Fanny Fern (Sara Willis Parton) 1811 - 1872
In recent decades, attention has again been drawn to the dynamic works of Fanny Fern. An individual with talent and energy, her life and career was shaped by Victorian attitudes and culture of 19th century America. Her articles and stories found a solid audience, for it is estimated that over 60% of readers at the time were women.
During the feminist movements of the 1960's and 1970's, her works were "rediscovered." Her works received mixed reactions from male writers and critics -- although Nathaniel Hawthorne praised her works, particularly her fiction. One of her most popular columns was "Aunt Heddy's Comments" in The New York Ledger.
According to Mark Canada (University of North Carolina at Pembroke), "Surely one reason for Willis's success is the match between her audience and subject matter. Willis wrote about subjects that would have interested these readers, often lashing out at problems that beset the women of the time period. In an 1858 column called "A Law More Nice Than Just," she questions the arrest of a woman for wearing men's clothes and goes on to tell a humorous story of putting on her husband's clothes and going for a stroll. In "Independence," a column apparently inspired by the celebration of Independence Day in 1859, she asks a series of rhetorical questions about what women can or cannot do in America. In other columns, she frankly addresses women's suffrage and their right to their children. "
Nathaniel Hawthorne displayed almost vitriolically (and jealously) condemned his female competitors and their writings. He praised the work and competency of Franny Fern.
Click on the Links below for biography and criticism.
During the feminist movements of the 1960's and 1970's, her works were "rediscovered." Her works received mixed reactions from male writers and critics -- although Nathaniel Hawthorne praised her works, particularly her fiction. One of her most popular columns was "Aunt Heddy's Comments" in The New York Ledger.
According to Mark Canada (University of North Carolina at Pembroke), "Surely one reason for Willis's success is the match between her audience and subject matter. Willis wrote about subjects that would have interested these readers, often lashing out at problems that beset the women of the time period. In an 1858 column called "A Law More Nice Than Just," she questions the arrest of a woman for wearing men's clothes and goes on to tell a humorous story of putting on her husband's clothes and going for a stroll. In "Independence," a column apparently inspired by the celebration of Independence Day in 1859, she asks a series of rhetorical questions about what women can or cannot do in America. In other columns, she frankly addresses women's suffrage and their right to their children. "
Nathaniel Hawthorne displayed almost vitriolically (and jealously) condemned his female competitors and their writings. He praised the work and competency of Franny Fern.
Click on the Links below for biography and criticism.
Hints To Young Wives
By Fanny Fern
From: The Boston Olive Branch (February 14, 1852)
SHOULDN'T I LIKE to make a bon-fire of all the "Hints to Young Wives," "Married Women's Friend," etc., and throw in the authors after them? I have a little neighbor who believes all they tell her is gospel truth, and lives up to it. The minute she sees her husband coming up the street, she makes for the door, as if she hadn't another minute to live, stands in the entry with her teeth chattering in her head till he gets all his coats and mufflers, and overshoes, and what-do-you-call-'ems off, then chases round (like a cat in a fit) after the boot-jack; warms his slippers and puts 'em on, and dislocates her wrist carving at the table for fear it will tire him.
Poor little innocent fool! she imagines that's the way to preserve his affection. Preserve a fiddlestick! the consequence is, he's sick of the sight of her; snubs her when she asks him a question, and after he has eaten her good dinners takes himself off as soon as possible, bearing in mind the old proverb "that too much of a good thing is good for nothing." Now the truth is just this, and I wish all the women on earth had but one ear in common, so that I could put this little bit of gospel into it: --- Just so long as a man isn't quite as sure as if he knew for certain, whether nothing on earth could ever disturb your affection for him, he is your humble servant, but the very second he finds out (or thinks he does) that he has possession of every inch of your heart, and no neutral territory --- he will turn on his heel and march off whistling "Yankee Doodle!"
