Harriet Martineau (1802–1876)
Author of Deerbrook
About the Author
Martineau, from a devout and strict Unitarian family in Norwich, was born without the sense either of taste or of smell and, by the age of 12, showed signs of severe deafness. Throughout the early years of her life, she battled poverty and illness. At her mother's insistence, Martineau was show more educated, at first at home by her brothers and then for a short time at school. Because her loss of hearing became worse, she was sent home. Within a space of about three years during the late 1820's, Martineau's favorite brother, Thomas, died; her father lost his fortune and died; and her fiance became insane and died. By 1829, the last of the family money was gone, and she was reduced to helping support her mother and sisters with her needlework. At about this time, she began to review for the Unitarian periodical The Monthly Repository and in 1831 won all three prizes in the magazine's contest for the best essays on the conversion of Catholics, Jews, and Muslims. During 1832-33,she published the tales "Illustrations of Political Economy" and its sequel, "Poor Laws and Paupers," in monthly parts. Despite their pointed didacticism, the works were a tremendous success. Other works of fiction followed. In 1839, she published her first novel, "Deerbrook," and, three years later, her fictionalized biography of Toussaint L'Ouverture, "The Hour and the Man," appeared. Despite her forays into fiction, however, Martineau is better known today for her historical, political, and philosophical writings. Early in her career, she was influenced by the classical economies of David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus. She was friends with Edwin Chadwick and James Kay-Shuttleworth, and acquainted with John Stuart Mill. A strong, often radical proponent of utilitarian reform, early in her career she wrote a number of instructive texts that advocated the same curriculum for men and women. By the mid 1840's, Martineau had completely thrown off her Unitarianism and in 1851, published her antitheological "Laws of Man's Social Nature." Some good work has been done on Martineau's life and writings, especially on the political aspects of her public life. Books on Martineau as a literary artist are scarcer; Deirdre David's "Intellectual Women and Victorian Patriarchy" (1987) contains an excellent discussion of Martineau, and Valerie Sanders's "Reason over Passion" (1986) discusses Martineau as a novelist. One of the most insightful books on Martineau, and one of the most readable, is her own Autobiography (1877). (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Works by Harriet Martineau
The history of British rule in India 3 copies
Devotional exercises: Consisting of reflections and prayers for the use of young persons : to which is added a guide to… (1840) 2 copies
Novelas Económicas de H. Martineau. Volumen I, "La vida en territorio salvaje y La colina y el valle" (2013) 2 copies
Novelas Económicas de H. Martineau. Volumen II, "Ella de Garveloch y Alegrías y penas en Garveloch" (2013) 2 copies
For Each and For All 2 copies
The Jerseymen parting : a tale 2 copies
Society in America, Vol. 1 2 copies
The martyr age of the United States 2 copies
Guide to Windermere: With Tours To The Neighboring Lakes And Other Interesting Places (Cambridge Library Collection -… (2010) 1 copy
Traditions of Palestine 1 copy
Novelas económicas 1 copy
Society in America vol. 2 1 copy
Homes abroad : a tale 1 copy
The land's end : a tale 1 copy
The tenth haycock : a tale 1 copy
Briery Creek : a tale 1 copy
[Works] 1 copy
Miscellanies, Vol. 1 1 copy
Dawn island : A tale 1 copy
A tale of the Tyne 1 copy
Associated Works
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Martineau, Harriet
- Birthdate
- 1802-06-12
- Date of death
- 1876-06-27
- Burial location
- Key Hill Cemetery, Hockley, Birmingham, England
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK
- Place of death
- Ambleside, Cumbria, England, UK
- Places of residence
- Norwich, England, UK (Birth)
London, England, UK
Tynemouth, England, UK
Ambleside, Cumbria, England, UK (Death) - Occupations
- essayist
novelist
translator
Sociologist
Philosopher
social theorist (show all 7)
autobiographer - Relationships
- Martineau, James (brother)
Carpenter, Lant (teacher, minister)
Darwin, Erasmus (lover)
Caldwell, Anne Marsh (friend)
Chapman, Maria Weston (friend)
Kirkland, Caroline M. (friend) - Organizations
- American Abolitionist Party
- Short biography
- Harriet Martineau was born in Norwich, England, to a family of French Huguenot origins. Her progressive parents saw to it that all their children were well and equally educated. She published some devotional works anonymously as a teenager, but was forced into selling needlepoint and hack writing to help support her family after her father's business failure and death. She went on to produce reviews, short stories, and essays. She developed increasing deafness, which she described as "very noticeable, very inconvenient, and excessively painful." In 1832, she began publishing a series of articles on political economy, which proved to be an immediate and enormous success. She became one of the most widely admired writers of her day. Today she is considered one of the first female sociologists. Harriet Martineau spent the years 1834 to 1836 in the USA, where she joined the abolitionist movement, the first of several radical causes she would champion. Her autobiography was published posthumously in two volumes in 1877.
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Group read: Deerbrook by Harriet Martineau in Virago Modern Classics (February 2017)
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Statistics
- Works
- 110
- Also by
- 5
- Members
- 751
- Popularity
- #33,866
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 17
- ISBNs
- 228
- Languages
- 2
- Favorited
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