J. Galsworthy the Man of Property

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"The Forsyte Saga" John Galsworthy was educated at Harrow and studied law at New College, Oxford. He travelled widely and at the age of twenty-eight began to write, at first for his own amusement. His first stories were published under the pseudonym John Sinjohn and later were withdrawn. He considered The Island Pharisees his first important work. As a novelist Galsworthy is chiefly known for The Forsyte Saga. The first novel of this vast work appeared in 1906. The Man of Property was a harsh criticism of the upper middle classes, Galsworthy's own background. 1. What are the most important aspects of the author’s literary work and style? John Galsworthy was a dramatist and novelist. His reputation rests on the survey’s of upper class English life, especially the ‘Forsyte Saga’ sequence. After World war-I Galsworthy came under severe criticism by new generation writers like D. H. Lawrence, Virginia Wolfe etc. As a dramatist his plays dramatized ethical problems arising from social issues. Galsworthy style usually examines some controversial ethical or social problem. For instance, The Silver Box, which, like many of his other works, has a legal theme and depicts a bitter contrast of the law’s treatment of the rich and the poor; Strife, a study of industrial relations; Justice, a realistic portrayal of prison life that roused so much feeling that it led to reform, etc. 2 Summarize the events described in the extract. The extract portrays us the lives of three generations of a large, upper middle-class family at the turn of the century. Having recently risen to wealth and success in the profession and business world, the Forsytes are tenaciously clannish and anxious to increase their wealth. They get together for a big celebration and have small conversations with one another about other members of the family as well as about the upcoming
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