Prison literature refers to literature that has been created while the writer is imprisoned. Many works by many famous authors have been produced under these circumstances. The genre lumps together all works produced in this manner, whether fiction or nonfiction.
While a good many written works were created behind bars, some of the more famous examples include Mein Kampf (by Adolf Hitler), The Pilgrim's Progress (by John Bunyan) and De Profundis (by Oscar Wilde), while Jeffrey Archer wrote his prison memoirs in jail and Marquis de Sade produced a huge body of work while imprisoned for more than 10 years.
Hitler was locked away in 1924 for attempting to seize power in Munich with his Bier Hall Putsch. While in jail he wrote Mein Kampf, which translates as "My Struggle". It became extremely popular as Hitler rose to power, and by the end of World War II around 10 million copies of the book were in circulation in Germany alone. The book is, unsurprisingly, still considered controversial, for its racist contents.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest books written in English, The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan found publication in 1678. The names given to the individuals found in the story are things like "Pliable", "Christian", "Evangelist", "Obstinate", "Mr. Worldly Wiseman" and so on, which hints at the symbolic nature of the storytelling. It is not known precisely when writing of The Pilgrim's Progress was started, as it could have been during any of several periods spent in jail by Bunyan.
A more recent author of this genre is Jeffrey Archer, the former British politician who was jailed for perjury and perverting the course of justice. During his jail term he wrote his 3 prison memoirs, Belmarsh: Hell, Wayland: Purgatory, and North Sea Camp: Heaven. The books largely deal with prison life, and some of the people he met in jail came to inspire characters in his career as a successful fiction writer. Archer's book sales seem unharmed by his notoriety, as they are in the hundreds of millions.
Another scandalous author to fall into prison writing was Marquis de Sade. His work was notoriously explicit and shocking, and he was arrested specifically due to two of his books, Justine and Juliette. It is interesting to note that the arrest was ordered by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte, who in turn would produce a popular autobiographical work while imprisoned on St. Helena Island. Sade was very active as a writer during his eleven years imprisoned in the Bastille, producing 16 novellas, 11 novels, some 20 works for theater, and 2 volumes of essays, as well as his diary.
Oscar Wilde was also locked away amid sexual scandal. In Wilde's era of the 1800s, men could be jailed for homosexuality, and this is how he came to be imprisoned. While in jail, Wilde wrote a letter some 50,000 words long to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde was not allowed to send the letter, but kept it when he left prison. The letter was used as the basis for "De Profundis", which was published after Wilde's death. Although the version first published had been edited, a complete and unedited version has since been made public.
These are just a few of the writers who have produced famous work while being held prisoner. They were able to remain productive despite imprisonment, while for their readers, the thrills of notorious authors, unfair imprisonments and the gritty world behind bars only enhance the appeal of prison literature.
While a good many written works were created behind bars, some of the more famous examples include Mein Kampf (by Adolf Hitler), The Pilgrim's Progress (by John Bunyan) and De Profundis (by Oscar Wilde), while Jeffrey Archer wrote his prison memoirs in jail and Marquis de Sade produced a huge body of work while imprisoned for more than 10 years.
Hitler was locked away in 1924 for attempting to seize power in Munich with his Bier Hall Putsch. While in jail he wrote Mein Kampf, which translates as "My Struggle". It became extremely popular as Hitler rose to power, and by the end of World War II around 10 million copies of the book were in circulation in Germany alone. The book is, unsurprisingly, still considered controversial, for its racist contents.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest books written in English, The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan found publication in 1678. The names given to the individuals found in the story are things like "Pliable", "Christian", "Evangelist", "Obstinate", "Mr. Worldly Wiseman" and so on, which hints at the symbolic nature of the storytelling. It is not known precisely when writing of The Pilgrim's Progress was started, as it could have been during any of several periods spent in jail by Bunyan.
A more recent author of this genre is Jeffrey Archer, the former British politician who was jailed for perjury and perverting the course of justice. During his jail term he wrote his 3 prison memoirs, Belmarsh: Hell, Wayland: Purgatory, and North Sea Camp: Heaven. The books largely deal with prison life, and some of the people he met in jail came to inspire characters in his career as a successful fiction writer. Archer's book sales seem unharmed by his notoriety, as they are in the hundreds of millions.
Another scandalous author to fall into prison writing was Marquis de Sade. His work was notoriously explicit and shocking, and he was arrested specifically due to two of his books, Justine and Juliette. It is interesting to note that the arrest was ordered by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte, who in turn would produce a popular autobiographical work while imprisoned on St. Helena Island. Sade was very active as a writer during his eleven years imprisoned in the Bastille, producing 16 novellas, 11 novels, some 20 works for theater, and 2 volumes of essays, as well as his diary.
Oscar Wilde was also locked away amid sexual scandal. In Wilde's era of the 1800s, men could be jailed for homosexuality, and this is how he came to be imprisoned. While in jail, Wilde wrote a letter some 50,000 words long to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas. Wilde was not allowed to send the letter, but kept it when he left prison. The letter was used as the basis for "De Profundis", which was published after Wilde's death. Although the version first published had been edited, a complete and unedited version has since been made public.
These are just a few of the writers who have produced famous work while being held prisoner. They were able to remain productive despite imprisonment, while for their readers, the thrills of notorious authors, unfair imprisonments and the gritty world behind bars only enhance the appeal of prison literature.
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