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Sir Henry Rider Haggard (; 22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of
adventure fiction Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the Introduction to the ''Encycloped ...
romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre. He was also involved in
land reform Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution, generally of agricultura ...
throughout the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
. His stories, situated at the lighter end of
Victorian literature Victorian literature refers to English literature during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901). The 19th century is considered by some to be the Golden Age of English Literature, especially for British novels. It was in the Victorian era tha ...
, continue to be popular and influential.


Life and career


Family

Henry Rider Haggard, generally known as H. Rider Haggard or Rider Haggard, was born at
Bradenham, Norfolk Bradenham is a village and civil parish, a conglomeration of East and West Bradenham, in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some south-west of the town of East Dereham and west of the city of Norwich.Ordnance Survey (1999). ''OS Expl ...
, the eighth of ten children, to William Meybohm Rider Haggard, a barrister, and Ella Doveton, an author and poet. His father was born in
Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
, Russia, in 1817 to British parents. Haggard was the great-nephew of the ecclesiastical lawyer
John Haggard John Haggard (1794 – 31 October 1856) was an English ecclesiastical lawyer who was Chancellor of three dioceses. Family A member of the Haggard family, he was born at Bradfield, Hertfordshire, the third son of William Henry Haggard (died 1837) ...
and an uncle of the naval officer Sir
Vernon Haggard Admiral Sir Vernon Harry Stuart Haggard, KCB, CMG (28 October 1874 – 30 January 1960) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station. His career in the Royal Navy spanned forty-four years, fro ...
and the diplomat Sir
Godfrey Haggard Sir Godfrey Digby Napier Haggard (6 February 1884 – 3 April 1969) was a British diplomat. His career of service spanned forty-four years, culminating with his posting as Consul General at New York, and followed by his appointment as director ...
.


Education

Haggard was initially sent to
Garsington Garsington is a village and civil parish about southeast of Oxford in Oxfordshire. "A History of the County of Oxfordshire" provides a detailed history of the parish from 1082. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,689. The vi ...
Rectory in Oxfordshire to study under Reverend H. J. Graham, but, unlike his elder brothers, who graduated from various
private schools An independent school is independent in its finances and governance. Also known as private schools, non-governmental, privately funded, or non-state schools, they are not administered by local, state or national governments. In British En ...
, he attended Ipswich Grammar School. This was because his father, who perhaps regarded him as somebody who was not going to amount to much, could no longer afford to maintain his expensive private education. After failing his army entrance exam, he was sent to a private crammer in London to prepare for the entrance exam for the British Foreign Office, which he never sat. During his two years in London he came into contact with people interested in the study of
psychic phenomena A psychic is a person who claims to use extrasensory perception (ESP) to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance, or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural l ...
.


South Africa, 1875–1882

In 1875, Haggard's father sent him to what is now South Africa to take up an unpaid position as assistant to the secretary to Sir Henry Bulwer, Lieutenant-Governor of the
Colony of Natal The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on 4 May 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Natalia Republic, Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three o ...
. In 1876 he was transferred to the staff of Sir Theophilus Shepstone, Special Commissioner for the Transvaal. It was in this role that Haggard was present in
Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foothi ...
in April 1877 for the official announcement of the British annexation of the
Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled this are ...
Republic of the Transvaal. Indeed, Haggard raised the Union flag and read out much of the
proclamation A proclamation (Lat. ''proclamare'', to make public by announcement) is an official declaration issued by a person of authority to make certain announcements known. Proclamations are currently used within the governing framework of some nations ...
following the loss of voice of the official originally entrusted with the duty. At about that time, Haggard fell in love with Mary Elizabeth "Lilly" Jackson, whom he intended to marry once he obtained paid employment in Africa. In 1878 he became Registrar of the High Court in the Transvaal, and wrote to his father informing him that he intended to return to England and marry her. His father forbade it until Haggard had made a career for himself, and by 1879 Jackson had married Frank Archer, a well-to-do banker. When Haggard eventually returned to England, he married a friend of his sister, Marianna Louisa Margitson (1859–1943) in 1880, and the couple travelled to Africa together. They had a son named Jack (born 1881, died of
measles Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days. Initial symptoms typically include fever, often greater than , cough, ...
at age 10) and three daughters, Angela (b.1883), Dorothy (b.1884) and Lilias (b.1892).
Lilias Rider Haggard Lilias Margitson Rider Haggard, MBE (9 December 1892 – 9 January 1968) was the fourth and youngest child of the British writer Sir Henry Rider Haggard and Mariana Louisa MargitsonDawson Haggard D.,''The History of the Haggard Family in England ...
became an author, edited ''The Rabbit Skin Cap'' and ''I Walked By Night'', and wrote a biography of her father entitled ''The Cloak That I Left'' (published in 1951).


