William Wilkie Collins
- Born:
- 8 January 1824, London, England
- Died:
- 23 September 1889, London, England
- Nationality:
- British (English)
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
Early Life and Education
- Born to artist William Collins and Harriet Geddes.
- Lived in Italy with his family from 1836 to 1838, learning Italian and experiencing art and culture.
- Educated at a private school in Highgate and later at a boarding school in Maida Hill.
- Worked as a clerk for a tea merchant from 1841 to 1846.
- Studied law at Lincoln's Inn, qualifying as a barrister in 1851 but never practicing.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his literary career writing a biography of his father, Memoirs of the Life of William Collins, Esq., R.A. (1848).
- Befriended Charles Dickens in 1851, leading to collaborations on plays and contributions to Dickens's periodicals, Household Words and All the Year Round.
- Developed the sensation novel genre with works characterized by suspense, mystery, and social commentary.
- Achieved widespread popular success with novels like The Woman in White, No Name, Armadale, and The Moonstone. The title character from wilkie collins the woman in white captured the popular imagination.
- Wrote several plays, some in collaboration with Dickens, and a number of short stories.
Notable Works
- Antonina (1850)
- Basil (1852)
- Hide and Seek (1854)
- The Woman in White (1859)
- No Name (1862)
- Armadale (1866)
- The Moonstone (1868)
- Man and Wife (1870)
- The Law and the Lady (1875)
Legacy and Impact
William Wilkie Collins is recognized as a pioneer of the sensation novel and a significant figure in the development of detective fiction. His innovative narrative techniques, complex characters, and exploration of social issues left a lasting mark on Victorian literature.