On Sunday, October 26, the Hampton Historical Society will present a program about the women in John Greenleaf Whittier's life. This program was originally presented in Hampton on May 18, 2014 and is being performed again at the Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, MA at 2PM. So, if you missed it the first time, or want to see it again, now is your chance!
Members of HHS will weave the story of John Greenleaf Whittier's life into 19th century history. Through short narratives by the women that he knew, they will unfold his life as a poor farm boy who found distinction as one of the most beloved "fireside poets" of his time.
Whittier's poor health moved him away from farming, and he earned his living as an anti-slavery writer and editor before finding fame as a poet. His works, greatly influenced by Quakerism, propelled him into politics and the abolitionist movement with William Lloyd Garrison. Whittier dedicated twenty years to the cause by writing anti-slavery prose and poetry, and worked tirelessly for the cause. After the passage of the 13th amendment to abolish slavery, he wrote peace-time verses about home and family, traditions and legends.
Whittier's life spanned 85 years in the nineteenth century. He lived in Haverhill, Amesbury, and Danvers, Massachusetts, but visited friends and relatives in New Hampshire and enjoyed the beach at Hampton, as well as the White Mountains. Many of his poems reflected his time at the NH seacoast and Hampton area.
The handsome bachelor poet was sympathetic to women's rights and he mentored women in their quest to be authors. He befriended and encouraged women like Lucy Larcom, Sarah Orne Jewett, Celia Thaxter, and others who proved to be some of the most influential women writers of the day promoting the anti-slavery movement and women's rights.
The program will be held at the Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill, MA at 2PM. Free and open to the public. For more information call 929-0781.
|
