Marion Craig Wentworth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marion Craig Wentworth
Wentworth on the cover of The Socialist Woman magazine, April 1908.
Born	1872 Minnesota, U.S.
Died	1942
Alma mater	University of Minnesota Curry College
Known for	Playwright, poet

Marion Craig Wentworth (1872–1942) was an American writer and poet. She was also a strong supporter of women's right to vote, known as a suffragist.

She is most famous for her play War Brides. This play was against war and supported women's rights. It was even made into a silent movie in 1916, starring a famous actress named Alla Nazimova.

Early Life and Education

Marion Craig Wentworth was born in Minnesota in 1872. She went to the University of Minnesota and graduated in 1894.

Later, she studied at the Curry School of Expression, which is now Curry College. She stayed in Boston to teach acting and public speaking.

In 1900, she got married and had a son. She later divorced in 1912.

A Career for Change: Writing and Activism

Wentworth was a socialist and a feminist. This means she believed in fairer ways for society to work and in equal rights for women. Her writings often talked about important social issues.

Her 1912 play, The Flower Shop, was about women's suffrage. This was the movement to give women the right to vote.

Before World War I began, she traveled across the country. She gave dramatic readings to help gain support for the suffrage movement. She often read from a play called Votes for Women! by Elizabeth Robins.

She would act out different characters, from a tough women's trade union leader to a lively "Suffragette."

In April 1908, she was featured on the cover of The Socialist Woman magazine. The editor, Josephine Conger-Kaneko, thought she was one of the best women artists in the socialist movement.

Besides readings, Marion also gave lectures. In March 1915, she spoke at a meeting for women's voting rights. Other important speakers there included Julia Lathrop and Butler R. Wilson.

Her Famous Play: War Brides

In 1915, Wentworth published her most famous play, War Brides. In the play, a pregnant war widow makes a powerful protest against war. She argues that women should have a say in decisions about war and peace.

She tells an army captain:

You tear our husbands, our sons from us—you never ask us to help you find a better way—and haven't we anything to say?...If we can bring forth the men for the nation, we can sit with you in your councils and shape the destiny of the nation, and say whether it is to war or peace we give the sons we bear.

The play was dedicated "To my little boy Brandon."

War Brides was very popular in 1915. It opened in New York City in January, with Alla Nazimova playing the main character. The play then toured around the country for several months. It was so popular that a second group of actors toured the South with the play.

In 1916, War Brides was made into a silent film. It starred Nazimova in her first movie role. The film was very successful in the United States and was praised by critics.

Because the film had a message against war, it was banned in some cities and states. In 1917, it was taken out of circulation. Later that year, the producer, Lewis Selznick, changed the film to make it seem anti-German. It was then re-released in American theaters. However, it was not shown in any other Allied countries.

Later Years and Other Works

Marion Craig Wentworth wrote several more plays and a book of poems called Iridescent Days. In her later years, she traveled a lot. Her travels are often reflected in her poetry.

She passed away in 1942.

Works by Marion Craig Wentworth

• The Flower Shop: A Play in Three Acts, 1912
• War Brides: A Play in One Act, 1915
• The Midnight Meeting at Versailles, 1919
• What If They Could: A Radio Whimsey in One Act, 1927
• The Golden Touch: A Play for Young People by Young People; With an Appendix on Group Play-Making, 1927
• The Princess and the Goblins: A Dramatization of the Story by George MacDonald, 1930
• Iridescent Days: Poems, 1939
• The Blue Cape: A Play in One Act, 1940