In England, 1882–1925

Moving back to England in 1882, the couple settled in
Ditchingham Ditchingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located across the River Waveney from Bungay, Suffolk.Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. . History Ditchingham's name is of Anglo-Sa ...
, Norfolk, Louisa Margitson's ancestral home. Later they lived in Kessingland and had connections with the church in Bungay, Suffolk. Haggard turned to the study of law and was
called to the bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...
in 1884. His practice of law was desultory and much of his time was taken up by the writing of novels, which he saw as being more profitable. Haggard lived at 69 Gunterstone Road in
Hammersmith Hammersmith is a district of West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London ...
, London, from mid-1885 to circa April 1888. It was at this Hammersmith address that he completed ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' (published September 1885). Haggard was heavily influenced by the larger-than-life adventurers whom he met in
colonial Africa Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 a ...
, most notably
Frederick Selous Frederick Courteney Selous, DSO (; 31 December 1851 – 4 January 1917) was a British explorer, officer, professional hunter, and conservationist, famous for his exploits in Southeast Africa. His real-life adventures inspired Sir Henry Ride ...
and
Frederick Russell Burnham Frederick Russell Burnham DSO (May 11, 1861 – September 1, 1947) was an American scout and world-traveling adventurer. He is known for his service to the British South Africa Company and to the British Army in colonial Africa, and for teach ...
. He created his Allan Quatermain adventures under their influence, during a time when great mineral wealth was being discovered in Africa, as well as the ruins of ancient lost civilisations of the continent such as
Great Zimbabwe Great Zimbabwe is a medieval city in the south-eastern hills of Zimbabwe near Lake Mutirikwi and the town of Masvingo. It is thought to have been the capital of a great kingdom during the country's Late Iron Age about which little is known. C ...
. Three of his books, ''The Wizard'' (1896), ''Black Heart and White Heart; a Zulu Idyll'' (1896), and ''Elissa; the Doom of Zimbabwe'' (1898), are dedicated to Burnham's daughter Nada, the
first white child The birth of the first white child is a concept that marks the establishment of a European colony in the New World, especially in the historiography of the United States. Americas Canada Snorri Thorfinnsson, born around 1010 in the Viking settle ...
born in
Bulawayo Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council ...
; she had been named after Haggard's 1892 book ''
Nada the Lily ''Nada the Lily'' is an historical novel by English writer H. Rider Haggard, published in 1892. It is said to be inspired by Haggard's time in South Africa (1875–82). It was illustrated by Charles H. M. Kerr. The novel tells the tale of the ...
''. Haggard belonged to the Athenaeum, Savile, and Authors' clubs.


Aid for Lilly Archer

Years later, when Haggard was a successful novelist, he was contacted by his former love, Lilly Archer, née Jackson. She had been deserted by her husband, who had embezzled funds entrusted to him and had fled bankrupt to Africa. Haggard installed her and her sons in a house and saw to the children's education. Lilly eventually followed her husband to Africa, where he infected her with
syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium '' Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms of syphilis vary depending in which of the four stages it presents (primary, secondary, latent, a ...
before dying of it himself. Lilly returned to England in late 1907, where Haggard again supported her until her death on 22 April 1909. These details were not generally known until the publication of Haggard's 1981 biography by Sydney Higgins.


