Hearn Chronology
OUTLINE OF LAFCADIO HEARN’S LIFE AND WRITINGS
IRELAND AND BRITAIN [1850-1869]
Birth in Greece [1850]
Arrives in Dublin [1852]
Mother returns to Greece [1854]
Brought up by great-aunt, Mrs Brenane, in Dublin
Education in England, [1863-7]; loss of eye/disfigurement
Bankruptcy of family and experience of poverty in London [1867-9]
USA [1869-1890]
Cincinnati [1869(?)-1877]
Arrives in Cincinnati [1869?]
Start in sensational journalism with Cincinnati Enquirer
Foundation and failure of Ye Giglampz periodical
Interest in the black culture of the riverside “levee”
Illegal marriage to black ex-slave, Mattie Foley; marriage fails
Changes to Cincinnati Commercial
Decides to go south
New Orleans[1877-1887]
Arrives in New Orleans [1877]
Introduction to Creole culture
Collapse of connection with Cincinnati Commercial
Editorial assistant on the Item newspaper [1878-81]
Early interest in the Orient/Japan
Development of “Fantastics”, early creative writing
Taken on by Times-Democrat [1881]
Translations from French; publication of One of Cleopatra’s Nights [1882]
Starts being published in national magazines
Books published: Stray Leaves from Stray Literature [1884], La Cuisine Creole, Gumbo Zhebes [1885], Some Chinese Ghosts [1886], and novel of Louisiana Gulf life, Chita [1887]
Falls under the influence of the philosophy of Herbert Spencer
WEST INDIES [1887-1889]
Goes to West Indies for the first time, summer 1887
Returns to West Indies and stays two years, 1887-1889
Results in book, Two Years in the French West Indies and a novel, Youma,
Returns to USA, [1889] stays with George Gould in Philadelphia
Contact with his long-lost brother, James
JAPAN [1890-1904]
Arrives in Yokohama [1890]
Breaks with publisher [Harper]
Starts to form long-term analysis of Japan
Matsue [1890-91]
Takes up teaching post in interior of Japan
Marries Japanese, Setsuko Koizumi
Development of his analysis of Japan; gathers material for first Japanese book, Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan
Kumamoto [1891-94]
Teaching post in south of Japan, unhappy experience
Drafts second Japanese book, Out of the East
Birth of son, Kazuo
Kobe [1894-96]
Editorial writer on Kobe Chronicle, October-December 1894
Illness forces resignation from journalism
Out of work for 1½ years
Begins work on Kokoro
Adopts Japanese citizenship
Working on Gleanings in Buddha Fields
Tokyo [1896-1904]
Takes up appointment as lecturer at Tokyo University
Eight further books on Japan completed
Becomes increasingly withdrawn and immersed in work
Health failing; wants to leave Japan
Loses job at Tokyo University; become lecturer at Waseda University
Supports Japan in Russo-Japanese War
Death
POSTHUMOUS
Bitter newspaper controversy over character in USA in 1906
George Gould’s denunciatory Concerning Lafcadio Hearn published [1908]; further public controversy over Hearn’s life
Visit of biographer, Nina Kennard, and Hearn’s half-sister to Japan in 1909