Margaret Fuller

I’m fascinated by tumult that bubbled up as American Transcendentalism, that astonishing theological flowering within early mid-nineteenth century New England Unitarianism, which like the best of theological moments, produced art and literature. Among the many, many things about this movement was the number of women involved in it.

Trying to pick the most influential of these remarkable women isn’t easy. But, I think my money would have to go with Margaret Fuller.

Born on this day in 1810, her father an attorney and later a US congressman, saw her brilliance and encouraged it. She learned Latin and Greek at his knee. Then on to various schools where she learned modern languages, particularly Italian and German. When her father died leaving the family in financial straights she began teaching. She was a close associate and friend of the leading lights of Boston spiritual and intellectual circles. For a while she was co-editor with Ralph Waldo Emerson of the Dial.

Eventually Horace Greeley invited her to begin writing for the New York Tribune. During this time she expanded an essay she had written for the Dial which was published as Woman in the Nineteenth Century. The importance of this book in furthering the conversation toward women’s rights is possibly incalculable.

She became a foreign corespondent for the Tribune, moving to Europe. There she was caught up in the Italian revolution and at the same time fell in love with a much younger man, the Marchese Giovanni Angelo d’Ossoli. They married and had a child. With the failure of the revolution the young family decided to come to America. The ship went down in a fierce storm within sight of Fire Island in New York.

Thoreau went down to the shore to see if he could salvage anything. But there was nothing to be found.

A monument was raised to her at Mt Auburn cemetary, but no bodies were ever recovered.

An amazing figure, with a mercurial personality and a brilliance that matched or exceeded her male companions; Margaret Fuller should never be forgotten.