Frances Sargent Osgood

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Frances Sargent Osgood
Osgood in an 1848 anthology
Born	June 18, 1811 Boston, Massachusetts
Died	May 12, 1850

Frances Sargent Osgood (née Locke) (June 18, 1811 – May 12, 1850) was an American poet and one of the most popular women writers during her time.^[1] Nicknamed "Fanny," she was also famous for her exchange of romantic poems with Edgar Allan Poe.

Contents 1 Life 1.1 Early life 1.2 Marriage 1.3 Relationship with Poe 1.4 Death 2 Writing 3 See also 4 References 4.1 Sources 5 External links

[edit] Life

[edit] Early life

Frances Sargent Locke was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Joseph Locke, a wealthy merchant, and his second wife Mary Ingersoll Foster. Her father's first wife, Martha Ingersoll was the sister of Mary his second wife. Mary was also the widow of Benjamin Foster by whom she had two children: William Vincent Foster and Anna Maria Wells, who would also become a published poet and close associate of Frances. Joseph and Mary had seven children. Including another writer Andrew Aitchison Locke. As a young woman she attended the prestigious Boston Lyceum for Young Ladies.^[2] Her poetry was first published in 1826 in a bimonthly periodical of children's poetry called Juvenile Miscellany by editor Lydia Maria Child.

[edit] Marriage

In 1834, while composing poems inspired by paintings, Frances met Samuel Stillman Osgood, a young portrait artist at the Boston Athenaeum. He asked her to sit for a portrait. They were engaged before the portrait was finished and married on October 7, 1835.^[3]

After their marriage, the couple moved to England. On July 15, 1836, their first daughter was born, Ellen Frances. In 1838, while in England, she published her collection of poems A Wreath of Flowers from New England ^[4] which included Elfrida, a dramatic poem in five acts. She then published another volume of poetry, The Casket of Fate.

Due to her father's death, the Osgoods returned to Boston in 1839. After the birth of their second daughter, May Vincent, on July 21, 1839, they moved to New York City. Osgood became a popular member of the New York literary society and a prolific writer. Many of her writings were published in the widely popular literary magazines of the time. She sometimes wrote under pseudonyms "Kate Carol" or "Violet Vane".^[5] Her book, The Poetry of Flowers and the Flowers of Poetry was published in 1841. Some of her other published works were The Snowdrop, a New Year Gift for Children (1842), Rose, Sketches in Verse (1842), Puss in Boots (1842), the Marquis of Carabas (1844), and Cries in New York (1846).^[6]

Although she was successful in her professional life, her personal life suffered. It is speculated that the Osgoods separated in 1844.

[edit] Relationship with Poe

In February of 1845, Poe gave a lecture in New York in which he criticized American poetry, especially Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He made special mention, however, of Osgood, saying she had "a rosy future" in literature. Though she missed the lecture, she wrote to her friend, saying Poe was "called the severest critic of the day," making his compliment that much more impressive.^[7]

It is believed Poe and Osgood first met in person when introduced by Nathaniel Parker Willis in March 1845 when Osgood had been separated from (but not divorced from) her husband.^[8] Poe's wife Virginia was still alive, but in ill health. Poe may have been attracted to Osgood because they were both born in Boston and possibly due to her childlike qualities which were similar to Virginia's. She may have already been in an early stage of tuberculosis, just like Virginia.^[9]

Poe used his role as one-third owner of the Broadway Journal to print some of her poems, including some flirtatious ones. Poe responded with published poems of his own, occasionally under his pseudonym of Edgar T. S. Grey. Most notable is his poem "A Valentine." The poem is actually a riddle which conceals Osgood's name, found by taking letter 1 from line 1, letter 2 from line 2, and so on. Despite these passionate interchanges, the relationship between Poe and Osgood is often considered purely platonic.^[10]

Oddly, Poe's wife Virginia approved of the relationship and often invited Osgood to visit their home. Virginia believed their friendship had a "restraining" effect on her husband. Poe had given up alcohol to impress Osgood, for example. Virginia may also have been aware of her own impending death and was looking for someone who would take care of Poe.^[11] Osgood's husband Samuel also did not object, apparently used to his wife's impetuous behavior;^[12] he himself had a reputation as a philanderer.^[11] Others, however, were not as supportive; Osgood and Poe were widely criticized and harassed for their relationship.

