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The Margaret Fuller Timeline
1810
Born May 23, Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, firstborn of Timothy
Fuller, lawyer/ Congressman, and Margaret Crane Fuller, former
teacher.
1814-26
Tutored by father, guided as boys were for Harvard. (No colleges
open to women.) Learned Latin, read Plutarch, Ovid, Shakespeare,
Fielding, Cicero, Cervantes, etc. Attended Cambridge Port Private
Grammar School, studied Greek at Dr. Park’s Boston Lyceum, boarded
at Miss Prescott’s Seminary, Groton, MA. Returned home, 1826,
scheduled rigid self-education, avidly read classics. Moved to Dana
mansion, Cambridge, MA.
1830-34
Studied German; read/translated Tasso by Goethe, an outrageous act
because Americans considered him an immoral influence. Moved to Brattle
Street house, Cambridge, MA. Published articles in Boston periodical
and The Western Messenger. Moved to isolated country farm in Groton,
MA. Homeschooled younger brothers and sister.
1835
Affected deeply by unexpected death of mentor/father. Burdened with
family decisions/support. Disappointed and unable to travel with friends
to Europe and research biography of Goethe.
1836
Met Ralph Waldo Emerson, who became influential friend and
introduced her into circle of Transcendentalists, largely male
ministers rebelling against traditional religion and defining new
thought of Transcendentalism. Taught young children at Bronson
Alcott’s innovative Boston Temple school to help support family and
ensure that younger brothers graduated from Harvard.
1837
Taught adolescent girls at Greene Street School in Providence, RI
and began to formulate specialized curricula for girls.
1839
Launched paid "Conversations," educational discussions to help women
develop confidence and capabilities comparable to Harvard graduates,
held at Elizabeth Peabody’s West Street Bookstore, Boston, MA. Moved
family to Jamaica Plain, MA. Published Conversations with Goethe in
the Last Years of His Life, translated from the German of Eckermann
(Boston: Hilliard, Gray, 1839.)
1840-43
Appointed by Emerson to become first editor, The Dial
magazine,
quarterly “voice” of Transcendentalism. Organized layout,
solicited/edited/wrote articles. Essay Goethe introduced his work
to Americans. Essay on critics laid groundwork for stature as fine
literary critic. Radical essay on women, "The Great Lawsuit: Man vs.
Men. Woman vs. Women", paved expansion into book on woman’s
equality (The Dial, 4 - July, 1843, pp. 1-47). Held editorial chair
until 1842. Became first woman to enter Harvard library (Gore Hall),
to research book, Summer on the Lakes, (Boston: Charles C. Little &
James Brown, 1843), about travels to Great Lakes area of Chicago/Milwaukee, frontier of American Northwest.
1844
Completed Woman in the Nineteenth Century, Fishkill, New York, first
American book-length treatment advocating equality, calling on women
to develop confidence/potentials, and speaking out on
economic/social barriers, prostitution, homosexuality, hypocrisy.
Moved to New York City at behest of Horace Greeley who published Woman in the Nineteenth
Century, and offered her a job. Became first woman journalist on
Greeley’s big city daily, The New York Daily Tribune. Summer on the
Lakes reprinted. (New York: Charles S. Francis, 1844).
1845
Caused public sensation with Woman in the Nineteenth Century. (New
York: Greeley & McElrath, 1845.) Reputed as a controversial
celebrity throughout English speaking world. Woman in the Nineteenth
Century “pirated” in England. Became first woman literary critic
with Edgar Allen Poe as rival. Established literature and culture
department at Tribune; set standards for criticism, called for fresh
original American literature emanating from heart. Covered poverty,
wrote exposes of city institutions, advocated social reform
including half-way house for released women prisoners.
1846
Became first woman foreign correspondent; traveled Europe and
covered conditions of poverty, coal miners, the common worker. Met
the exiled Italian revolutionary Joseph Mazzini as well as Thomas
Carlyle, George Sand, Thomas de Quincy, William Wordsworth and many
other literati. Published Papers on Literature and Art (New York:
Wiley and Putnam, 1846), collection of Dial/Tribune articles.
1847
Settled in Rome where Marchese Giovanni Angelo Ossoli, a Roman
nobleman, became her lover. Involved in politics of revolutionary
ferment in Italy, and sent front page dispatches to Tribune. Called
for American intervention and help.
1848-49
Rejoiced that Ossoli joined Civic Guard and became captain. Secretly
married, probably, in spring outside of Rome, due to Ossoli’s
inheritance problems. (No marriage certificate can today be
located.) Gave birth to baby in Rieti. Left son with wetnurse,
returned to Rome, continued eye-witness reportage while Ossoli
fought on city walls. Heartened to see Roman Republic proclaimed and
Italian revolutionary leader, Mazzini, enter Rome, with Garibaldi in
charge of defense. Wrote mother/friends her name rightfully Ossoli
and title rightfully Marchesa. Became first war correspondent. Set
precedent for eye-witness war reportage; covered street fighting in
Rome. Directed the Hospital of the Fatebenefratelli on the Tiber
Island, established for war wounded. Devastated when French siege
succeeded and French occupied Rome. Fled with Ossoli and son to
Florence where they lived peacefully in the American sector.
Cemented friendship with Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Wrote history of Italian Revolution.
1850
Departed Italy on merchant ship with Ossoli and two year-old son for
America, May 17. On July 19 gale winds stormed and ship struck sand
bar off shores of Fire Island, New York, broke apart, and sank to
bottom of ocean. The Ossolis drowned. Her history of Italian
Revolution never found. Baby buried in Fuller family plot at Mount
Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, MA; monument later erected to
commemorate Margaret
Fuller.
Created by Laurie James, Initiator of The Margaret Fuller 2010
Bicentennial.
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