Writing career

After returning to England in 1882, Haggard published a book on the political situation in South Africa, as well as a handful of unsuccessful novels, before writing the book for which he is most famous, ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
''. He accepted a 10 percent royalty rather than £100 for the copyright. A sequel soon followed entitled '' Allan Quatermain'', followed by ''
She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...
'' and its sequel '' Ayesha'', swashbuckling
adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the Introduction to the ''Encycloped ...
s set in the context of the
Scramble for Africa The Scramble for Africa, also called the Partition of Africa, or Conquest of Africa, was the invasion, annexation, division, and colonization of most of Africa by seven Western European powers during a short period known as New Imperialism ...
(although the action of ''Ayesha'' happens in
Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
). The hugely popular ''King Solomon's Mines'' is sometimes considered the first of the Lost World genre. ''She'' is generally considered to be one of the classics of imaginative literature, and with 83 million copies sold by 1965, it is one of the best-selling books in history. He is also remembered for ''
Nada the Lily ''Nada the Lily'' is an historical novel by English writer H. Rider Haggard, published in 1892. It is said to be inspired by Haggard's time in South Africa (1875–82). It was illustrated by Charles H. M. Kerr. The novel tells the tale of the ...
'' (a tale of adventure among the Zulus) and the epic
Viking Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
romance, ''
Eric Brighteyes ''Eric Brighteyes'' is an epic Viking novel by H. Rider Haggard that concerns the adventures of its eponymous principal character in 10th-century Iceland. The novel was first published in 1890 by Longmans, Green & Company. It was illustrated by ...
''. His novels portray many of the stereotypes associated with
colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their reli ...
, yet they are unusual for the degree of sympathy with which the native populations are portrayed. Africans often play heroic roles in the novels, although the protagonists are typically European. Notable examples are the heroic Zulu warrior Umslopogaas, and Ignosi, the rightful king of Kukuanaland, in ''King Solomon's Mines''. Having developed an intense mutual friendship with the three Englishmen who help him regain his throne, he accepts their advice and abolishes witch-hunts and arbitrary capital punishment. Three of Haggard's novels were written in collaboration with his friend Andrew Lang, who shared his interest in the spiritual realm and paranormal phenomena. Haggard also wrote about agricultural and social reform, in part inspired by his experiences in Africa, but also based on what he saw in Europe. At the end of his life, he was a staunch opponent of Bolshevism, a position that he shared with his friend
Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)'' The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...
. The two had bonded upon Kipling's arrival at London in 1889, largely on the strength of their shared opinions, and remained lifelong friends.


Public affairs

Haggard was involved in reforming agriculture and was a member of many commissions on land use and related affairs, work that involved several trips to the Colonies and Dominions. It eventually led to the passage of the 1909 Development Bill. He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as a
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
candidate for the Eastern division of Norfolk in the 1895 summer election, losing by 197 votes. He was appointed a
Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised orders of chivalry; it is a part of the British honours system. Knights Bachelor are ...
in 1912 and a Knight Commander of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
in the 1919 New Year Honours.


Death

Haggard died on 14 May 1925 in
Marylebone Marylebone (usually , also , ) is a district in the West End of London, in the City of Westminster. Oxford Street, Europe's busiest shopping street, forms its southern boundary. An ancient parish and latterly a metropolitan borough, it ...
,
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, aged 68. His ashes were buried at St Mary's Church, Ditchingham. His papers are held at the Norfolk Record Office. His relatives include the writer
Stephen Haggard Stephen Hubert Avenel Haggard (21 March 1911 – 25 February 1943) was a British actor, writer and poet. Early life A member of the Haggard family, he was born on 21 March 1911 in Guatemala City, Guatemala, to Sir Godfrey Digby Napier Hagg ...
(great-nephew), the director Piers Haggard (great-great-nephew), and the actress
Daisy Haggard Celia Daisy Morna Haggard (born 1978) is a British actress and writer. She is known for her roles in the BBC sitcoms ''Uncle'' and '' Episodes''. Haggard stars in BBC Three’s comedy-drama, '' Back to Life'', which she also created and co-wro ...
(great-great-great-niece).


