Olive Schreiner

Olive Schreiner (March 24th 1855 - December 11th 1920) was a writer E of South Africa, Pacifiste and militant policy.

Biography

Ninth of 12 children, Olive Schreiner was born in 1855 in the territories from the Basoutholand in the east from the Colonie from the Cape. It is the girl of a Pasteur German Méthodiste Gottlob Schreiner and of Rebecca born Lyndall, both missionaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society

Olive is only 6 years old when his/her father is affected by his church in the Eastern territories of the Colonie of the Cape. Implied in traffics with the natives, it is little of time after excluded from the order missionary. It launches out then in the businesses but without success. Its family finds itself then in misery.

In 1867, Olive is sent in his older brother, Theophilus Schreiner, Master of class to Cradock. It receives a primary school education there. Having very early disavowed the religious faith of his/her parents, it feels badly at ease in the austere and puritan environment of Cradock.

When his/her brother leaves to try his chance on the diamantiferous fields of the Griqualand western, Olive Schreiner settles with Barkly East where it meets Willie Bertram which makes known to him the philosophical principles of Herbert Spencer to which it adheres.

During several years, it accumulates the stations of controlling children. It ends up turning over to live a time with her parents then with her brothers.

In 1874, it is in parents that she is discovered asthmatic. While starting to write, it continues to work like controlling.

In 1880, having saved enough money, it leaves to Edinburgh in Scotland where it exerts the trade of nurse. In 1881, it settles with Southampton in England. It tries to follow studies of medicine but handicapped by its Asthme, it must give up and concentrate on the writing to earn its living. In 1883, under the pseudonym of Ralph Iron, it publishes the history of a African farm , written following two semi-autobiographical novels, more or less completed which will be published only after its death. Success is immediate. During the seven years which follow, it holds an important place in the literary and political life of England. Cotoyant many Socialist S and free-thinkers such Karl Pearson, it adheres to an organization Progressiste and the feminist movement, where, in company in particular of Eleanor Marx, the girl of Karl Marx, it takes the defense of the exploited workers, the prostitutes, the women beaten, or given up in misery. Friend and mistress of Havelock Elect starting from 1884, it continues at its sides a reflection on the Sexualité.

In 1886, it settles on the continent of Europe and travels in France, Suisse and Italy before returning to England.

In 1889, it turns over to South Africa where it is implied in the political life of the colony of the Cape. It is initially favorable to Cecil John Rhodos before becoming a savage adversary about it. It thus produces many polemical texts, in particular where it criticizes the annexation of future the Southern Rhodesia by Cecil Rhodos and its partisans ( Trooper Halket off Mashonaland , 1897). It is within the framework of its political activities that it meets Samuel Cronwright, a farmer who shares the same progressists points of view of on the relative questions as much as in Rhodos as with the rights of the natives of South Africa. In 1894, they marry in spite of its aversion for the marriage but their single deceased child little time after his birth.

In 1898, the couple settles with Johannesburg with the Transvaal. It continues its political commitment and takes part for the republicans vis-a-vis the British. She pleads then for the Pacifisme ( has off South African' S View the Situation , 1898) and tries to persuade Paul Kruger and the representatives of Transvaal to give up the war against the English but without success.

During the War of Boers, it takes part for the latter while calling with peace at the side of her brother William Philip Schreiner, Prime Minister for the colony of the Cape of 1898 with 1900.

In 1907, it adheres to the feminist line of the Cape and in the political debate on the constitution of the Dominion of the Union of South Africa, it invites some to give more political rights to the blacks and the women. She still pleads in favor of social justice ( The Trasvaal Leader , 1908), and asserts the equality of the sexes (" Women and Labor" in 1911).

The last years of its life are remembered by the disease and loneliness.

In 1913, Schreiner severely falls sick. It has still the force to go to England to follow a medical care. When the First World War starts, it starts the writing of a work on the war, inspired of its correspondence with Gandhi. This book The Dawn off Civilization is the last which she writes and publishes little time before her death in her sleep in the Cape in 1920.

It is initially buried with Kimberley then esrt exhumed by her husband to be buried with his baby, his dog on the arable lands of Buffelshoek with Cradock before being joined by her husband.

Works

the African Night (The Story off year African Farm, 1883), Phébus, 1989,358 p.

Dreams ( Dreams , 1890), Flammarion, 1913,

Dream Life and Real Life , 1893

The Political Situation in Cape Colony , 1895 (with Samuel Cronwright-Schreiner)

Trooper Peter Halket off Mashonaland , 1897

Year English South African Woman' S View off the Situation , 1899

has Letter one the Jew , 1906

Closer Union: Letter there is South African Union and the Principles off Government , 1909

the woman and work ( Woman and Labor , 1911), 1913,132 p.

Thoughts one South Africa , 1923

Stories, Dreams and Allegories , 1923

From Man to Man , 1926

Undine , 1929

External bonds

Biography by Carolyn Burdett, University of North London

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