The simplest definition of prison literature is writing that was authored in confinement against own will. The writer could be confined in a prison, in an ordinary jail or under house arrest. Such environment has produced incredible fiction, non-fiction, memoirs, press articles and plays, among other scripts. It is the writer who is imprisoned, writing about imprisonment or informed by confinement experience.
The earliest work by a prisoner was done by Boethius and was titled Consolation of Philosophy. It was written in 524 AD. It opened a genre of writing that has continued to grow over the years. Other writers have followed his footsteps including notable personalities like Martin Luther and Napoleon Bonaparte. Luther produced the German translation of the New Testament while under arrest. Bonaparte dictated his memoirs in the same condition. They became best sellers later in the nineteenth century.
Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of the authors whose writing was informed by imprisonment. His four years in Siberia for joining an intellectual movement had significant impact on his writing career. He began arguing against socialist and nihilist points of view. His trademark themes were humility and suffering that were advocated at the time. This made his writing very complex and dark.
The nature of prisons does not allow writers to access decent writing materials. They use waste papers and their manuscripts have to be smuggled out in secrecy at a certain point. Writers who have penned about their experiences include William Sydney Porter who used the name O Henry to produce 14 stories. Ken Saro Wiwa wrote about a naive soldier living behind bars in a book entitled Sozaboy.
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.
Chris Ambani, a Nigerian author documented his experiences in a book called Kalakuta Republic. Ngugi wa Thiongo produced a diary entitled Detained, A Prisoners Diary that was published in 1981. Several notable women writers have produced incredible works that while under arrest. They include Madame Roland from Paris, Krystyna Wituska from Berlin, Nawal El Saadawi in Egypt and Joan Henry from England. Precious Bedell produced her works in New York while Beatrice Saubin wrote from Malysia.
Prisoners have written to pass time especially the incarcerated intellectuals. Organizations have been organizing writing forums for prisoners in an attempt to tap into their thoughts. This genre has been used to fuel revolutions and contribute to debates outside prisons, either directly or indirectly.
Prison literature thrives on the experiences, philosophy and thoughts of imprisoned people. Prisoners are encouraged to write in order to overcome the trauma or as a therapeutic act of cleansing their minds of the horror behind bars. It allows them to reconcile with imprisonment.
The earliest work by a prisoner was done by Boethius and was titled Consolation of Philosophy. It was written in 524 AD. It opened a genre of writing that has continued to grow over the years. Other writers have followed his footsteps including notable personalities like Martin Luther and Napoleon Bonaparte. Luther produced the German translation of the New Testament while under arrest. Bonaparte dictated his memoirs in the same condition. They became best sellers later in the nineteenth century.
Fyodor Dostoevsky is one of the authors whose writing was informed by imprisonment. His four years in Siberia for joining an intellectual movement had significant impact on his writing career. He began arguing against socialist and nihilist points of view. His trademark themes were humility and suffering that were advocated at the time. This made his writing very complex and dark.
The nature of prisons does not allow writers to access decent writing materials. They use waste papers and their manuscripts have to be smuggled out in secrecy at a certain point. Writers who have penned about their experiences include William Sydney Porter who used the name O Henry to produce 14 stories. Ken Saro Wiwa wrote about a naive soldier living behind bars in a book entitled Sozaboy.
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.
Chris Ambani, a Nigerian author documented his experiences in a book called Kalakuta Republic. Ngugi wa Thiongo produced a diary entitled Detained, A Prisoners Diary that was published in 1981. Several notable women writers have produced incredible works that while under arrest. They include Madame Roland from Paris, Krystyna Wituska from Berlin, Nawal El Saadawi in Egypt and Joan Henry from England. Precious Bedell produced her works in New York while Beatrice Saubin wrote from Malysia.
Prisoners have written to pass time especially the incarcerated intellectuals. Organizations have been organizing writing forums for prisoners in an attempt to tap into their thoughts. This genre has been used to fuel revolutions and contribute to debates outside prisons, either directly or indirectly.
Prison literature thrives on the experiences, philosophy and thoughts of imprisoned people. Prisoners are encouraged to write in order to overcome the trauma or as a therapeutic act of cleansing their minds of the horror behind bars. It allows them to reconcile with imprisonment.
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