by In the 21st century, Charles Darwin is widely regarded as the originator of natural selection. Similar to people like Gregor Mendel and Isaac Newton, Darwin’s fame comes because his ideas are still scientifically accurate today. The novel, Darwin’s Origin of Species, by Janet Browne, is a biography of Darwin’s widely popular publishing Origin of Species. By labeling this book as a biography of Darwin’s work and not just Darwin’s life, it allows Browne to look at how the book was viewed before, during and after publication. This is what made the reading so fascinating, Browne picked apart all aspects of Darwin’s writing even after his death.
The writing about Darwin’s life before the publication of Origin of Species is expansive. Some of the most interesting things in the sections leading up to the publication are how Darwin formed his theory of evolution. It did not come to him during his five plus year trip on the HMS Beagle. In fact, Darwin’s theory took many years to craft, and he did not muster up the confidence for publication until he faced a scare when Alfred Wallace sent him his own discoveries, which were very similar. Another very interesting fact brought up in this publication is Darwin himself facing doubt about human evolution. He grew up in a faithful family, and he was close to a life as an Anglican clergyman. Although facts like this can be seen in a typical biography or autobiography, this specific piece of writing allows for a more outside point of view. There are examples of societal pressure, and Darwin’s theory was definitely influenced by his environment, which a biography may not highlight.
During the publication, Darwin was going through troubles with illness, and he was not able to attend much of the press meetings surrounding his works. This led to him having a group of friends who truly believed in his word, and became known as Darwin’s army. This included his friends like Thomas Henry Huxley and Charles Lyell. Darwin continued to write, and Origin of Species became the first of a three part series.
The most interesting thing about this piece is the last section where Browne goes in depth about Darwin’s legacy. It is very interesting because Darwin’s theory was challenged right after its publication, and it did not become popular again until the 1920s and 30s. There was a new wave of support in the period between the two global wars where Darwinists became popular again. The challenges to his theory in the late 19th century were washed away, and the theory of natural selection dominated the scientific world. This principle of “survival of the fittest”, as coined by Herbert Spencer, was being applied to every aspect of the world.
The literary choices made by Janet Browne in her writing of Darwin’s Origin of Species allowed her to explore many different aspects of Darwin’s work. She developed a beginning, middle, and end of his publication, as well as how Darwin’s writing has changed meaning over time. In conclusion, this biography is a great example of Darwin’s impact on his world and the world today.