Marcus Clarke

The most famous work by the Australian novelist and poet, For the Term of His Natural Life is a powerful tale of an Australian penal settlement, which originally appeared in serial form in a Melbourne paper.

For the Term of His Natural Life

George Ivan Smith

Im Jahre 1834 wird die Strafkolonie Vandiemensland, die „natürliche Besserungsanstalt“ Seiner Britischen Majestät, zum Schauplatz eines aufsehenerregenden Geschehens. Zehn Gefangene bemächtigen sich in einem tollkühnen Handstreich der Brigg Osprey und suchen mit ihr das Weite, nachdem sie Mrs. Wickers, die Frau des Kommandanten von Macquarie Harbour, ihre zwölfjährige Tochter Sylvia und die beiden Schiffsoffiziere an der unbewohnten Küste ausgesetzt haben. Die schwerkranke Frau stirbt: in Sylvia, die tagelang in tiefer Bewusstlosigkeit liegt, ist jede Erinnerung an gute und böse Erlebnisse ausgelöscht. Wie der entflohene Sträfling Rufus Daws zu der kleinen Gemeinschaft stieß, welche Rolle er spielte und wer den Bau des rettenden Bootes bewerkstelligte, das zu erklären, bleibt Leutnant Frere vorbehalten, den alle Welt als den heldenmütigen Retter der kleinen Sylvia feiert. Die tragische Verwicklung, die dem Sträfling Rufus Daws zum Verhängnis werden und gleichzeitig das Schicksal des Mädchens Sylvia bestimmen, sind keineswegs das einzige Spannungselement dieses erregenden Buches. Eine sehr Herzergreifende Geschichte, noch dazu Unschuldig. Am Ende kommen die Beiden zusammen, aber um was für einen Preis....

Lebenslänglich

Notable events in early Australian history.

Old Tales of a Young Country

Im Jahre 1834 wird die Strafkolonie Vandiemensland, die "natürliche Besserungsanstalt" Seiner Britischen Majestät, zum Schauplatz eines aufsehenerregenden Geschehens. Zehn Gefangene bemächtigen sich in einem tollkühnen Handstreich der Brigg Osprey und suchen mit ihr das Weite, nachdem sie Mrs. Wickers, die Frau des Kommandanten von Macquarie Harbour, ihre zwölfjährige Tochter Sylvia und die beiden Schiffsoffiziere an der unbewohnten Küste ausgesetzt haben. Die schwerkranke Frau stirbt: in Sylvia, die tagelang in tiefer Bewusstlosigkeit liegt, ist jede Erinnerung an gute und böse Erlebnisse ausgelöscht. Wie der entflohene Sträfling Rufus Daws zu der kleinen Gemeinschaft stieß, welche Rolle er spielte und wer den Bau des rettenden Bootes bewerkstelligte, das zu erklären, bleibt Leutnant Frere vorbehalten, den alle Welt als den heldenmütigen Retter der kleinen Sylvia feiert. Die tragische Verwicklung, die dem Sträfling Rufus Daws zum Verhängnis werden und gleichzeitig das Schicksal des Mädchens Sylvia bestimmen, sind keineswegs das einzige Spannungselement dieses erregenden Buches. Aus dem "Abenteuerroman über die Strafkolonie Vandiemensland, wurde durch seine bewundernswerte epische Gestaltungskraft und ein großes psychologisches Einfühlungsvermögen ein Werk, das zwar alle Elemente des Abenteuerlichen in sich trägt, aus dem aber vor allem eine tiefe Menschlichkeit spricht. Wer einmal angefangen hat darin zu lesen, kann einfach nicht mehr aufhören. Eine sehr Herzergreifende Geschichte, noch dazu Unschuldig. Am Ende kommen die Beiden zusammen ...was für ein Preis...selbst lesen.

For the Term of His Natural Life By Marcus Clarke For the Term of His Natural Life, written by Marcus Clarke, was published in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872 (as His Natural Life), appearing as a novel in 1874. The story starts with a prologue, telling the tale of young British aristocrat, Richard Devine, who is the son of a shipbuilding magnate, Sir Richard Devine. In an incidence of domestic violence, Richard's mother reveals to Sir Richard that his son was fathered by another man, Lord Bellasis. Sir Richard proceeds to threaten the mother's reputation if Richard does not leave and never come back. He leaves him to pack for a while, claiming that he will fetch his lawyer to alter his will so that Richard receives no inheritance. When Richard leaves, he comes across a murder scene: his biological father, Lord Bellasis has been murdered, and Richard witnesses Sir Richard walking away from the scene of the crime. The police come and lock up Richard, who now gives his name as Rufus Dawes (which is used for the remainder of the book), for the murder of Lord Bellasis. Additionally, Sir Richard returns home and dies straight away, possibly of a heart-attack, without altering his will. Rufus Dawes/Richard Devine never finds this out. Rufus is found not guilty of the murder but guilty of the robbery of the corpse and sentenced to transportation to the penal colony of Australia.

Reproduction of the original: For the Term of His Natural Life by Marcus Clarke

This is probably the best-known work of this Australian author. It features an English aristocrat, Richard Devine, who is sentenced to life imprisonment and is sent to the notorious penal colony of Port St Arthur in Tasmania. To spare the anguish of his mother, Devine takes on a new identity and becomes Rufus Dawes.

A Novel

Heavy Odds

P. Abbott

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Teach Yourself Mechanics

Containing Selections from the Writings of Marcus Clarke, Together with Lord Rosebery's Letter, Etc., and a Biography of the Deceased Author

The Marcus Clarke Memorial Volume

The Peripatetic Philosopher

Michael Roe

Elizabeth Webby

Marcus Andrew Hislop Clarke

His Natural Life has retained Australian classic status for over one hundred years. Scarcely ever out of print since first written during the early 1870s, it has provided successive generations with a vivid account of a brutal phase of colonial life. The main focus of this great convict novel is the complex interaction between those in power and those who suffer, made meaningful because of its hero's struggle against the destructiveness of his wrongful imprisonment. While much of the story is necessarily grim, Marcus Clarke has used elements of romance, incidents of family life and passages of scenic description to both relieve and give emphasis to the tragedy that forms its heart.

His Natural Life

În Londra secolului al XIX-lea, Sir Richard Devine este condamnat pentru o crimă pe care nu a comis-o și deportat în cumplitele colonii penitenciare din Tasmania de astăzi. Luându-și un alt nume, ca să nu păteze reputația mamei sale, el descoperă la sosirea în Tasmania o lume subumană, în care legea o fac trădarea, cruzimea și sălbăticia, iar singura alinare este prezența diafană a Sylviei, soția nemilosului căpitan Frere. Dar când se ivește ocazia, este oare evadarea posibilă? Mâna destinului se întinde uneori dincolo de puterea noastră de înțelegere. „Un roman despre crimă și pedeapsă, despre capriciile sorții, despre puterea iubirii și a vinovăției, dar mai ales despre abisurile cruzimii.“ Australian Book Review

Marcus Clarke

About

Books

Join the club