Elizabeth Bentley (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Bentley
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Elizabeth Bentley, Genuine Poetical Compositions, on Various Subjects (Norwich, by subscription, 1791)
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| Born | 1767 Norwich, England, UK |
| Died | 1839 (aged 71–72) Norwich, England, UK |
| Resting place | St Stephen's, Norwich |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Nationality | British |
| Period | 1791–1821 |
| Subject | Pastoral, Abolitionism, Animal welfare |
Elizabeth Bentley (1767–1839) was an English poet. She was one of a small group of writers from working-class families in the 1700s. Even though she was a local poet, she cared about big political and social issues of her time.
Contents
The Life of Elizabeth Bentley
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Elizabeth Bentley was born in Norwich, England. She was the only child of Elizabeth Lawrence and Daniel Bentley. Her father was a skilled shoemaker who had a good education himself. He taught Elizabeth everything he knew.
Her family faced tough times financially. In 1777, her father had a stroke and could no longer work. He passed away in 1783 when Elizabeth was only sixteen years old.
Starting Her Poetic Journey
Two years later, Elizabeth felt a strong desire to write poetry. At first, she didn't want anyone else to see her poems. However, in 1790, an announcement was published about her upcoming book. It said her poems showed "a strong Natural Genius" even though she didn't have a formal education. The notice also mentioned she was trying to earn a living honestly.
Her first book, Genuine Poetical Compositions, came out in 1791. It was very popular, with 1,935 people subscribing to buy it. Famous writers like William Cowper also supported her.
Her Poetry and Themes
As a poet from a working-class background, Elizabeth was very humble. She wanted her book to help create a steady income for her mother and herself. Her books often included her portrait and stories about her life. These stories were meant to help her find people who would support her work.
Elizabeth's poems often celebrated the beauty of the countryside. She also wrote about important public topics. These included abolitionism, which was the movement to end slavery. She also wrote about being kind to animals.
Another poet, William Cowper, said Elizabeth was very talented. He compared her positively to Mary Leapor, another working-class poet. Some experts today believe that Elizabeth's modest and polite writing style helped her gain acceptance from middle-class readers.
Later Life and Works
After her first book, Elizabeth Bentley opened a small boarding school. For about 30 years, she didn't publish many new poems. She did write some poems for children with Ellenor Fenn. She also wrote an ode, which is a type of poem, about the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Her long break from publishing ended in 1821. She released another book called Poems, which was also sold by subscription.
Elizabeth Bentley passed away on April 13, 1839. She was living in an almshouse, which was a place that provided housing for poor people.
See also
- List of 18th-century British working-class writers
