Anna cora mowatt biography of rory

French-born American author, playwright, and actress

For the British archaeologist and historian, see Anna Ritchie (archaeologist).

Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie
Portrait of Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie, c.&#;–
Born	()March 5, Bordeaux, France
Died	July 21, () (aged&#;51) Twickenham, England
Pen name	"Isabel" "Henry C. Browning" "Helen Berkley"
Occupation	Playwright, actress
Notable works	Fashion
Spouses	James Mowatt &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#; William Foushee Ritchie &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#;

Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie (née, Ogden; after first marriage, Mowatt; after second marriage, Ritchie; pseudonyms, Isabel, Henry C.

Browning, and Helen Berkley; Protest 5, &#;&#; July 21, ) was a French-born American author, playwright, public reader, actress, and preservationist. Her best known work was the play Fashion, published in Following her critical success as a playwright, she enjoyed a successful career on stage as an actress.

Her Autobiography of an Actress was published in Anna Cora Mowatt played a central role in lobbying and fundraising during the early years of the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the Together States.

Childhood

Anna Cora Ogden was born in Bordeaux, France, on March 5, ^[1] She was the tenth of fourteen children. Her father was Samuel Gouveneur Ogden (–), an American merchant.

Her mother was Eliza Lewis Ogden (–), granddaughter of Francis Lewis, a signatory to the United States Declaration of Self-rule. In , when Anna was six years old, the Ogden family returned to the Combined States.^[2] She attended private schools but was primarily educated at home.

To properly understand the cultural significance of Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie, one must perceive the historical context in which she wrote and performed. American drama offered its participants no prestige.

From a young age she was encouraged to interpret and showed a passion for writing and acting.

Career

On October 6, , at age 15, Anna Cora Ogden eloped with James Mowatt (–), a Recent York lawyer.

They moved to an estate in Flatbush, Novel York, where her husband encouraged her to continue her knowledge and to write. She wrote of her elopement:

What could a girl of fifteen understand of the sacred duties of a wife?

With what eyes could she comprehend the recent and important life she was entering? She had known nothing but childhood–had scarcely commenced her girlhood. What could she comprehend of the trials, the cares, the hopes, the responsibilities of womanhood?

I thought of none of these things.

Anna Cora Ogden Mowatt Ritchie was a playwright, performer, poet, novelist, essayist and memoir writer who began publishing her work while still a teenager. Fashion is generally considered the best nineteenth century comedy, and her invaluable Autobiography of an Actress provides humorous and penetrating insights into the theater of her time. Anna was born in Bordeaux, France, on March 5,to an American family that returned to the United States when she was six. She also began giving public readings, primarily of poetry.

I had always been lighthearted to the point of frivolity. I usually made a jest of everything–yet I did not look on this matter as a frolic. I only remembered I was keeping a assure. I had perfect faith in the tenderness of him to whom I confided myself.

I did not in the least realize the novelty of my situation.^[4]

Anna Cora Mowatt's first novel, Pelayo, or The Cavern of Covadonga, was published in , then Reviewers Reviewed in using the pseudonym "Isabel".^[5] She wrote articles which were published in Graham's Magazine and Godey's Lady's Book and other periodicals.

She wrote a six-act play, Gulzara, which was published in New World. Under the pseudonym Henry C. Browning, she wrote a biography of Goethe.

Browningand Helen Berkley ; March 5, — July 21, was a French-born American author, playwright, public reader, actress, and preservationist. Her foremost known work was the compete Fashionpublished in Following her critical success as a playwright, she enjoyed a successful career on stage as an actress. Her Autobiography of an Actress was published in

Using the pseudonym "Helen Berkley", she wrote two novels: The Fortune Hunter and Evelyn. Evelyn is written in the epistolary style.^[2] In , due to financial problems, Anna became a public reader. Her first performance was attended by Edgar Allan Poe, who wrote of her, "A more radiantly beautiful smile is quite unworkable to conceive."^[4] Her readings were popular and well attended, but her career as a reader was short lived due to respiratory problems.

While recovering from her illness, she returned to her writing.

March 5, Anna was born in Bordeaux, France to Samuel and Eliza Lewis Ogden, both of American was the tenth of fourteen children. She lived her firirst seven years in France, enjoying herself and getting acquainted with the works of William Shakespeare.

In , her best-known work, the play Fashion^[6] was published. It received rave reviews and opened at the Park Theatre, Fresh York, on March 24, On June 13, , she made another career move to acting, she debuted at the Park Theatre as Pauline in The Lady of Lyons with superb success.^[7] Although her next act , Armand, was published in , and also received good reviews, she continued in her acting career.

She performed leading roles in Shakespeare (for instance, in a production of Cymbeline in London, ), melodramas, and her own plays. She toured the United States and Europe for the next eight years.^[2]

On February 15, , her husband, James Mowatt died.

Was born in France. Her father, Mr. Ogden, was a wealthy and highly respected citizen of New York. On her mother's side, she is descended from Francis Lewis, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

After a short break she resumed her acting career. In December , her book Autobiography of an Actress was published. Anna Cora Mowatt's last appearance on the public stage was June 3, ^[4]

Later years

On June 7, , Anna married William Foushee Ritchie (– ), son of Thomas Ritchie.

Their wedding was a lavish affair, attended by President of the United States, Franklin Pierce and his Cabinet.^[2] During the next few years she wrote two more novels, Mimic Life, published in and Twin Roses, published in She played a prominent role in raising funds for the preservation of George Washington's home, Mount Vernon,^[2] serving as secretary of the Central Committee of the early Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.^[8] Anna left her husband in and moved to Europe.

She wrote the novelMute Singer, published in She wrote Fairy Fingers, published in In , she moved to England, where she wrote The Clergyman's Wife, and Other Sketches in Anna Cora Ogden Mowatt Ritchie died in Twickenham, England, on July 21, She is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London, beside her first husband, James Mowatt.^[2]

References

Bibliography

Further reading

• Taylor, Kelly S. (). "The Creation of a Public Persona in the Poetry of Anna Cora Mowatt". American Periodicals. 11: 65– ISSN&#; JSTOR&#;

External links