Prison literature is referred to as writing produced when the author is confined against personal will. The location of confinement could be a prison, house arrest or in jail. It takes the form of plays, fiction, memoirs, non-fiction and at times writing to regular press. It is about confinement, informed by the confinement or produced when the author was confined.
Notable pioneers of this literary genre included Boethius who wrote Consolation of Philosophy under arrest as early as 524 AD. This is considers an excellent pace setting book. It inspired other people to pickup the subject and produce more books. It is under arrest that Martin Luther is said to have translated the entire New Testament from English to German. The memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, which became hits in the nineteenth century, were dictated to the writer when he was incarcerated.
Life behind bars has the potential of changing the entire human person. An example is Fyodor Dostoevsky who changed style and content because of imprisonment. He was accused of being a member of an illegal intellectual movement. His earlier works were about suffering and humility. After release, the themes of his writing changed to make him a fierce critic of nihilist and socialist views. His works became dark and complex.
The environment offered by prisons is not very conducive for writing. The manuscripts have been smuggled by relatives or guards. Some are tissue papers while others are paper scraps. Some notable writers who have defied such odds include Ken Saro Wiwa who wrote Sozaboy, a book about an innocent soldier who was taken behind bars. William Porter Sydney adopted the name O Henry and used it to write 14 books.
Mahmoud Dowlatabadi has a fascinating tale about his book Missing Soluch. It documents his experience in an Iranian prison in 500 pages. He did not have a pen or a paper when he was imprisoned. He wrote the book on his mind and waited for his release so that he could transfer it to paper. He took 70 days to complete the transfer.
Some literary icons have produced incredible works while confined behind in different prisons. They include Chris Ambani, a Nigerian who documented his experience in Kalakuta Republic. The other example is Ngugi wa Thiongo who compiled his memoirs in a collection entitled Detained, A Prisoners Diary. The diary was published in 1981. Women who have contributed in this genre include Precious B from New York, Madam Roland from France, Nawal El Saadawi in Egypt and Beatrice Saubin who wrote from Malaysia.
Writing is considered an activity to pass time while a prisoner is confined. The large number of people in jails has been of concern to organizations who seek to offer an avenue for the prisoners to share their knowledge. This form of writing has also been used to fuel or contribute to debates going on beyond the high walls. It has contributed to revolutions in history.
Prison literature captures the thoughts, philosophy and experiences of people behind bars. Imprisonment can cause psychological issues. Writing helps the victims to come to terms with horrific scenes behind bars. The horror of imprisonment is documented in the works of prisoners.
Notable pioneers of this literary genre included Boethius who wrote Consolation of Philosophy under arrest as early as 524 AD. This is considers an excellent pace setting book. It inspired other people to pickup the subject and produce more books. It is under arrest that Martin Luther is said to have translated the entire New Testament from English to German. The memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, which became hits in the nineteenth century, were dictated to the writer when he was incarcerated.
Life behind bars has the potential of changing the entire human person. An example is Fyodor Dostoevsky who changed style and content because of imprisonment. He was accused of being a member of an illegal intellectual movement. His earlier works were about suffering and humility. After release, the themes of his writing changed to make him a fierce critic of nihilist and socialist views. His works became dark and complex.
The environment offered by prisons is not very conducive for writing. The manuscripts have been smuggled by relatives or guards. Some are tissue papers while others are paper scraps. Some notable writers who have defied such odds include Ken Saro Wiwa who wrote Sozaboy, a book about an innocent soldier who was taken behind bars. William Porter Sydney adopted the name O Henry and used it to write 14 books.
Mahmoud Dowlatabadi has a fascinating tale about his book Missing Soluch. It documents his experience in an Iranian prison in 500 pages. He did not have a pen or a paper when he was imprisoned. He wrote the book on his mind and waited for his release so that he could transfer it to paper. He took 70 days to complete the transfer.
Some literary icons have produced incredible works while confined behind in different prisons. They include Chris Ambani, a Nigerian who documented his experience in Kalakuta Republic. The other example is Ngugi wa Thiongo who compiled his memoirs in a collection entitled Detained, A Prisoners Diary. The diary was published in 1981. Women who have contributed in this genre include Precious B from New York, Madam Roland from France, Nawal El Saadawi in Egypt and Beatrice Saubin who wrote from Malaysia.
Writing is considered an activity to pass time while a prisoner is confined. The large number of people in jails has been of concern to organizations who seek to offer an avenue for the prisoners to share their knowledge. This form of writing has also been used to fuel or contribute to debates going on beyond the high walls. It has contributed to revolutions in history.
Prison literature captures the thoughts, philosophy and experiences of people behind bars. Imprisonment can cause psychological issues. Writing helps the victims to come to terms with horrific scenes behind bars. The horror of imprisonment is documented in the works of prisoners.
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