Legacy


Influence

Psychoanalyst
Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, ph ...
considered Ayesha, the female protagonist of ''She'', to be a manifestation of the
anima Anima may refer to: Animation * Ánima (company), a Mexican animation studio founded in 2002 * Córdoba International Animation Festival – ANIMA, in Argentina Religion and philosophy * Animism, the belief that objects, places, and creatur ...
. Her
epithet An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...
"She Who Must Be Obeyed" is used by British author
John Mortimer Sir John Clifford Mortimer (21 April 1923 – 16 January 2009) was a British barrister, dramatist, screenwriter and author. He is best known for novels about a barrister named Horace Rumpole. Early life Mortimer was born in Hampstead, London ...
in his '' Rumpole of the Bailey'' series as the lead character's private name for his wife, Hilda, before whom he trembles at home (despite the fact that he is a barrister with some skill in court). Haggard's Lost World genre influenced popular American pulp writers such as
Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, ...
, Robert E. Howard,
Talbot Mundy Talbot Mundy (born William Lancaster Gribbon, 23 April 1879 – 5 August 1940) was an English writer of adventure fiction. Based for most of his life in the United States, he also wrote under the pseudonym of Walter Galt. Best known as the ...
, Philip José Farmer, and
Abraham Merritt Abraham Grace Merritt (January 20, 1884 – August 21, 1943) – known by his byline, A. Merritt – was an American Sunday magazine editor and a writer of fantastic fiction. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame inducted him in 1999, ...
. Allan Quatermain, the adventure hero of ''King Solomon's Mines'' and its sequel ''Allan Quatermain'', was a template for the American character
Indiana Jones ''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
. Quatermain has gained recent popularity thanks to being a main character in the '' League of Extraordinary Gentlemen''.
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading English novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquir ...
, in an essay about Haggard, stated, "Enchantment is just what this writer exercised; he fixed pictures in our minds that thirty years have been unable to wear away." Haggard was praised in 1965 by Roger Lancelyn Green, one of the
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
Inklings, as a writer of a consistently high level of "literary skill and sheer imaginative power" and a co-originator with
Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as '' Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll ...
of the ''Age of the Story Tellers''.


On race

Rider Haggard's works have been criticised for their depictions of non-Europeans. In his non-fiction book ''
Decolonising the Mind ''Decolonising the Mind: the Politics of Language in African Literature'' (Heinemann Educational, 1986), by the Kenyan novelist and post-colonial theorist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, is a collection of essays about language and its constructive role in ...
'', Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o refers to Haggard, who he says was one of the canonical authors in primary and secondary school, as one of the "geniuses of racism." Author and academic
Micere Mugo Micere Githae Mugo (born Madeleine Micere Githae in 1942) is a playwright, author, activist, instructor and poet from Kenya. She is a literary critic and professor of literature in the Department of African American Studies at Syracuse Universi ...
wrote in 1973 that reading the description of "an old African woman in Rider Haggard's ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' had for a long time made her feel mortal terror whenever she encountered old African women."


Influence on children's literature in the 19th century

During the 19th century, Haggard was one of many individuals who contributed to children's literature.
Morton N. Cohen Morton Norton Cohen (27 February 192112 June 2017) was a Canadian-born American author and scholar who was a professor at City University of New York. He is best known for his studies of children's author Lewis Carroll including the 1995 biography ...
described ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' as a story that has "universal interest, for grown-ups as well as youngsters".Cohen, Morton N., "The Tale of African Adventure." Rider Haggard: His Life and Works. New York: Walker and Company, 1961. 89–95. Print. Haggard himself wanted to write the book for boys, but it ultimately had an influence on children and adults around the world. Cohen explained, "''King Solomon’s Mines'' was being read in the public schools ndaloud in class-rooms".


General influence and legacy

The first chapter of Haggard's book ''People of the Mist'' is credited with inspiring the motto of the
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
(formerly the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
), '' Per ardua ad astra''. In 1925, his daughter Lilias commissioned a memorial window for Ditchingham Church, in his honour, from James Powell and Sons. The design features the Pyramids, his farm in Africa, and Bungay as seen from the Vineyard Hills near his home. The Rider Haggard Society was founded in 1985. It publishes the ''Haggard Journal'' three times a year.


