Charlotte Mew

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Charlotte-mew

Charlotte Mew (15 November 1869 – 24 March 1928) was an English poet whose work spans the late Victorian and early modernist periods. Her writing is characterized by its emotional intensity and innovative use of form and language.

Early Life

Charlotte Mary Mew was born in Bloomsbury, London, the daughter of architect Frederick Mew and Anna Kendall. She was one of seven children, though only Charlotte and her sister Anne survived into adulthood. The family faced significant hardships, including the deaths of several siblings and the institutionalization of her brother and another sister due to mental illness.

Education

Mew attended Lucy Harrison's School for Girls in Gower Street, London. Her education was cut short due to the family's financial difficulties following her father's death in 1898.

Literary Career

Charlotte Mew's first published work appeared in The Yellow Book in 1894. Her poetry often explores themes of love, loss, and mental anguish. Mew's most famous collection, The Farmer's Bride, was published in 1916 and received critical acclaim. Her work was admired by contemporaries such as Thomas Hardy, Virginia Woolf, and Siegfried Sassoon.

Personal Life

Mew's personal life was marked by tragedy and hardship. She remained unmarried and devoted much of her life to caring for her sister Anne. Mew struggled with her own mental health issues and was deeply affected by the deaths of her siblings and the institutionalization of her brother and sister.

Death

Charlotte Mew died by suicide on 24 March 1928. She is buried in Hampstead Cemetery in London.

Legacy

Mew's work has been re-evaluated in recent years, and she is now considered an important figure in early 20th-century poetry. Her innovative use of form and language has influenced many subsequent poets.

Selected Works

• The Farmer's Bride (1916)
• Saturday Market (1921)
• The Rambling Sailor (1929, posthumous)

See Also

• List of English-language poets
• Modernist poetry
• Victorian literature