Fellow poet Elizabeth F. Ellet, whose affection Poe had scorned, spread rumors about Poe and Osgood's friendship, even contacting Virginia about alleged improprieties. Ellet even suggested that Osgood's third child, Fanny Fay, was not her husband's but Poe's. Fanny Fay was born in June of 1846 but died in October.^[13] Poe biographer Kenneth Silverman says the possibility of Poe as Fanny Fay's father is "possible but most unlikely".^[14] Osgood, in an attempt to protect her public character, sent Margaret Fuller and Anne Lynch to request Poe return her personal letters to him to be destroyed.^[13] In July 1846 Osgood's husband Samuel demanded Ellet apologize to his wife, lest he sue her for defamation. Ellet responded in a letter, retracted her statements, and put the blame on Poe and his wife Virginia.^[15] Osgood and Poe did not interact after 1847.^[16]

Poe was not the only man to engage in literary flirtation with Osgood. Several men wrote of their affection for her, including Rufus Wilmot Griswold, to whom Osgood dedicated a book of poetry.^[17] She also wrote a Valentine poem that mingled her own name with Griswold's.^[10] The competition between Griswold and Poe for Osgood may have led to their infamous rivalry, best exemplified in Griswold's character assassination of Poe after his death (see Death of Edgar Allan Poe).^[17]

[edit] Death

Osgood and her husband reconciled in 1846, and moved to Philadelphia for a short time to get away from the scandal. Although she was ill, she continued to write. in 1849, her husband left her again to join the California Gold Rush. He returned shortly before her death. ^[2] Osgood died of tuberculosis in 1850. She is buried at Hingham Center Cemetery in Hingham, Massachusetts.

[edit] Writing

Osgood was a prolific writer and contributed to most of the leading periodicals of the time.^[1] Griswold once said that she created poems "with almost the fluency of conversation."^[18] Poe, in a review of her work, wrote that she was "absolutely without rival, we think, either in our own country or in England."^[19] Of her poetry collection A Wreath of Flowers from New England, he said that its author exhibits "deep feeling and exquisite taste" and her work deserved wider circulation. His review appeared in the September 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book.^[20] In 1851, a collection of her writings was published by her friends and titled The Memorial, Written by Friends of the Late Mrs. Frances Sargent Locke Osgood. It was reissued as Laurel Leaves in 1854.^[6]

[edit] See also

• "To Frances" poem by Edgar Allan Poe
• "To F——s S. O——d" poem by Edgar Allan Poe
• Sarah Elmira Royster - A childhood sweetheart of Poe
• Sarah Helen Whitman - Had a similar relationship with Poe
• Impromptu. To Kate Carol by Edgar Allan Poe

[edit] References

[edit] Sources

• Child, Lydia Maria Francis. The Juvenile Miscellany. Boston, Mass: Printed and published by John Putnam, 1826. worldcat.org Accessed January 27, 2008
• Locke, John G. Book of the Lockes. A Genealogical and Historical Record of the Descendants of William Locke, of Woburn. Boston: J. Munroe and co, 1853. (p. 139) googlebooks Accessed January 30, 2008
• Meyers, Jeffrey. Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy. Cooper Square Press, 1992. ISBN 0815410387.
• Moss, Sidney P. Poe's Literary Battles: The Critic in the Context of His Literary Milieu. Southern Illinois University Press, 1969.
• Quinn, Arthur Hobson. Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998. ISBN 0801857309
• Silverman, Kenneth. Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance. Harper Perennial, 1991. ISBN 0060923318.
• Sova, Dawn B. Edgar Allan Poe: A to Z. New York: Checkmark Books, 2001. ISBN 081604161X.

[edit] External links

• Listing at enotes.com
• Listing at the Edgar Allan Poe Society online
• Selection of poems at litscape.com