Depression does not see the difference between rich or poor,
well-read or illiterate, man or woman. It can happen to anybody. Those who
can't confide their condition to anyone often take to writing for release of
their panted emotions. Look back at history and you will see that there were
many geniuses who walked upon this earth and made it big by producing the
finest literature that we get to read today. The following list comprises of
greatest authors who battled with depression; though some learnt to live with
it, the others ended their lives abruptly.
1. Hans Christian Anderson
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| Hans Christian Anderson |
This Danish author and poet saw some of the
darkest days in his childhood. In school, he was the laughing-stock due to his
effeminate features. His fellow students used to bully him for this and he was
often ridiculed by elders for behaving improperly. In days when he used to live
at his headmaster's room were the hardest for him. There, he was constantly
criticized for his lack of manners. Dealing with all this too much for the
young Anderson and he got depressed, with suicidal thoughts coming now and
then. He was considered ugly, womanly, and got one rejection after the other
from all the women he loved. Despite of the fact that he produced some
brilliant literature, he carried the burden of depression to his grave.
2. Charles Dickens
Those who have read his "Great Expectations" would have no difficulty in believing that he grew in abject poverty. He used to work in a boot factory. As he grew up, he started having depression bouts. With every new novel that he would start, he would feel depressed and melancholic, though towards the end, he would feel an inner happiness. With age, this problem worsened. Just 4 years before his death, he saw crash of the train he was travelling in. And he had to support dying passengers. He could never recover from misery after that and died four years after the mishap.
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| Charles Dickens |
Those who have read his "Great Expectations" would have no difficulty in believing that he grew in abject poverty. He used to work in a boot factory. As he grew up, he started having depression bouts. With every new novel that he would start, he would feel depressed and melancholic, though towards the end, he would feel an inner happiness. With age, this problem worsened. Just 4 years before his death, he saw crash of the train he was travelling in. And he had to support dying passengers. He could never recover from misery after that and died four years after the mishap.
3. Leo Tolstoy
This great novelist led a normal life till adulthood, but in the mid of his life, he fell prey to depression. The mental condition changed him completely: his personality underwent a 360 reversal. He lost interest in almost everything including writing. The materialism bored him and he attempted suicide one day. But, later on, he was able to recover from this melancholic disease.
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| Leo Tolstoy |
This great novelist led a normal life till adulthood, but in the mid of his life, he fell prey to depression. The mental condition changed him completely: his personality underwent a 360 reversal. He lost interest in almost everything including writing. The materialism bored him and he attempted suicide one day. But, later on, he was able to recover from this melancholic disease.
4. Kurt Vonnegut
An American author known for " Slaughterhouse-Five ", suffered a scary experience as a POW (Prisoner of War) during the bombing of Dresden. As a prisoner, he had to collect the corpses of prisoners and burn them. This left an indelible mark on his personality. He kept himself aloof from his own children and both his wives suffered cruelty at his hands. His battle with depression was a long and lonely one. His parents turned from rich to poor during 'The Great Depression' era and Kurt has to spend life in penury. He attempted suicide in 1964.
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| Kurt Vonnegut |
An American author known for " Slaughterhouse-Five ", suffered a scary experience as a POW (Prisoner of War) during the bombing of Dresden. As a prisoner, he had to collect the corpses of prisoners and burn them. This left an indelible mark on his personality. He kept himself aloof from his own children and both his wives suffered cruelty at his hands. His battle with depression was a long and lonely one. His parents turned from rich to poor during 'The Great Depression' era and Kurt has to spend life in penury. He attempted suicide in 1964.
5. Tennessee William
A well-known playwright of the 20th century, William's days as a child were full of emotional turbulence. He had to take care of his emotionally disturbed sister and suffered a nervous breakdown while working at his father's warehouse. He had heterosexual tendencies and found a romantic partner in Frank Merlo. On death of Merlo, William went into a deep depression that lasted for 10 years.
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| Tennessee William |
A well-known playwright of the 20th century, William's days as a child were full of emotional turbulence. He had to take care of his emotionally disturbed sister and suffered a nervous breakdown while working at his father's warehouse. He had heterosexual tendencies and found a romantic partner in Frank Merlo. On death of Merlo, William went into a deep depression that lasted for 10 years.
