Canadian writer, teacher, political scientist, and humorist Stephen Butler Leacock. He spoke English, French, and German fluently. Leacock’s stories are laced with humor and mostly about himself and his life. His work is sardonic, straddling the border between humor and absurdity. In all of his literary and creative endeavors, Leacock was an educator. He expertly blended sorrow, sarcasm, and nuance and irony. For him, humor was the greatest expression of human goodness and progress, and he used his works to try and cheer up the depressed. Leacock was a typical conservative, as seen by his satirical style and preference for community above self. Despite criticism for his reliance on a ‘lesser-known genre,’ he remained true to his first love, wit.
Early Childhood of Stephen Leacock
Stephen Leacock was the third of eleven children born to Peter and Agnes Leacock. His family fled to Canada after being expelled from the manor residence and settled on a farm in Toronto. He was six.
In 1878, his father, under the influence of alcohol, abandoned the family and headed west to Manitoba with his brother E.P.
His grandpa got him into Upper Canada College, a prestigious private institution. University College, University of Toronto, awarded him a Bachelor of Arts in 1891. His debut article was published in ‘The Varsity’, the University’s student newspaper.
He earned his Ph.D. in economics and political science from the University of Chicago in 1903.
A Career of Stephen Leacock
His first comic piece appeared in a Canadian journal in 1894. He published around 30 tales in Canadian and American journals during the next few years.
He became an instructor at Mc Gill University in Montreal in 1903. He retired as head of the department of economics and political science in 1908.
His first book, ‘Elements of Political Science’, was published in 1906 and became an instant bestseller.
‘Literary Lapses’ (1910), ‘Nonsense Novels’ (1911), ‘Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town’ (1912), ‘Arcadian adventures with the idle rich’ (1914), ‘The unresolved riddle of social justice’ (1919), ‘My discovery of England’ (1921), ‘Economic Prosperity in the British Empire’ (1930), ‘Humor: Its Theory and Technique’ (1942).
In 1945, he released ‘Last Leaves’ and ‘The boy I left behind me’ (1946).
He also published pieces in prestigious publications and periodicals, gaining him renown and respect. Among his best pieces were ‘Economic prosperity under the British empire’ (1930) and ‘My discovery of the west’ (1937).
His best-selling work was ‘Elements of Political Science’ (1906). It established the link between political science and the state.
His first collection of funny essays, ‘Literary Lapses’ (1910), is a masterpiece. It’s a compilation of short stories woven together with wit, charm, and wicked humor.
It was an instant hit and gained critical accolades.
It includes ghost stories, detective stories, rags-to-riches stories, adventure stories, shipwreck stories, and so on. It is still valued for its exuberant enjoyment.
‘The sunlight sketches of a little village’ (1912) is a collection of interconnected miniatures. It is regarded as a classic of Canadian satire. It has worldwide appeal and has been adapted for television in 1952 and 2012.
‘Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich’ (1914) is his funniest novel. It was a huge hit in North America at the time of publication. It satirizes the social activities and gives a picture of Montreal.
Honors & Awards
On his academic work and contribution to Canadian Literature, he received the Lorne Pierce Medal from the Royal Society of Canada in 1937.
His work, My discovery of the West: A debate of East and West in Canada, earned the Governor General’s Award in 1937.
Personal Legacy of Stephen Leacock
He married Beatrix Hamilton, an aspiring actress, in 1900 and they had Stephen Lushington Leacock.
Lack of growth hormone restricted his son’s growth from an early age. As a result, he never topped four feet. Despite Stephen’s loving care for his kid, the two had a love-hate relationship.
Thanks to his publications, he was able to move to Orillia in 1928. He erected a residence there, which is now a museum and a ‘National Historic Site of Canada’.
It was founded in 1946. In addition, it manages the ‘Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humor’. It honors Canadian humorists. ‘The boy I left behind me’ was published posthumously in the same year.
On the occasion of his centennial, Canada Post issued a six-cent stamp with his likeness. On his birthplace in England, the Stephen Leacock centennial committee installed a plaque.
Stephen Leacock Building at McGill University, Stephen Leacock Public School in Ottawa, a theater in Keswick, and a school in Toronto are all named after him.
He died of throat cancer and was buried in Sutton, Ontario.
Estimated Net Worth
Stephen Leacock net worth in 2020? also Stephen Leacock automobiles, money, compensation, and lifestyle. Based on online sources (Wikipedia,Google Search,Yahoo Search), Stephen Leacock’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million.
Trivia
His book ‘My extraordinary Uncle’ is a scathing critique of his uncle.