Works


Films based on Haggard's works

Haggard's writings have been turned into films many times including: * ''King Solomon's Mines'' :This novel has been adapted at least six times. The first version, ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'', directed by
Robert Stevenson Robert Stevenson may refer to: * Robert Stevenson (actor and politician) (1915–1975), American actor and politician * Robert Stevenson (civil engineer) (1772–1850), Scottish lighthouse engineer * Robert Stevenson (director) (1905–1986), Engli ...
, premiered in 1937. The best known version premiered in 1950: ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'', directed by
Compton Bennett Herbert William Compton Bennett (15 January 1900 – 11 August 1974), better known as Compton Bennett, was an English film director, writer and producer. He is perhaps best known for directing the 1945 film '' The Seventh Veil'' and the 1950 ve ...
and Andrew Marton, was followed in 1959 by a sequel, '' Watusi''. In 1979 a low-budget version directed by Alvin Rakoff, '' King Solomon's Treasure'', combined both ''King Solomon's Mines'' and ''Allan Quatermain'' in one story. The 1985 film ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' was a tongue-in-cheek comedy, with a 1987 sequel in the same vein, ''
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold ''Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold'' is a 1986 American adventure comedy film directed by Gary Nelson and released in West Germany on December 18, 1986, and in the United States on January 30, 1987. It is loosely based on the 1887 novel ...
''. Around the same time an Australian animated TV film came out, ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
''. In 2004 an American TV mini-series, ''
King Solomon's Mines ''King Solomon's Mines'' (1885) is a popular novel by the English Victorian adventure writer and fabulist Sir H. Rider Haggard. It tells of a search of an unexplored region of Africa by a group of adventurers led by Allan Quatermain for the ...
'' starred Patrick Swayze. In 2008 a direct-to-video adaptation, '' Allan Quatermain and the Temple of Skulls'', was released by Mark Atkins; it bore more resemblance to
Indiana Jones ''Indiana Jones'' is an American media franchise based on the adventures of Dr. Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., a fictional professor of archaeology, that began in 1981 with the film '' Raiders of the Lost Ark''. In 1984, a prequel, '' Th ...
than the novel. * ''She'' :'' She: A History of Adventure'' has been adapted for film at least ten times, and was one of the earliest movies to be made: :In 1899, as ''La Colonne de feu'' (''The Pillar of Fire''), by
Georges Méliès Marie-Georges-Jean Méliès (; ; 8 December 1861 – 21 January 1938) was a French illusionist, actor, and film director. He led many technical and narrative developments in the earliest days of cinema. Méliès was well known for the use of ...
. :An American 1911 version starred
Marguerite Snow Marguerite Snow (September 9, 1889 – February 17, 1958) was an American silent film and stage actress. In her early films she was billed as Margaret Snow. Early life Snow was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her father, Billy Snow, was a comedia ...
. :A British-produced version appeared in 1916, and in 1917 Valeska Suratt appeared in a production for Fox which is lost. :In 1925 a silent film of ''She'', starring Betty Blythe, was produced with the active participation of Rider Haggard, who wrote the intertitles. This film combines elements from all the books in the series. :The She (1935 film), 1935 version, filmed a decade later, featured Helen Gahagan, Randolph Scott, Helen Mack, and Nigel Bruce. The lost city of Kôr is set in the Arctic, rather than Africa, and depicts the ancient civilisation in an Art Deco style. The music is by Max Steiner. The screenplay combines elements from all the books in the series, including Wisdom's Daughter. In 2006, Legend Films and Ray Harryhausen restored and colorized the film for DVD release, as it was originally intended. :The 1965 film ''She (1965 film), She'' was produced by Hammer Film Productions; it starred Ursula Andress as Ayesha and John Richardson (actor), John Richardson as her reincarnated love, with Peter Cushing and Bernard Cribbins as other members of the expedition. :The 1984 adaptation of ''She (1984 film), She'' took place in a post-apocalyptic setting, attempting to capitalize on the fame of Mad Max. :In 2001, another adaptation was released direct-to-video with Ian Duncan (actor), Ian Duncan as Leo Vincey, Ophélie Winter as Ayesha and Marie Bäumer as Roxane. * ''Dawn (Rider Haggard novel), Dawn'' :The film ''Dawn'' was released in 1917, starring Hubert Carter and Annie Esmond. * ''Jess (novel), Jess'' :This book was filmed in 1912, featuring
Marguerite Snow Marguerite Snow (September 9, 1889 – February 17, 1958) was an American silent film and stage actress. In her early films she was billed as Margaret Snow. Early life Snow was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her father, Billy Snow, was a comedia ...
, Florence La Badie and James Cruze, in 1914 with Constance Crawley and Arthur Maude, and in 1917 as ''Heart and Soul (1917 film), Heart and Soul'', starring Theda Bara in the title role. * ''Cleopatra (Haggard novel), Cleopatra'' :The 1917 American film ''Cleopatra (1917 film), Cleopatra'' was based on Haggard's novel and other sources. * ''Beatrice (novel), Beatrice'' :The book was adapted into a 1921 Italian silent film, silent Drama (film and television), drama film called ''The Stronger Passion'', directed by Herbert Brenon and starring Marie Doro and Sandro Salvini. * ''Swallow (novel), Swallow'' :The novel was adapted into a 1922 South African film. * ''Stella Fregelius'' :The book was adapted into a 1921 British film, ''Stella (1921 film), Stella''. * ''Moon of Israel (novel), Moon of Israel'' :This novel was the basis of a script by Ladislaus Vajda, for film-director Michael Curtiz in his 1924 Austrian epic known as ''Die Sklavenkönigin'' (''Queen of the Slaves'').