6. Anne Saxton
A Pulitzer winner American Poet, Anne Saxton was known for writing on controversial subjects such as masturbation, menstruation sex, and drugs. She also wrote openly about incest and adultery. Most of her life, she suffered mental illnesses and this is reflected in her poetry also. When her conditioned worsened, his career started suffering. She finally gave up her life by inhaling carbon-monoxide.
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| Anne Saxton |
A Pulitzer winner American Poet, Anne Saxton was known for writing on controversial subjects such as masturbation, menstruation sex, and drugs. She also wrote openly about incest and adultery. Most of her life, she suffered mental illnesses and this is reflected in her poetry also. When her conditioned worsened, his career started suffering. She finally gave up her life by inhaling carbon-monoxide.
7. Sylvia Plath
She was another poetess who committed suicide out of her depressed life. Her life took a new turn when her father died when she was just 10. Plath had a turbulent relation with her father and had to face his authoritative nature as long as he was alive. She penned down about this father's extremely commanding ways in her writings. Sylvia was a lady that used to dream too high and when her dreams were not fulfilled, she used to get depressed. She had a craving for getting accepted by others. She attempted suicide at a young age of 19 and finally got herself killed by inhaling gas from microwave oven, when she was 30.
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| Sylvia Plath |
She was another poetess who committed suicide out of her depressed life. Her life took a new turn when her father died when she was just 10. Plath had a turbulent relation with her father and had to face his authoritative nature as long as he was alive. She penned down about this father's extremely commanding ways in her writings. Sylvia was a lady that used to dream too high and when her dreams were not fulfilled, she used to get depressed. She had a craving for getting accepted by others. She attempted suicide at a young age of 19 and finally got herself killed by inhaling gas from microwave oven, when she was 30.
8. Emily Dickinson
She lived most of her live living in extreme isolation; books and trees were her only companions. For most art of her life, she lived at her father's house where she refused to meet visitors or make friends in neighbourhood. She would stay in-door almost all the time, and when people came to meet her, she would answer behind a half-open door. Despite being young, she used to dress in either black or white. Her state of mind can be seen in her literary works in which she writes mostly about suffering and death.
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| Emily Dickinson |
She lived most of her live living in extreme isolation; books and trees were her only companions. For most art of her life, she lived at her father's house where she refused to meet visitors or make friends in neighbourhood. She would stay in-door almost all the time, and when people came to meet her, she would answer behind a half-open door. Despite being young, she used to dress in either black or white. Her state of mind can be seen in her literary works in which she writes mostly about suffering and death.
9. Graham Green
Known for his dark novels, his life was darker than them. Suffering from bipolar disorder, this English playwright led a psychologically disturbed life. At the mere age of 16, he was sent for psychoanalysis. In his life, he made several suicidal attempts. He broke his marriage and did adultery with several married women. Most of his live was spent in decadence. In order to marry his first wife, he became Catholic without any regard or genuine respect for the religion. Once he was through his first wife, he started sleeping recklessly with other women.
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| Graham Green |
Known for his dark novels, his life was darker than them. Suffering from bipolar disorder, this English playwright led a psychologically disturbed life. At the mere age of 16, he was sent for psychoanalysis. In his life, he made several suicidal attempts. He broke his marriage and did adultery with several married women. Most of his live was spent in decadence. In order to marry his first wife, he became Catholic without any regard or genuine respect for the religion. Once he was through his first wife, he started sleeping recklessly with other women.
10. John Conrad
This well-known author suffered from manic depression and did many failed attempts to end his life. Along with depression, a nervous breakdown changed his life forever. He lost his will to write, suffered long bouts of depression when he did not feel like doing anything or found anything interesting. His inner self and will became weakened and he would get disturbed easily, even by the banging at the door or falling of an object. Most of the time, his depression lasted for an hour each day. All the darkness and hopelessness can be seen in his novels and their characters. 'A Heart of Darkness' is a good example in this regard.
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| Joseph Conrad |
This well-known author suffered from manic depression and did many failed attempts to end his life. Along with depression, a nervous breakdown changed his life forever. He lost his will to write, suffered long bouts of depression when he did not feel like doing anything or found anything interesting. His inner self and will became weakened and he would get disturbed easily, even by the banging at the door or falling of an object. Most of the time, his depression lasted for an hour each day. All the darkness and hopelessness can be seen in his novels and their characters. 'A Heart of Darkness' is a good example in this regard.
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