Emily Pfeiffer
Emily Jane Davis Pfeiffer, born on November 26, 1827, in Oxfordshire, England, was a notable poet and writer whose work often explored the status of women in Victorian society. Despite limited formal education, she published her first book of poetry at age fifteen and continued to write prolifically throughout her life. After marrying German merchant Jürgen Pfeiffer in 1850, she engaged in literary pursuits, publishing significant works like "Valisneria: Or, A Midsummer's Day's Dream," which reflects on women’s roles and relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters.
Pfeiffer's poetry is characterized by a blend of humor and tragedy, influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement and often employing various narrative styles. Her later publications, including "Gerard's Monument, and Other Poems" and the mature collection "Poems," further tackled themes such as women's suffrage and the interplay of religion and science. Throughout her career, she was recognized alongside contemporaries like Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Despite a devastating loss of her early works in a warehouse fire in 1882, Pfeiffer's contributions to literature and advocacy for women's rights continue to garner renewed scholarly interest, highlighting her significance as a voice for women in her era.
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Emily Pfeiffer
Poet
- Born: November 26, 1827
- Birthplace: Oxfordshire, England
- Died: January 23, 1890
Biography
Emily Jane Davis Pfeiffer was born on November 26, 1827, to Thomas Richard Davis, an army officer, and his wife in Oxfordshire, England. She began writing poetry early in her life despite a lack of formal education. By age fifteen, she had privately published her first book, The Holly Branch: An Album for 1843.
After her 1850 marriage to Jürgen Pfeiffer, a German merchant living in London, Pfeiffer continued to write poetry, study art, and engage in politics. She published Valisneria: Or, A Midsummer’s Day’s Dream—A Tale in Prose. The work has several themes, but focuses on the status of women in Victorian society. Critics have noted the influence of the Pre-Raphaelites on Pfeiffer’s imagery. While parts of this poem are very funny, other parts end in tragedy. Indeed, the poem itself is written in several different styles, including a realistic frame narrative as well as fantastic fairy stories.
Pfeiffer’s next publication, appearing in 1861, was the book Margaret: Or, The Motherless. The poem is dedicated to her own mother. The theme of mother-daughter relationships begun in Valisneria is continued in this poem as well. Again, the role of women in Victorian society is the central concern of this poem.
Pfeiffer continued to write about women’s issues in her next volume, Gerard’s Monument, and Other Poems, published in 1873. This volume included shorter poems than her earlier works. Her next book, however, simply called Poems, published in 1876, contains the mature work of talented poet. This book includes poems that address central Victorian concerns: the status of women, the conflicting roles of religion and science, and place of love in the world.
Over the next decades, Pfeiffer continued to produce high- quality poetry and essays. With time, she grew increasingly ardent in her call for women’s suffrage. In this, Pfeiffer can be connected to some of the most important minds of her day, including Elizabeth Barrett Browning. In addition, her poetic chivalric romances have been compared to those of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Sir Walter Scott.
Pfeiffer’s later work all received strong critical receptions. However, as she was preparing a collected works, a warehouse fire in 1882 destroyed all of her books written before that date. Scholars agree that this fire was devastating to her reputation as a writer as well, since her works were then out of print for a long period of time.
Pfeiffer accomplished a great deal in her life, composing sonnets, long poems, and essays that emphasized the dilemma of womanhood in Victorian culture. Along with Christina Rosetti and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, she remains an important spokeswoman for her times. Recent critical interest and in inclusion in a number of important anthologies of Victorian women writers suggests that her reputation will increase with time.