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Matthew Phipps ShiellProlific British writer
Date of Birth: 21.07.1865
Country:  Great Britain |
Matthew Phipps Shiell: A Prolific British Writer
Biography
Matthew Phipps Shiell was born on July 21, 1865, on the island of Montserrat in the West Indies. He studied at Harrison College in Barbados and moved to England in 1885. After working as a translator and teacher for some time, Shiell burst onto the literary scene with his unusual stories published in 'The Strand' magazine and elsewhere.
Early Works
Shiell's first notable works were two collections of short stories, 'Prince Zaleski' in 1895 and 'Shapes in the Fire' in 1896. His very first novel, 'The Rajah's Sapphire' in 1896, was based on a plot by William Thomas Stead. Some of his most notable books include 'The Yellow Danger', 'The War Machine', 'The Purple Cloud', 'The Lord of the Sea', and 'In the Whirlpool of Love'.
Personal Life
Shiell married a young woman named Carolina Garcia Gomez in 1898, who served as the inspiration for some of his heroines. However, their marriage ended in 1903, and their daughter stayed in Spain after Gomez's death around 1904. Due to financial difficulties, Shiell, who had always aspired to write something considered high art by critics, was forced to continue producing popular fiction on commission. However, his new books sold poorly. In an attempt to regain popularity, he wrote 'The Yellow Wave' in 1905, based on the Russo-Japanese War. The book was a reimagining of 'Romeo and Juliet'.
Controversies
In 1914, Shiell was imprisoned for "indecent conduct and sexual intercourse" with his then-partner's twelve-year-old daughter. He refused to admit guilt and spent 16 months in prison, where he was subjected to hard labor. In his letters to his publisher, Grant Richards, he lied about the victim's identity and provided an incorrect age for the girl. Shiell claimed that their relationship began when she was on the verge of adulthood.
Literary Analysis
Kirsten MacLeod argues in her research that Shiell's novels feature young heroines whose images are "romanticized and sexualized" through the lens of male perception. She cites an example from his book 'Above All Things' in 1933, where the heroine Rachel is portrayed partly as a "child," partly as a "harlot," and partly as a "saint." After the scandal, rumors circulated that the writer had been involved in various indiscriminate relationships.
Later Years
In 1919, Shiell entered into another marriage that lasted for about ten years. He returned to writing around 1922. Between 1923 and 1937, Shiell published around ten books and revised five of his old works. He also worked extensively on a "true" translation of the Gospel of Luke with extensive commentary. Although he completed the work, half of it was lost after his death in Chichester.
Redonda
Shiell's father, Matthew Dowdy Shiell, jokingly proclaimed himself the king of the uninhabited rocky island of Redonda in the West Indies, not far from Montserrat. Redonda was officially assigned to Britain in 1872, but that didn't stop his father from "crowning" his son and handing over the "reign" of the island on his fifteenth birthday in 1880. Apparently, the writer understood the frivolity of the situation, but he still concocted a whole legend to draw attention to the reissue of his books in 1929. His literary agent, John Gawsworth, took everything at face value when the dying Shiell declared him his "heir." Gawsworth agreed to become the king (of a virtual state) of Redonda and even adopted the "royal name" Juan I.
Legacy
In 2017, according to British copyright law, Shiell's works entered the public domain.
