John Galsworthy: Biography, Books & More

John Galsworthy was an English novelist and playwright, who is best known for his trilogy of novels called The Forsyte Saga, A Modern Comedy, and End of the Chapter. His works reflect his deep concern for social issues which earned him the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature. Read more to know about the biography of John Galsworthy along with his famous works.

Overview About John Galsworthy
Full Name	John Galsworthy
Birth	14 August, 1867
Career	Novelist, Playwright
Famous Works	The Forsyte Saga, A Modern Comedy, End of the Chapter
Awards	Nobel Prize in Literature (1932)
Major Themes	Social issues, family dynamics and Ethical problems
Death	31 January, 1933

John Galsworthy Biography

John Galsworthy was born on 14 August 1867 in Kingston Hill, Surrey to John Galsworthy Sr., a successful London solicitor, and Blanche Bailey.

• He was raised in a prosperous upper-middle-class family. 
• John Galsworthy was educated by a governess until the age of nine, after which he attended Saugeen, a preparatory school in Bournemouth. 
• Later, he went to Harrow School, where he developed his skills in athletics and participated in the Oxford University Dramatic Society during his time at New College, Oxford.
• In 1905, Galsworthy married Ada G Pearson, who had previously been married to his cousin. Ada significantly helped him develop as a writer, encouraging and supporting his literary quests.

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Career of John Galsworthy

The career of John Galsworthy started with the practice of Law, as his father, who was also a solicitor. 

• He started his legal career when he was called by the bar in 1890 
• During this, he undertook a voyage around the world, exploring territories for specialising in Marine Law.
• However, he found the law to be uncongenial and thus moved his career choice towards writing.

The transition from Law to Literature

Although destined for a legal career, Galsworthy’s passion for writing soon took precedence. 

• His first book, a volume of short stories titled From the Four Winds, was published in 1897, and Jocelyn in 1898, but with the pseudonym “John Sinjohn”
• John started using his real name in the book The Island Pharisees (1904).

First Major Successes

In 1906, Galsworthy’s first play, “The Silver Box”, was staged, hence, here began his dual career as a novelist and playwright. His early works were a showcase of a strong social message, whereby addressing issues such as workers’ rights, the justice system and the position of women in society. His work was however recognized with the book “The Man of Property” in 1906, the first novel of The Forsyte Saga.

The Forsyte Saga

Galsworthy’s most famous work is The Forsyte Saga, which began with The Man of Property (1906). This series is the tale of the lives of three generations of the Forsyte family, portraying their wealth and moral struggles. The important novels were – 

Novel	Year
The Man of Property	1906
Indian Summer of a Forsyte	1918
In Chancery	1920
Awakening	1920
To Let	1921

Books by John Galsworthy

Some of his famous works and achievements are – 

Work	Year	Type	Themes
From the Four Winds	1897	Short stories	Early literary efforts
The Man of Property	1906	Novel	Wealth, family dynamics
The Forsyte Saga	1922	Trilogy	Family saga, social change
A Modern Comedy	1929	Trilogy	Continuation of Forsyte family saga
End of the Chapter	1934	Trilogy	The final instalment of the Forsyte family saga

• Galsworthy continued the story of the Forsyte family in a subsequent series, A Modern Comedy, which included – 

Novel	Year
The White Monkey	1924
The Silver Spoon	1926
Swan Song	1928

• Apart from the Forsyte series, Galsworthy wrote several other popular novels, such as The Country House (1907), The Patrician (1911), and The Freelands (1915).

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Playwriting Career

Galsworthy was also a successful dramatist, addressing social and ethical issues through his plays. His playwriting works were – 

Play	Year	Theme
The Silver Box	1906	Contrast of law’s treatment of classes
Strife	1909	Industrial relations
Justice	1910	Prison life and reform
Loyalties	1922	Ethical dilemmas

Awards and Honors

In 1932, Galsworthy was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, recognizing his outstanding contribution to literature and his advocacy for social causes.

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Death and Legacy

In his later years, Galsworthy continued to campaign for social reforms, addressing issues such as humane animal slaughter and opposing censorship and aerial warfare.

John Galsworthy died on 31st January 1933. Amongst his works in English literature, The Forsyte Saga is considered a classic. 

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