Who was Margaret Fuller? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Sarah Margaret Fuller Ossoli

Died At Age: 40

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Giovanni Angelo Ossoli

father: Timothy Fuller

mother: Margaret Crane Fuller

siblings: Arthur Buckminster Fuller

children: Angelo Eugene Philip Ossoli

Feminists Journalists

Died on: July 19, 1850

place of death: Fire Island, New York, United States

Cause of Death: Shipwreck

U.S. State: Massachusetts

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What were Margaret Fuller's major works?

Margaret Fuller's major works include "Woman in the Nineteenth Century," "Summer on the Lakes," and "Papers on Literature and Art."
2

What were Margaret Fuller's contributions to the women's rights movement?

Margaret Fuller was a prominent figure in the women's rights movement, advocating for equality in education and employment opportunities for women.
3

How did Margaret Fuller influence the transcendentalist movement?

Margaret Fuller was a key figure in the transcendentalist movement, contributing essays and ideas that emphasized individualism and self-reliance.
4

What was Margaret Fuller's role in the Brook Farm experiment?

Margaret Fuller was involved in the Brook Farm experiment, a utopian community in Massachusetts, where she contributed her intellect and ideals to the community's discussions and activities.
5

What impact did Margaret Fuller have on the field of journalism?

Margaret Fuller made significant contributions to the field of journalism as a pioneering female journalist and literary critic, challenging traditional gender roles in the media industry.

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Childhood & Early Life

Sarah Margaret Fuller was born to Timothy Fuller and Margaret Crane Fuller in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. By the time she turned three, her father began teaching her to read and write.

Her father gave her an education similar to what boys received during that time. She attended several schools and became well versed in German, Italian, and Latin.

In 1819, she was enrolled in the Port School in Cambridgeport and later she went on to attend the Boston Lyceum for Young Ladies. She also attended the School for Young Ladies in Groton.

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Career

In November 1834, her first piece of writing, which was a riposte to historian George Bancroft, was published in ‘The North American Review’, which was one of the first literary magazines of the U.S.A.

In June 1835, she authored one of her first literary reviews for the periodical, ‘Western Messenger’. She wrote critical reviews on the biographies of renowned personalities George Crabbe and Hannah More.

In 1835, her father died—this was an incident that deeply affected her and caused great financial crisis in her family. In order to provide for her family, she took up a teaching job at the Bronson Alcott's Temple School.

In April 1837, she was appointed to teach under journalist and educator, Hiram Fuller, at the Greene Street School, Rhode Island. She was given a very high salary of $1000 annually.

In 1839, she met a group of women in Boston, with whom she engaged in discussions on topics like literature, history, fine arts and the need for education. Women involved in the women’s right movement also attended these gatherings.

On October 20, 1839, she became the editor of the journal, ‘The Dial’, where she worked until 1842. Her involvement with the periodical gave her recognition as an important figure of the transcendental movement.

In 1844, she wrote the book, ‘Summer on the Lakes’ based on her experiences with Native Americans, Ottawa tribes and Chippewa tribes in Chicago, Milwaukee, Niagara Falls, and Buffalo, New York.

In the autumn of 1844, she relocated to New York and took up a job as a literary critic with Horace Greeley's ‘New York Tribune’. She later became one of the first female editors of the publication. She worked with the newspaper for four years and produced over 250 columns.

In 1845, her book titled, ‘Woman in the Nineteenth Century’ was published. This piece of writing was originally published in the magazine, ‘The Dial’, before it was made into a book form.

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In 1846, she became one of the first foreign female correspondents of the ‘New York Tribune’ and traveled on assignments to various parts of England and Europe. She provided 37 reports in four years for the publication.

She was an early feminist who believed that women should be given equal rights as men. She advocated women’s education and the right of women to choose any profession they wanted instead of selecting only “feminine” professions like teaching or nursing.

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Major Works

Published in the year 1845, her book ‘Woman in the Nineteenth Century’ is regarded one of the first works on feminism in the U.S. The book is regarded as one among the most significant documents on feminism.

Personal Life & Legacy

Around 1846, she was introduced to Giovanni Angelo Ossoli, an Italian revolutionary and marquis. She later lived with him in Florence, Italy and though there is no evidence that they were married, they had a child together.

She died at the age of 40 in a shipwreck around the Fire Island, New York. Her body was not recovered from the site.

Facts About Margaret Fuller

Margaret Fuller was a pioneering feminist and advocate for women's rights, advocating for equal education and opportunities for women during a time when such ideas were not widely accepted.

Fuller was a prominent literary figure in the Transcendentalist movement, contributing essays, criticism, and poetry to influential publications of the time.

She was one of the first female foreign correspondents, reporting on social and political issues in Europe for American newspapers.

Fuller's groundbreaking book "Woman in the Nineteenth Century" is considered a seminal work in early feminist literature, challenging traditional gender roles and advocating for women's intellectual and emotional independence.

Fuller was known for her intellectual curiosity and passion for learning, engaging in discussions on philosophy, literature, and social reform with leading thinkers of her time.

Margaret Fuller Biography

You wanted to know

What were Margaret Fuller's major works?

What were Margaret Fuller's contributions to the women's rights movement?

How did Margaret Fuller influence the transcendentalist movement?

What was Margaret Fuller's role in the Brook Farm experiment?

What impact did Margaret Fuller have on the field of journalism?