Poetry of Margaret Fuller

By: Margaret Fuller

Narrated by: Norma Jean Gradsky

Length: 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Sarah Margaret Fuller Ossoli (May 23, 1810-July 19, 1850), commonly known as Margaret Fuller, was an American journalist, critic, and women's rights advocate associated with the American transcendentalism movement. Margaret Fuller enjoyed and wrote many pieces of poetry styled after the work of Ralph Waldo Emerson. She was the first full-time American female book reviewer in journalism.

Fuller was an advocate of women's rights and in particular, women's education and the right to employment. She also encouraged many other reforms in society, including prison reform and the emancipation of slaves in the US. Many other advocates for women's rights and feminism, including Susan B. Anthony, cite Fuller as a source of inspiration.

Fuller was an early proponent of feminism and especially believed in providing education to women. Once equal educational rights were afforded women, she believed, women could push for equal political rights as well. She advocated that women seek any employment they wish, rather than catering to the stereotypical "feminine" roles of the time, such as teaching. She once said, "If you ask me what office women should fill, I reply - any...let them be sea captains if you will. I do not doubt that there are women well fitted for such an office".

She had great confidence in all women but doubted that a woman would produce a lasting work of art or literature in her time and disliked the popular female poets of her time. Fuller also warned women to be careful about marriage and not to become dependent on their husbands.

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