Elizabeth Pennington facts for kids
Elizabeth Pennington (1732–1759) was an English poet from the 1700s. She was born in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Elizabeth was known for her clever writing style.
She had many friends who were also writers. One of her closest friends was Martha Ferrar, who was also a poet. Elizabeth even left most of her belongings to Martha in her will. She was also friends with famous writers like Frances Sheridan and Samuel Richardson.
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Elizabeth Pennington: A Talented Poet
Elizabeth Pennington was highly praised for her writing. A writer named John Duncombe mentioned her in his famous poem, The Feminiad, in 1754. This poem celebrated women writers of the time.
The poems Duncombe knew must have been passed around by hand. People would copy them and share them with friends. This was a common way for poems to be read before they were printed in books.
Her Amazing Poems
Only three of Elizabeth Pennington's poems are still known today. They were published after she passed away. These poems are 'Ode to a Thrush', 'Ode to Morning', and 'The Copper Farthing'.
These three poems became very popular. They were included in many poetry collections. For example, they appeared in Specimens of British Poetesses in 1798. They were also in Poems of Eminent Ladies from 1780. This shows how much people admired her work.
Her Unique Writing Style
Elizabeth Pennington's poetry was special. She often used a style called "burlesque." This means she would write about serious topics in a funny or exaggerated way. Her writing was also influenced by another poet, John Philips, especially his poem The Splendid Shilling.
The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is a book about important British people. It says that Elizabeth's ability to write in a "learned and heroic style" was amazing. This was especially true because she didn't have many chances for formal education. Her talent shone through despite this.
