reseach harriet Essay

There are many authors and writers that have accomplished many obstacles and had/have had a successful life. Harriet Beecher Stowe became one of the most famous writers, reformers, and abolitionist of the 1800’s in large part due to her best selling fictional book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin,(Abbott Philip). Harriet Beecher Stowe lived much of her life near slaves and did not believe in the institution of slavery, inspiring her to become a voice for anti-slavery both in her writings and personal values and beliefs.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, was born the 7th child to Lyman and Roxana Beecher n June 14, 1811 in Litchfield, Connecticut. She was one of thirteen children; her two sister, Esabella and Catherine were from Lymans first marriage. Harriet had seven brothers, and they all became ministers, Just like their father. Harriet and her siblings were raised with strong principles and strict religious beliefs, which stayed with them throughout their lives. At the age of five, Harriet suffered a great loss, her mother Roxana, died of tuberculosis.

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From that point on in her life, harriet became very attached to her older sister, Catherine. Reverend Lyman remarried and Harriet never reated much of a bond with his second wife. After attending Litchfield Academy, she was sent to Hartford Female Seminary, which was founded by her sister catherine. Catherine, who became respected for her teaching methods, was like a mother to Harriet and became one of her greatest influencers and mentors throughout her life and writing career. Two other important relatives in Harriet’s life were her Uncle Samuel and Aunt Harriet Foote(Phillip).

Not only did they influence her culturally, they also encouraged her to write as they had witnessed her gift for writing early on Phillip). In 1832, Harriet’s father was invited to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was to become the president of Lane Theological seminary. Harriet, along with her sister Catherine, made the move to Cincinnati with him. Harriet was influenced to make this move with her father by her sister, Catherine and their Uncle Samuel and Aunt Harriet Foote. They knew that if she followed her father and sister, she would continue to be inspired to pursue her writing talent00hn Clendenning).

Shortly after their move, Catherine and Harriet established a school together, The Western Female Institute, in which Harriet became one of the teachers. The move for Harriet was an eye-opening experience, where she witnessed for the first time, the brutality of slavery and cruelty of slave auctions(Clendenning). Harriet’s first account of this cruelty was when she observed a black family being separated and sold-off one by one. This outraged, saddened, and frustrated her, but she had not decided to write about it at that time.

In 1836, at the age of 24, Harriet met and fell in love with the man that became her husband, Calvin Stowe, age 33. Calvin Stowe was a clergyman t her father’s seminary, as well as an educator, and staunch abolitionist. He also shared Harriet’s disbelief in slavery. Calvin and Harriet had seven children together within a 15-year time span. In 1834, Stowe began her literary career. She entered a prize contest writing a children’s geography book with her sister Catherine. Soon after she began contributing to the magazine, The Western Monthly, which featured many of her stories and essays.

Her first book, The Mayflower, a short fictional story written in 1843, was also known as, Sketches of Scenes and Characters of the Descendants 0T tne Pilgrims. towes second puDllsnea work was I ne Iwo Altars, also known as, The Two Pictures in One, in 1851. This book was written in response to the Fugitive Slave Law, which outlawed people to assist slaves in escaping, passed in 1850. It was published in two installments in the New York Evangelist, June 12 and June 19, 1851. Her most famous novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written in 1852, was inspired by a vision Harriet had at church one day.

When the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 passed, Harriet was furious and extremely disturbed, and wrote to one of her sisters expressing her frustration. Her sister wrote back saying, Hattie, if I could use a pen as you can, I would write something that would make this whole nation feel what an accursed thing slavery is(Stowe). The response to Uncle Tom’s Cabin was mixed, regionally, and consequently Harriet felt the need to further educate and inform people. As a result, she wrote a follow-up novel in defense of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, to critics who argued it was inauthentic.

This novel written in 1853 was titled A Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin. From 1856 – 1878, Harriet published numerous novels, studies of social life essays, and small volume religious poems. She also wrote several shorter works, some of which were published in the Atlantic Monthly and Christian Union. Most of those writings were focused on the New England community way of life. Several of her older novels, such as Old Town Folks (1869) and Poganuc People (1878), was partly based on her husband’s childhood reminiscences.

Stowe’s best-known work, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was first published in the anti-slavery newspaper The National Era, from June 1851 to April 1852. The National Era compelled the American public, to, for the first time, realize that slavery was not Just a national problem, but lavery were also people with aspirations and hopes Just like their own(Stowe). The fictional novel was finally published in book format in 1852, outsold all other books of the century, and received quite a bit of positive Northern reaction.

By 1857, Uncle Tom’s Cabin had sold over half a million copies in the Unites States and was translated into 37 languages. ln 1869, Harriet sent a copy of her sixth novel, Oldtown Folks, to a much younger, less famous writer, Elliot George. She did so out of respect for George, as a writer, and to receive perspective from a realist. Harriet continued throughout the rest of her days to correspond with Elliot professionally and personally. In the early 1870’s, Harriet became part of a sensational post Civil War scandal.

Harriet had written an imprudent and detailed account of the poet, Lord Byron’s sins. These sins were revealed to her years earlier by Byron’s deceased widow, Lady Byron. This book turned many people against Harriet, although her other books continued to sell successfully throughout the 1870’s, regardless. In 1888, Harriet’s mind began to wonder and become weaker, but she continued to write lucid etters to friends and family. In 1889, her son Charles Edward Stowe wrote a biography, The Life of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Contained in the biography are some of Stowe’s frequently long and “chatty” letters.

Hundred’s of Stowe’s letters still remain unpublished today, and are scattered among various archives. On July 1, 1896, Harriet Beecher Stowe died in Hartford, Connecticut after fighting off illnesses for two years prior. (Watts). Harriet Beecher Stowe is one of the most well-known abolitionist women of her time. Harriet’s bravery and honesty as a woman writer in relation to her beliefs owards the slavery movement, had a strong influence on altering how many others, especlally In tne Nortn, tnougnt aoout slavery, ana Decame largely notlceaDle In ner most recognized work, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

Although some of work in her later years contained the same moral fiber as Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the timing of the novel was key! Works Cited http://www. harrietbeecherstowecenter. org/hbs/ http://www. biography. com/people/harriet-beecher-stowe-9496479? page=2 Harriet Beecher Stowe: a life by Joan Hedrick, 1993. Print C. D. Merriman for Jalic Inc. Copyright Jalic Inc. 2007. Print

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