sharply about the new works of Darrell.

Literary Creativity

In 1936, the second major work of the writer Panic Spring. This name can not be translated into Russian, because it is based on the play of words - this phrase simultaneously denotes the springs of the catapult and panic (formed in the name of Pan, the ancient Greek deity) in the spring.

Parallel to this novel, Lawrence Darrell is working on his first "serious" work, which was called "The Black Book." The novel was published in 1938 in the framework of the "Villa Sera Series", and then in the publishing house "Obelisk Press", which has a scandalous reputation. The publication was possible thanks to the help of G. Miller.

The Second World War

Laurence Darrell is a writer who, like many, had to survive World War II.

In 1939, he entered the service in one of the Greek schools under the auspices of the British Council, an English teacher. However, his pedagogical career did not last long. Already in 1941, on the eve of the capture by the Germans of Korfa, the family of the Darrells had to split up. Mother, taking the two younger sons of Leslie and Gerald (later also became a writer) goes to England. Margot, Lawrence's sister, originally intended to stay at Corfu, but later was taken out by one of the English pilots, who later became her husband. Lawrence himself with his wife and one-year-old daughter Penelope go to Crete, and then run to Cairo.

Already in Cairo, relations with his wife deteriorate, and Darrell in 1942, sent to Alexandria, where he meets Eva Cohen, which will be the prototype of the main character of the book "Justine." In Alexandria Lawrence took the post of press officer of the British Information Service. Most of all in the service of the writer he was attracted to the fact that he could observe those feelings, opinions and personalities that only the military Alexandria, serving as a place of crossing of the West and the East, could create.

Postwar years

In mid-1945, Lawrence Darrell (a photo of the writer can be seen in this article) again returns to Greece, releasing, he said, from the "Egyptian prison". His first stop is Rhodes, where he has been Director of Public Relations for two years. Then in 1947 Darrell went to Argentina to take the place of the director of the British Institute in Cordoba.

Since 1949, the writer lives in Belgrade (Yugoslavia), working as a press attache in the British Embassy. In 1952 he left this post and moved to Cyprus, where he plans to devote his time to literature. At this time he earns living by teaching English. However, a year later in Cyprus, a war broke out between the Turks who wanted independence, the Greeks seeking to annex the country to Greece, and the British, who wanted to keep all the islands under their control. At this time, Darrell leaves teaching and works in Nicosia as an officer in charge of public relations. The events of these tragic years were reflected in the book "Bitter Lemons", published in 1957.

Major works

Even in Cyprus, the writer began working on the book "Justine", which became the first part of the "Alexandria Quartet." The cycle was completed in 1956, and the novels were published from 1957 to 1961. This work was a huge success not only among readers, but also critics.

In subsequent years, Darrell wrote two more major cycles: "Avignon Quintet" and "The Rise of Aphrodite." However, none of these works were as successful as the "quartet". He did not leave a writer and poetry, in 1980 he published a collection of his poems, called Collected Poems.

Personal life

Four times married Lawrence Durrell. The personal life of the writer was as rich in events as his career.

His first wife was Nancy Myers. The exact year of their wedding is not indicated anywhere, but it is known that in 1935 they were already a husband and wife. In 1940, the couple had a daughter, Penelope. However, after 2 years Darrell broke off all relations with his wife and went to Alexandria. Nancy, in turn, went with her little Penelope to Jerusalem.

In Alexandria, the writer meets Eva Cohen, they have a romance. Darrell everywhere takes the girl with her as a personal secretary. Despite a close relationship, Lawrence divorces Nancy only in 1946, and a year later marries Eva. In 1950, a couple is born a daughter, who is called Sappho.

Eva suffers from a mental disorder, and in 1951 her condition worsens. In 1953, a woman experiences a nervous breakdown. The relationship between the writer and his wife is getting worse.

In 1957, Darrell moved to Provence with Claude Vansendon, his new wife. And in 1966 the couple moved to Saumiere, where Lawrence will live the rest of his life. Claude is diagnosed with cancer, from which she dies in 1967 in the Zurich hospital.

Darrell again married in 1974 on Jislen de Boisson, model. However, the marriage did not last long, after 5 years the couple divorced.

The writer died on November 7, 1990 in his own house in France.

Lawrence Darrell: interesting facts from life

Strictly speaking, the whole life of the writer can be called an interesting fact - few people were pressed to travel so much and change professions like him. Nevertheless, the perception of Darrell in our country is curious.

Despite its incredible popularity in Europe, in Russia the writer is known as the brother of Gerald Darrell, a naturalist writer.

He is also the author of several scenarios for movies by Lawrence Darrell, interesting facts about which we now list. In addition, he starred in a number of paintings, and in the films Henry Miller and "The World in War" he played himself.

The Alexandrian Quartet

This is the very first cycle of the writer. In addition, according to critics, this is the best that Laurence Darrell ever wrote. "Balthasar" - the 2nd book of the series is the most popular among readers.

The cycle itself tells about human relationships, feelings and ruthless laws of life. And if the first novel "Justine" is a love story, the second, "Balthasar", reveals in this story a political and detective subtext. It can be said that each subsequent book changes the perception of the reader, allowing you to see what is happening on the other side.

Also in the cycle are the novels "Mountolive", the events of which are described on behalf of David Mountolive, and "Clea", which sums up everything that has been described in the previous books of the series.