The Lives of Margaret Fuller is a biography written by John Matteson that delves into the life and accomplishments of Margaret Fuller, an influential figure in the 19th-century American literary and feminist movements. The book provides a comprehensive account of Fuller’s life, exploring her intellectual pursuits, personal relationships, and her role as a pioneering feminist.

Margaret Fuller was born on May 23, 1810, in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. She grew up in a highly intellectual environment, with her father being a prominent lawyer and her mother a well-educated woman. From an early age, Fuller displayed exceptional intelligence and a thirst for knowledge. She received an excellent education, studying Latin, Greek, philosophy, and literature.

As she entered adulthood, Fuller became involved in the Transcendentalist movement, which emphasized individualism, self-reliance, and the pursuit of truth through intuition. She became friends with notable Transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Fuller’s intellect and passion for social reform led her to become one of the leading voices of the movement.

Fuller’s most significant contribution to American literature was her book Woman in the Nineteenth Century, published in 1845. In this groundbreaking work, she argued for women’s rights and equality, challenging the prevailing societal norms that limited women’s roles to domesticity. Fuller advocated for women’s education and economic independence, asserting that women should have the same opportunities as men.

In addition to her literary pursuits, Fuller worked as a journalist and editor. She became the first female editor of the transcendentalist journal The Dial in 1840. Through her writing and editorial work, she championed various causes such as abolitionism and prison reform.

Fuller’s personal life was marked by both triumphs and tragedies. She had a passionate love affair with Giovanni Angelo Ossoli, an Italian revolutionary, and they had a child together. However, their relationship faced numerous challenges, including financial difficulties and societal disapproval. Tragically, Fuller, Ossoli, and their young son died in a shipwreck off the coast of Fire Island, New York, in 1850.

John Matteson’s biography provides a detailed exploration of Fuller’s life, drawing on extensive research and primary sources. He delves into her intellectual development, her relationships with key figures of the time, and her contributions to literature and feminism. Matteson also examines the challenges Fuller faced as a woman striving for recognition in a male-dominated society.

The Lives of Margaret Fuller offers readers a comprehensive understanding of Fuller’s life and legacy. It sheds light on her significant contributions to American literature and feminism, highlighting her role as a trailblazer for women’s rights. Through Matteson’s meticulous research and engaging narrative style, readers gain insight into the complexities of Fuller’s character and the historical context in which she lived.

Overall, John Matteson’s biography provides an in-depth exploration of Margaret Fuller’s life, shedding light on her intellectual pursuits, personal relationships, and her impact on American literature and feminism. It is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the life and legacy of this remarkable woman.

• The Lives of Margaret Fuller

• A Biography
• By: John Matteson
• Narrated by: Teresa DeBerry

A brilliant writer and fervent social critic, Margaret Fuller (1810 – 1850) was perhaps the most famous American woman of her generation. Outspoken and quick-witted, idealistic and adventurous, she became a leading female figure in the transcendental movement, wrote a popular literary and social commentary column for Horace Greeley’s newspaper, and served as a columnist. First foreign correspondent for an American newspaper. While living in Europe, she fell in love with an Italian nobleman, with whom she became pregnant out of wedlock. In 1848 she took part in the Italian war of independence and the following year she reported on the struggle while tending to the wounded within range of enemy cannons. Amid all these efforts and accomplishments, she is the author of America’s first great work of feminism: The Woman in the 19th Century. Yet despite her cleverness, Fuller still lacks confidence and weak health. John Matteson captures Fuller’s desire to be better than ever, as reflected in the life changes she has undergone.

The first American woman book to write about and bring to national attention the rights and independence of women in America is one of the most introspective biographies on the market. Fuller, throughout his life but especially before coming to Europe as the first foreign correspondent for a newspaper, wrote constantly about his inner thoughts and feelings. Matteson makes extensive use of these articles, and although constant self-analysis after a while may seem redundant to the reader, they accurately reflect the life of the creative man, this unusual and perverse.

This book chronicles the history and culture of mid-19th century America. Matteson’s thorough research was never written with an agenda. He was like a unique drawing with vivid human colors and never went down the road to rewrite history. I prefer Eden’s Outcasts to The Lives Of Margaret Fuller. Maybe this was because Margaret was smart and ahead of her time but she was unpopular.

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