John Galsworthy

Sanford Sternlicht (Syracuse University)
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John Galsworthy's major literary achievement was the Forsyte Chronicles, a family epic consisting of two novel trilogies as well as several short stories. The Chronicles satirize upper-middle-class and upper-class British society in the Edwardian age and the immediate post-World War I period. Galsworthy was also a major dramatist, whose social dramas were very popular in his lifetime and are still performed. A compassionate reformer, he campaigned against long prison terms, abusive treatment of prisoners, class discrimination, injustice, anti-Semitism, and the intransigence of capitalists and labor union leaders.

In his novels John Galsworthy portrayed traditional “English” values: honorable behavior, love of the countryside, integrity in business and other worldly affairs, devotion

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Citation: Sternlicht, Sanford. "John Galsworthy". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 January 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1674, accessed 21 November 2024.]

1674 John Galsworthy 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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