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Who was Stephen Crane?
Stephen Crane was an American writer who rose to fame with his novels Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and The Red Badge of Courage, as well as his short stories such as The Open Boat, The Blue Hotel, and The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky. He was one of the pioneers of literary naturalism, impressionism, and modernism, and influenced many writers of the 20th century, such as Ernest Hemingway and Joseph Conrad.
Crane was born on November 1, 1871, in Newark, New Jersey, to a Methodist minister and his wife. He was the youngest of 14 children, and grew up in a devout and strict household. He began writing at the age of four, and had several articles published by the age of 16. He attended Syracuse University for less than two years, and then moved to New York City to pursue a career as a freelance journalist and writer.
How did Stephen Crane die?
Crane died of tuberculosis, a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and other organs, on June 5, 1900, in Badenweiler, Germany. He was only 28 years old at the time of his death.
Crane contracted tuberculosis while working as a war correspondent in Cuba, covering the Spanish-American War. He had gone to Cuba with his lover, Cora Taylor, who was a brothel owner and the first woman war correspondent. They had met in Florida, where Crane was waiting to board a ship to Cuba. The ship, the SS Commodore, sank off the coast of Florida, and Crane and others were stranded in a dinghy for 30 hours. Crane later wrote about this experience in his famous story, The Open Boat.
Crane’s health deteriorated after his return from Cuba. He suffered from recurrent malarial fever, hemorrhages, and chronic cough. He and Cora moved to England, where they befriended other writers and lived in poverty. Crane continued to write and report on various conflicts, such as the Greco-Turkish War and the Boer War, despite his worsening condition.
In 1900, Crane and Cora went to a spa in Germany, hoping to find a cure for his tuberculosis. However, it was too late, and Crane died in a sanatorium, surrounded by his friends and Cora. His last words were reportedly, “I think I’m going to make it.”
Why is Stephen Crane’s death important?
Stephen Crane’s death was a tragic loss for American literature and culture. He was one of the most innovative and influential writers of his generation, and his works have been widely read, studied, and admired by critics and readers alike. He was able to capture the reality and complexity of human nature, war, and society, with his vivid and original style and technique. He left behind a legacy of masterpieces that have shaped the course of literary history and inspired countless other writers.
According to Wikipedia, Crane was considered an important figure in American literature at the time of his death, but he was nearly forgotten for two decades, until critics revived interest in his life and work. According to Britannica, Crane’s writing is characterized by vivid intensity, distinctive dialects, and irony. Common themes involve fear, spiritual crises, and social isolation. According to Winchhubs, Crane’s writing made a deep impression on 20th-century writers, most prominent among them Ernest Hemingway, and is thought to have inspired the Modernists and the Imagists.
