His Natural Life

His Natural Life is a novel by Marcus Clarke, first published in 1874. It is considered an important literary work of colonial Australia. The novel tells the story of Rufus Dawes, a man falsely convicted of a crime and subjected to the harsh realities of the convict system. Clarke's writing style is characterized by a melodramatic tone and a form of "garish realism," drawing heavily on documentary sources to depict the convict experience. The novel explores themes of degradation and suffering within the penal system, but also touches on universal values and the recognition of goodness. The phrase "For the Term of" was added to the title without Clarke's authorization after his death.12