Joseph Conrad was born on December 3, 1857, in Poland as Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski. He was the only child of Apollo Korzeniowski and Ewa Bobrowska. His father was a Polish nobleman and a poet, while his mother was from a wealthy landowning family. Unfortunately, Conrad's parents died when he was young, and he was raised by his uncle.
Conrad showed an early interest in literature and languages. He learned French and German from his mother and later picked up English as well. He began reading works by Shakespeare, Dickens, and other English authors at a young age.
At the age of sixteen, Conrad left Poland to avoid conscription into the Russian army. He traveled to Marseille, France, where he began his seafaring career.
Conrad spent the next twenty years as a merchant seaman, traveling to various ports around the world. His experiences at sea would later become the inspiration for many of his novels.
He joined the British merchant navy in 1878 and eventually became a naturalized British subject in 1886. Conrad sailed to Africa, Asia, and the Americas, encountering both beauty and brutality in his journeys.
Despite facing numerous hardships at sea, Conrad found solace in writing. He would often spend his free time onboard crafting stories and sketching characters based on the people he met during his travels.
Conrad's first novel, "Almayer's Folly," was published in 1895. The book received critical acclaim and marked the beginning of Conrad's literary career.
He went on to write several other novels, including "Lord Jim" (1900) and "Heart of Darkness" (1899). The latter work, a haunting tale of colonialism in Africa, would later be adapted into the iconic film "Apocalypse Now" by Francis Ford Coppola.
Conrad's writing style was known for its intricate prose and exploration of complex moral themes. His dark, nautical-themed works are considered precursors to Modernist literature and have inspired generations of writers.
In March of 1896, Conrad married Jessie George, an Englishwoman. The couple had two sons, Borys and John. Despite the challenges of his seafaring career, Conrad remained devoted to his family.
Conrad's works have had a lasting impact on literature and film. His stories of adventure, betrayal, and redemption continue to resonate with readers and viewers around the world.