Canadian writer Stephen Leacock has always been a teacher, this feature is clearly visible in all his works. He effectively combined pathos with satire and polished it with subtle irony. In his works, a clear line is visible between the paradox and the absurd. Humor has always been an expression of human kindness and progress.
Childhood
Stephen Licock was born on December 30, 1869 in England, the third of the eleven children of Peter Licoc and Emma Butler. The family moved a lot and in 1876 emigrated to Canada. They settled on a farm in Sutton, Ontario. It was a difficult time - with hard work and harsh winters.
Their farm was unsuccessful, kept afloat only at the expense of money sent by the grandfather. Father gradually drank too much, and after two years, leaving a large family, he went with his brother to Manitoba.
Education and years of youth
Stephen's grandfather sent to an elite private school in Toronto, where he became the best student. In 1887, the young man graduated and, upon arriving home, discovered that his father had returned from Manitoba. Soon the parent left the family again, this time forever. In 1887, Lycock entered the University of Toronto, where he studied for the first year through a scholarship. But due to financial difficulties in the second year, Stephen could not start classes.
Leacock left the university to complete a course at the Strathroy Collegiate Institute and take up teaching, a profession he didn't really like. In 1891, Stephen earned enough money for distance learning, which he renewed at the University of Toronto. He graduated from the course with a bachelor of arts. It was during this period that he began to write for the student newspaper The Varsity. Over the next few years, he published over thirty comedy stories in various American and Canadian magazines.
Writer's Career and Debut
In 1899, he continued his studies at the University of Chicago, where he received his doctorate in political economics. He moved from Chicago to Montreal, became a professor of political economy and head of the department of economics and political science at McGill University. In 1903, he defended his dissertation, The Doctrine of Laissez-faire, and received a Ph.D. Then he made every effort to become an assistant professor, and in 1908 - a professor.
His "Elements of Political Science" is considered the best-selling book throughout the author's literary career. Published in 1906, it became the standard textbook for the next twenty years.
The heyday of creativity
With the financial support of his brother George, in 1910 he published Literary Blots, the first collection of comic works that is considered a classic of the time. This is a collection of short stories by Stephen Lycock, woven with threads of wit, charm and delightful humor.
The book was spotted by a British publisher who published it in London and New York. Leacock quickly enough became the most popular English-language author. In 1911, a collection of parodies followed, including "Nonsense novels" - brilliant satirical fables with stories of ghosts, rags and wealth, adventures, shipwrecks, etc.
In 1912, the writer saw the satirical masterpiece "Funny sketches of a small town." The book is considered a classic of Canadian humorous literature. The collection, which became popular due to its universal appeal, was adapted in 1952 and 2012 to television series.
Based on the years spent in Orillia and childhood memories, Lycock quickly gained popularity in Canada, the USA and England. Stephen Leacock’s humorous short stories, Traveling with an Idle Rich Man in Rural Areas, were published in 1914. This is another classic work of Canadian satire and, of course, the author’s most ridiculous book, which brought him great success.
Other books
The most significant works of the author:
- 1920 - The Unsolved Mystery of Social Justice;
- 1922 - "My discovery of England";
- 1930 - "Economic Prosperity in the British Empire";
- 1935 - "Humor: his theory and technique";
- 1942 - "My wonderful uncle" and other sketches.
In total, sixty-one books belong to the author, two of them were published posthumously:
- 1945 - The Last Leaves;
- 1946 - "The Boy I Left behind."
Personal life
Stephen Leacock married actress Beatrice Hamilton in August 1900. In August 1915, their son was born, the boy’s growth was inhibited from an early age due to the lack of the corresponding hormone. Although Stephen took great care of his son, the relationship between them fluctuated between love and hate.
In 1921, Lycock became one of the founders of the Association of Canadian Authors. In 1925, the writer’s wife died of breast cancer. Outwardly, Lycock experienced this loss with restraint and returned to teaching, writing and public speaking. But when he could, he talked about cancer and helped raise funds for the treatment and research of this disease.
In 1928, the success of Stephen Licock's books allowed him to move to Orillia, where he built a house, which was later transformed into a museum. In 1936, at the age of sixty-five, Leacock retired and left McGill University.
Stephen Leacock died of throat cancer in 1944. He was buried at St. George's Cemetery in Sutton, Ontario.
In 1946, the Steven Licock Foundation was established, on behalf of which Canadian comedian writers are encouraged. Many buildings were named after Canada in honor of the writer, including McGill University. Schools in Ottawa and Toronto, a theater in Keswick are named after him.