Margaret Wolfe Hungerford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Wolfe Hungerford
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| Born | Margaret Hamilton 27 April 1855 Rosscarbery, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 24 January 1897 (aged 41) Bandon, County Cork, Ireland |
| Pen name | The Duchess |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Portarlington College |
| Period | 1877–1897 |
| Notable works | Molly Bawn |
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| Children | Two sons, four daughters |
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Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (born April 27, 1855 – died January 24, 1897) was a popular Irish writer. She wrote many light and romantic stories. People all over the world enjoyed her books in the late 1800s. She was also known by her pen name, "The Duchess."
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About Margaret Wolfe Hungerford
Margaret was born in County Cork, Ireland, on April 27, 1855. Her father, Fitzjohn Stannus Hamilton, was a church leader in Rosscarbery. Even as a child, Margaret loved making up stories. She even won prizes for her writing at school. She went to Portarlington College for her education.
Margaret's Family Life
In 1872, Margaret married Edward Argles, a lawyer from Dublin. Sadly, he passed away less than six years later. They had three daughters together. To support her family, Margaret started writing her first novel, Phyllis. People liked it a lot. Soon after, she wrote Molly Bawn, which became her most famous book.
In 1882, she married Thomas Henry Hungerford. They had two sons and one daughter. They lived in a place called St. Brenda's in Bandon, County Cork. Margaret loved country life and was a very good gardener. She rarely traveled far from her home. She was one of the few women in Victorian times who was both a busy writer and a mother to a large family.
Margaret passed away in Bandon on January 24, 1897. She died from typhoid fever.
How Margaret Wrote Her Books
Margaret had a special way of writing. She would set aside three hours every morning just for writing. Her writing room was very neat. Her desk had organized papers, and many reference books and novels were around her.
Publishing Her Stories
At first, her books were published without her name on them. Later, they were published as by "Mrs. Hungerford." In the United States, most of her books came out under the pen name "The Duchess." Some of her first books were published by William Tinsley, who was a big publisher back then.
Margaret often wrote books because someone asked her to. She wrote many novels, short stories, and newspaper articles. Her books sold so quickly that she could barely write them fast enough!
Her Writing Style
Her stories usually followed the popular romantic style of her time. They had gentle love scenes that were always proper for the Victorian era. Her books are known for being fun and charming. They often focused on playful conversations rather than deep character changes. She was good at showing what fashionable society was like back then. Sometimes, she even used Irish places in her stories.
Molly Bawn
Margaret Hungerford's most famous novel is Molly Bawn, which came out in 1878. It tells the story of a playful and sometimes moody Irish girl. She likes to flirt, which makes her boyfriend jealous. She also doesn't always follow social rules.
Molly Bawn is famous for a well-known saying: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." This means that what one person finds beautiful, another might not.
Works
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Images for kids
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The writer as a girl (right), with her sister.
