Prison literature has been defined as writing by authors who are confined against their own will. Confinement comes in different forms including house arrests, ordinary jails or real prisons. Prisoners have used their time behind bars to produce incredible memoirs, fiction, non-fiction, essays, plays and articles to the press. A broader view is work where the author is imprisoned, writing about his experiences or whose writing is inspired by life behind bars.
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.
Some of the works produced while the authors were confined were scribbled on waste papers. Writers in other parts of the world who have produced remarkable works include Ken Saro Wiwa who wrote Sozaboy before he was executed. The subject was a naive soldier who was imprisoned. William Sydney Porter produced 14 stories under the pseudonym O Henry.
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.
Amazing books have been written about experiences behind bars. They include the works by Ngugi wa Thiongo which he called Detained A Prisoners Diary. This book was released in 1981. Kalakuta Republic was written by a Nigerian author by the name Ambani Chris. It captures his accounts when he was imprisoned. Women writers have included Beatrice Saubin from Malysia, Bedell Precious from New York, Joan Henry writing from England, Nawal El Saadawi from Egypt, Madam Roland who wrote from Paris and Krystyna Wituska who came from Berlin.
Part of the writing that takes place in prisons is meant to pass time. Intellectuals who are imprisoned want to engage their minds. Organizations have supported prisoners to write by providing them with materials and publishing them. The aim is to offer them room for expression. Writers have used this kind of writing to fuel revolutions and keep alive debates over national issues.
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.
Some of the works produced while the authors were confined were scribbled on waste papers. Writers in other parts of the world who have produced remarkable works include Ken Saro Wiwa who wrote Sozaboy before he was executed. The subject was a naive soldier who was imprisoned. William Sydney Porter produced 14 stories under the pseudonym O Henry.
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.
Amazing books have been written about experiences behind bars. They include the works by Ngugi wa Thiongo which he called Detained A Prisoners Diary. This book was released in 1981. Kalakuta Republic was written by a Nigerian author by the name Ambani Chris. It captures his accounts when he was imprisoned. Women writers have included Beatrice Saubin from Malysia, Bedell Precious from New York, Joan Henry writing from England, Nawal El Saadawi from Egypt, Madam Roland who wrote from Paris and Krystyna Wituska who came from Berlin.
Part of the writing that takes place in prisons is meant to pass time. Intellectuals who are imprisoned want to engage their minds. Organizations have supported prisoners to write by providing them with materials and publishing them. The aim is to offer them room for expression. Writers have used this kind of writing to fuel revolutions and keep alive debates over national issues.
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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