Now it's no use to take your pocket handkerchief and go snivelling round the house with a pink nose and red eyes; not a bit of it! If you have made the interesting discovery that you were married for a sort of upper servant or housekeeper, just fill that place and no other, keep your temper, keep all his strings and buttons and straps on; and then keep him at a distance as a housekeeper should --- "thems my sentiments!" I have seen one or two men in my life who could bear to be loved (as women with a soul knows how), without being spoiled by it, or converted into a tyrant --- but they are rare birds and should be caught stuffed and handed over to Barnum! Now as the ministers say, "I'll close with an interesting little incident that came under my observation."
Mr. Fern came home one day when I had such a crucifying headache that I couldn't have told whether I was married or single, and threw an old coat into my lap to mend. Well, I tied a wet bandage over my forehead, "left all flying," and sat down to it --- he might as well have asked me to make a new one; however I new lined the sleeves, mended the buttonholes, sewed on new buttons down the front, and all over the coat tails --- when it finally it occurred to me (I believe it was a suggestion of Satan,) that the pocket might need mending; so I turned it inside out, and what do you think I found? A love-letter from him to my dress-maker!! I dropped the coat, I dropped the work-basket, I dropped the buttons, I dropped the baby (it was a female, and I thought it just as well to put her out of future misery) and then I hopped up into a chair front of the looking-glass, and remarked to the young woman I saw there, "F-a-n-n-y F-e-r-n! if you --- are --- ever --- such --- a --- confounded fool again" --- and I wasn't.
By Fanny Fern
From: The Boston Olive Branch (February 14, 1852)
SHOULDN'T I LIKE to make a bon-fire of all the "Hints to Young Wives," "Married Women's Friend," etc., and throw in the authors after them? I have a little neighbor who believes all they tell her is gospel truth, and lives up to it. The minute she sees her husband coming up the street, she makes for the door, as if she hadn't another minute to live, stands in the entry with her teeth chattering in her head till he gets all his coats and mufflers, and overshoes, and what-do-you-call-'ems off, then chases round (like a cat in a fit) after the boot-jack; warms his slippers and puts 'em on, and dislocates her wrist carving at the table for fear it will tire him.
Poor little innocent fool! she imagines that's the way to preserve his affection. Preserve a fiddlestick! the consequence is, he's sick of the sight of her; snubs her when she asks him a question, and after he has eaten her good dinners takes himself off as soon as possible, bearing in mind the old proverb "that too much of a good thing is good for nothing." Now the truth is just this, and I wish all the women on earth had but one ear in common, so that I could put this little bit of gospel into it: --- Just so long as a man isn't quite as sure as if he knew for certain, whether nothing on earth could ever disturb your affection for him, he is your humble servant, but the very second he finds out (or thinks he does) that he has possession of every inch of your heart, and no neutral territory --- he will turn on his heel and march off whistling "Yankee Doodle!"
Now it's no use to take your pocket handkerchief and go snivelling round the house with a pink nose and red eyes; not a bit of it! If you have made the interesting discovery that you were married for a sort of upper servant or housekeeper, just fill that place and no other, keep your temper, keep all his strings and buttons and straps on; and then keep him at a distance as a housekeeper should --- "thems my sentiments!" I have seen one or two men in my life who could bear to be loved (as women with a soul knows how), without being spoiled by it, or converted into a tyrant --- but they are rare birds and should be caught stuffed and handed over to Barnum! Now as the ministers say, "I'll close with an interesting little incident that came under my observation."
Mr. Fern came home one day when I had such a crucifying headache that I couldn't have told whether I was married or single, and threw an old coat into my lap to mend. Well, I tied a wet bandage over my forehead, "left all flying," and sat down to it --- he might as well have asked me to make a new one; however I new lined the sleeves, mended the buttonholes, sewed on new buttons down the front, and all over the coat tails --- when it finally it occurred to me (I believe it was a suggestion of Satan,) that the pocket might need mending; so I turned it inside out, and what do you think I found? A love-letter from him to my dress-maker!! I dropped the coat, I dropped the work-basket, I dropped the buttons, I dropped the baby (it was a female, and I thought it just as well to put her out of future misery) and then I hopped up into a chair front of the looking-glass, and remarked to the young woman I saw there, "F-a-n-n-y F-e-r-n! if you --- are --- ever --- such --- a --- confounded fool again" --- and I wasn't.