Honours

The locality of Rider, British Columbia, was named after him. Rider Haggard Lane in Kessingland, Suffolk, is located at his former home.


See also

* Jules Verne (1825–1905), like Boussenard, his French contemporary, also wrote of fantastic worlds, though some of these are considered to be more science fiction in some of his works than others. ''Journey to the Center of the Earth'' and ''The Mysterious Island'' are novels that are similar in structure to the novels of Boussenard and Haggard. * Louis Henri Boussenard (1847–1911), French author of
adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the Introduction to the ''Encycloped ...
s, dubbed the French Rider Haggard during his lifetime. * Pierre Benoit (novelist), Pierre Benoit (1886–1962), French author whose novel ''Atlantida (novel), L'Atlantide'' is similar to ''She: A History of Adventure, She''. * Emilio Salgari (1862–1911), Italian author of adventure novels and founder of the adventure genre in Italy. * Alexandre Dumas, père (1802–1870), French author of historical novels of high adventure. * Anthony Hope (1863–1933), English author of adventure novels such as ''The Prisoner of Zenda''. * P. C. Wren (1875–1941), British writer of adventure fiction. He is remembered best for ''Beau Geste'', a much-filmed book of 1924 involving the French Foreign Legion in North Africa, and its sequels, ''Beau Sabreur'' and ''Beau Ideal''. * Mythopoeia * Theosophy and literature#Fiction writers and Theosophy, Theosophical fiction


References

Notes Bibliography * * * * * * * * Klein, Darius M. Survivals and Origins in H. Rider Haggard's ''She: A History of Adventure--A bibliography'
online source of bibliography
* *


External links

* *

at Project Gutenberg Australia
Works by H. R. Haggard
a
One More Library

''The Mahatma and the Hare : a Dream Story'' illustrated by William Thomas Horton
(1911)
''Umslopogaas, She, & Allan Quatermain Full Series''
(1927) * * *
H. Rider Haggard's ''She''
Escape, CBS radio, 1948
H. Rider Haggard Quotation Collection



Rider Haggard Society
*
In and Out of Africa : The Adventures of H. Rider Haggard
The Lilly Library, Bloomington, IN
Camera Interviews - Sir Rider Haggard (1923)
by Pathé
Finding aid to H. Rider Haggard papers at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haggard, Henry Rider H. Rider Haggard, 1856 births 1925 deaths Haggard family Fabulists English fantasy writers English historical novelists Writers of historical fiction set in antiquity Writers of historical fiction set in the Middle Ages Writers of historical fiction set in the early modern period Mythopoeic writers Legion of Frontiersmen members Knights Bachelor Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire People educated at Ipswich School People from Breckland District Victorian novelists 19th-century British novelists 20th-century English novelists 19th-century British short story writers People from Ditchingham Writers of Gothic fiction English male novelists