Agustus Montrose
Encyclopedia
Agustus Horatio Montrose (1830–1899) was an English
novelist and playwright
operating in the northeast of London
in the mid to late 19th century. He is especially notable for one novel (see Lilies In December
) and several plays, although he wrote 22 known pieces and there is a possibility that more were created unknown to the scholars who study him. He is considered influential to many later 19th and 20th century authors, including Joseph Conrad
. Spending a life in semi-poverty with only moderate success, Montrose was popular among many citizens. Two of his plays have been banned by various Private Libraries
. When asked about the abnormal parody
of the name Augustus, Montrose said, "My mother liked the name Augustus, but was absolutely an individual and she didn't want a name for me that would be common. Thus she decided upon Agustus, to be pronounced identically to Augustus but spelled without the 'u'."
and 22 plays
written throughout his 43 year publishing career. They are chronologically ordered below with links to all works that exist:
Note: All works listed are plays unless otherwise noted.
-Took a break from writing from 1878 to 1884 due to stress
and writer's block
-
Most scholars concur that Montrose's career ended in 1898 after "Petty Thoughts" was published. They also believe that his reasons for retiring were growing insanity and loss of interest. However there are several fringe theories
that elaborate on Montrose's activities during the last 3 years of his life. One such theory states that while he was writing his last work (another novel some state), he worked so vigorously that he was driven to insanity, getting so into his writing that stopped acting in reality but rather in the ways that the main character of his book was supposed to write it. Some also believe that he did not die peacefully as most people believe, but instead commit suicide as was the plan for the character he was impersonating.
Despite having produced 22 plays, only 6 (The Conflicting Families of McGregor and Kilton, Dryness of the Sea, Lilies In December
for stage, Exile and Exodus, The End of Chivalry, and Subtle Changes in the Village of Seringtonshire) were ever staged more than twice for the public.
s, he emphasizes an extreme display of character development. This is best shown in his novel, Lilies In December
where he, "makes the two main characters best friends, murderously hateful of each other, and eventually best friends again- all in believable fashion, as he continued to do with his later work." After his first work (Lilies In December
), he began contributing to theatre and never again wrote another novel. In his plays he still shows, "a degree of darkness not seen by most authors and certainly not harnessed by them."
. For much of his childhood, he witnessed adverse poverty
and hardship. More often than not, it was difficult for them to make do. This early struggle is believed to have influenced many of his later works on the stage, his socialist sympathies, and debatably Lilies In December. At age nine, his mother died of unknown causes, leading to adoption by his wealthy uncle, Edmund Montrose. Many scholars agree that without his mother's death, he would not have eventually attended the University of London
. While living in Oxford with Edmund, young Agustus became interested in literature, and was tutored in accordance. Between the years of 1842 and 1847, he showed extreme progression in his understanding of various literary works. In 1849, Edmund funded his enrollment at the University of London
. Throughout his life he was an alcoholic, a notorious womanizer and was, as one acquaintance put it, "An abrasive person, with undeniable brilliance but an extreme stubborn. A true individual." Later in life however, he began to go insane and, despite the urging of several friends, he never received any mental help. Most scholars agree that he died peacefully in his home on December 31, 1899.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
novelist and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
operating in the northeast of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the mid to late 19th century. He is especially notable for one novel (see Lilies In December
Lilies In December
Lilies In December is the sole novel and debut work of 19th Century Literature author and playwright Agustus Montrose. He was inspired by travels to Ireland during the Great Famine. It is widely recognized as one of the best psychological realism novels of the era. It has been praised for its...
) and several plays, although he wrote 22 known pieces and there is a possibility that more were created unknown to the scholars who study him. He is considered influential to many later 19th and 20th century authors, including Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
. Spending a life in semi-poverty with only moderate success, Montrose was popular among many citizens. Two of his plays have been banned by various Private Libraries
Private library
A private library is a library under the care of private ownership, as compared to that of a public institution, and is usually only established for the use of a small number of people, or even a single person. As with public libraries, some people use stamps, stickers, or embossing to show...
. When asked about the abnormal parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of the name Augustus, Montrose said, "My mother liked the name Augustus, but was absolutely an individual and she didn't want a name for me that would be common. Thus she decided upon Agustus, to be pronounced identically to Augustus but spelled without the 'u'."
Career
Montrose's work includes one novelNovel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
and 22 plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
written throughout his 43 year publishing career. They are chronologically ordered below with links to all works that exist:
Note: All works listed are plays unless otherwise noted.
- Lilies In DecemberLilies In DecemberLilies In December is the sole novel and debut work of 19th Century Literature author and playwright Agustus Montrose. He was inspired by travels to Ireland during the Great Famine. It is widely recognized as one of the best psychological realism novels of the era. It has been praised for its...
