Sophie Jewett (June 3, 1861 – October 11, 1909), also known under the pseudonym Ellen Burroughs, was an American lyric poet, translator, and professor at Wellesley College. Much of her poetry contains lesbian themes.[1]
Jewett was born in Moravia, New York, one of four children of Charles Carroll Jewett, a doctor, and Ellen Ransom (Burroughs) Jewett.[2] Her mother died when she was 7 and her father when she was 9, after which she was raised by an uncle, Daniel Burroughs, and her grandmother in Buffalo.[3][4][2] Her sister Louise became a noted art historian.[5] In Buffalo, she developed a friendship with Mary Whiton Calkins, the daughter of her minister, who also went on to teach at Wellesley College.[3]
Careeredit
Writingedit
When she was 20, Jewett traveled in Europe, and reflections of these experiences appear in her early poetry and in sketches that she published in The Outlook and Scribner's Magazine.[3][4]
Jewett initially published poetry under the pseudonym Ellen Burroughs (borrowed from her mother's name).[4] Her first book under her own name was The Pilgrim, and Other Poems (1896).[4] Jewett wrote in various poetic forms, including the rondeau, the sonnet, and the ballad.[2] Fellow poet Richard Watson Gilder called her a true poet with a golden gift.[2]
In addition to original poetry, Jewett undertook translations, including a version of the complex Middle English poem The Pearl in the original meter and selected lyrics such as a "Nativity Song" adapted from the work of Jacopone da Todi.[2] A collection of southern European ballads translated by Jewett from several languages was edited by the author and literary scholar Katharine Lee Bates and published posthumously.[6]
In 1901, Jewett published an introduction to a critical edition of Tennyson's The Holy Grail.[4]
The English composer Edward Elgar wrote a song entitled "The Poet's Life" (1892) with lyrics by Jewett (credited to her pseudonym of Ellen Burroughs).
Teachingedit
In 1889, Jewett began teaching English at Wellesley College, and in 1897 she became an associate professor.[4] Among her students there was the writer Sarah Bixby Smith.[3][7]
Death and legacyedit
Jewett died October 11, 1909. Wellesley College founded a scholarship in Jewett's name in 1911 and dedicated a window in her memory in the college chapel.[8]
Wikisource has original text related to this article:
The Little Lamb (English translation by Sophie Jewett, 1913)
Works by Sophie Jewett at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
April 13, 2024
sophie, jewett, june, 1861, october, 1909, also, known, under, pseudonym, ellen, burroughs, american, lyric, poet, translator, professor, wellesley, college, much, poetry, contains, lesbian, themes, born, 1861, june, 1861moravia, yorkdiedoctober, 1909, 1909, a. Sophie Jewett June 3 1861 October 11 1909 also known under the pseudonym Ellen Burroughs was an American lyric poet translator and professor at Wellesley College Much of her poetry contains lesbian themes 1 Sophie JewettBorn 1861 06 03 June 3 1861Moravia New YorkDiedOctober 11 1909 1909 10 11 aged 48 Pen nameEllen BurroughsOccupationPoet translator college professorNationalityAmericanGenreLyric poetry Contents 1 Family 2 Career 2 1 Writing 2 2 Teaching 3 Death and legacy 4 Publications 5 References 6 External linksFamily editJewett was born in Moravia New York one of four children of Charles Carroll Jewett a doctor and Ellen Ransom Burroughs Jewett 2 Her mother died when she was 7 and her father when she was 9 after which she was raised by an uncle Daniel Burroughs and her grandmother in Buffalo 3 4 2 Her sister Louise became a noted art historian 5 In Buffalo she developed a friendship with Mary Whiton Calkins the daughter of her minister who also went on to teach at Wellesley College 3 Career editWriting edit When she was 20 Jewett traveled in Europe and reflections of these experiences appear in her early poetry and in sketches that she published in The Outlook and Scribner s Magazine 3 4 Jewett initially published poetry under the pseudonym Ellen Burroughs borrowed from her mother s name 4 Her first book under her own name was The Pilgrim and Other Poems 1896 4 Jewett wrote in various poetic forms including the rondeau the sonnet and the ballad 2 Fellow poet Richard Watson Gilder called her a true poet with a golden gift 2 In addition to original poetry Jewett undertook translations including a version of the complex Middle English poem The Pearl in the original meter and selected lyrics such as a Nativity Song adapted from the work of Jacopone da Todi 2 A collection of southern European ballads translated by Jewett from several languages was edited by the author and literary scholar Katharine Lee Bates and published posthumously 6 In 1901 Jewett published an introduction to a critical edition of Tennyson s The Holy Grail 4 The English composer Edward Elgar wrote a song entitled The Poet s Life 1892 with lyrics by Jewett credited to her pseudonym of Ellen Burroughs Teaching edit In 1889 Jewett began teaching English at Wellesley College and in 1897 she became an associate professor 4 Among her students there was the writer Sarah Bixby Smith 3 7 Death and legacy editJewett died October 11 1909 Wellesley College founded a scholarship in Jewett s name in 1911 and dedicated a window in her memory in the college chapel 8 Publications editOriginal poetryThe Pilgrim and Other Poems 1896 Persephone and Other Poems 1905 The Poems of Sophie Jewett 1910 TranslationsThe Pearl 1908 Folk Ballads of Southern Europe 1913 Children s booksGod s Troubadour The Story of St Francis of Assisi 1910 References edit Paula Bennett 1998 Nineteenth century American women poets an anthology Blackwell Publishers pp xli OCLC 1330614844 a b c d e The Poems of Sophie Jewett 1910 New York Thomas Y Crowell 1910 Memorial edition a b c d Sophie Jewett The Poetry Foundation website a b c d e f Sophie Jewett All Poetry Louise R Jewett papers ca 1860 1914 Five College Archive and Manuscript Collections Bates Katharine Lee ed Folk Ballads of Southern Europe Trans Sophie Jewett New York G P Putnam s Sons 1913 Smith Sarah Bixby A Westerner at Wellesley Unpublished manuscript Rancho Los Cerritos archives Wellesley Magazine vol 21 1912 pp 1 12 External links editWorks by Sophie Jewett at Project Gutenberg nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article The Little Lamb English translation by Sophie Jewett 1913 Works by Sophie Jewett at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sophie Jewett amp oldid 1176669772, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