(novel)- 1856 - The Great Revolt- 1858
- The Conflicting Families of McGreggor and Kilton- 1859
- Stories Forever- 1860
- Death, Love, and Fear (First in a series of 3 plays)- 1862
- The Maturation of Lives Birthed Upon the Battlefield (Second in a series of 3 plays)- 1862
- Bite of Time- 1862
- Cleansing the Isle (Third in a series of 3 plays)- 1863
- Exile and Exodus- 1866
- A Compromising Crash- 1867
- The End of ChivalryChivalryChivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
- 1870 - Definitive Realities of the Most of the World- 1872
- Romancing the Dead- 1874
- Dryness of the Sea- 1877
- Defeat of HastingsHastingsHastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
and the Dreary Events to Follow- 1878
-Took a break from writing from 1878 to 1884 due to stress
Stress (biology)
Stress is a term in psychology and biology, borrowed from physics and engineering and first used in the biological context in the 1930s, which has in more recent decades become commonly used in popular parlance...
and writer's block
Writer's block
Writer's block is a condition, primarily associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task at hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked"...
-
- Lilies In DecemberLilies In DecemberLilies In December is the sole novel and debut work of 19th Century Literature author and playwright Agustus Montrose. He was inspired by travels to Ireland during the Great Famine. It is widely recognized as one of the best psychological realism novels of the era. It has been praised for its...
- Developed for Stage- 1885 - Suffering in its Purest Form- 1885
- Illnesses of Society- 1887
- The Relentless Siege of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
- 1889 - Selfish Desires of Selfish Superiors- 1892
- Mythology of Free Will- 1894
- Subtle Changes in the Village of Seringtonshire- 1896
- Petty Thoughts- 1898
Most scholars concur that Montrose's career ended in 1898 after "Petty Thoughts" was published. They also believe that his reasons for retiring were growing insanity and loss of interest. However there are several fringe theories
Fringe theory
A fringe theory is an idea or a collection of ideas that departs significantly from the prevailing or mainstream view in its particular field of study. Examples include ideas that purport to be scientific theories but have little or no scientific support, conspiracy theories, unproven esoteric...
that elaborate on Montrose's activities during the last 3 years of his life. One such theory states that while he was writing his last work (another novel some state), he worked so vigorously that he was driven to insanity, getting so into his writing that stopped acting in reality but rather in the ways that the main character of his book was supposed to write it. Some also believe that he did not die peacefully as most people believe, but instead commit suicide as was the plan for the character he was impersonating.
Despite having produced 22 plays, only 6 (The Conflicting Families of McGregor and Kilton, Dryness of the Sea, Lilies In December
Lilies In December
Lilies In December is the sole novel and debut work of 19th Century Literature author and playwright Agustus Montrose. He was inspired by travels to Ireland during the Great Famine. It is widely recognized as one of the best psychological realism novels of the era. It has been praised for its...
for stage, Exile and Exodus, The End of Chivalry, and Subtle Changes in the Village of Seringtonshire) were ever staged more than twice for the public.
Writing style
Montrose's writing style has been described as, "Dark and depressing but somehow delivering a message of hope." As was common with psychological novelPsychological novel
A psychological novel, also called psychological realism, is a work of prose fiction which places more than the usual amount of emphasis on interior characterization, and on the motives, circumstances, and internal action which springs from, and develops, external action...
s, he emphasizes an extreme display of character development. This is best shown in his novel, Lilies In December
Lilies In December
Lilies In December is the sole novel and debut work of 19th Century Literature author and playwright Agustus Montrose. He was inspired by travels to Ireland during the Great Famine. It is widely recognized as one of the best psychological realism novels of the era. It has been praised for its...
where he, "makes the two main characters best friends, murderously hateful of each other, and eventually best friends again- all in believable fashion, as he continued to do with his later work." After his first work (Lilies In December
Lilies In December
Lilies In December is the sole novel and debut work of 19th Century Literature author and playwright Agustus Montrose. He was inspired by travels to Ireland during the Great Famine. It is widely recognized as one of the best psychological realism novels of the era. It has been praised for its...
), he began contributing to theatre and never again wrote another novel. In his plays he still shows, "a degree of darkness not seen by most authors and certainly not harnessed by them."
Personal life
Born illegitimately to Patricia Montrose October 22, 1830, young Agustus grew up in the slums of north LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. For much of his childhood, he witnessed adverse poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and hardship. More often than not, it was difficult for them to make do. This early struggle is believed to have influenced many of his later works on the stage, his socialist sympathies, and debatably Lilies In December. At age nine, his mother died of unknown causes, leading to adoption by his wealthy uncle, Edmund Montrose. Many scholars agree that without his mother's death, he would not have eventually attended the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. While living in Oxford with Edmund, young Agustus became interested in literature, and was tutored in accordance. Between the years of 1842 and 1847, he showed extreme progression in his understanding of various literary works. In 1849, Edmund funded his enrollment at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Throughout his life he was an alcoholic, a notorious womanizer and was, as one acquaintance put it, "An abrasive person, with undeniable brilliance but an extreme stubborn. A true individual." Later in life however, he began to go insane and, despite the urging of several friends, he never received any mental help. Most scholars agree that he died peacefully in his home on December 31, 1899.