Charles Harpur
Charles Harpur was a notable Australian poet of the nineteenth century, recognized for his significant contributions to Australian literature. Born near the Hawkesbury River, his upbringing was shaped by his father's transition from a criminal deportee to a respected schoolmaster and parish clerk. This environment, alongside his exposure to literary classics through a family connection with Reverend Samuel Marten, fostered Harpur's early interest in poetry. He began his literary journey while working as a post office clerk in Sydney, where he composed verses focusing on the natural beauty of his youth. In 1845, Harpur published his first collection of sonnets, "Thoughts: A Series of Sonnets," which unfortunately did not gain the recognition it deserved due to the prevailing cultural climate that prioritized material pursuits over intellectual endeavors. Later, he worked as a gold commissioner, but personal tragedies, including the loss of his son and feelings of literary inadequacy, deeply affected him. Harpur's life ended in 1868, leaving behind a legacy that reflects both the challenges and the beauty of his poetic expression.
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Charles Harpur
Poet
- Born: January 23, 1813
- Birthplace: Windsor, New South Wales, Australia
- Died: June 10, 1868
- Place of death: Eurobodalla, Australia
Biography
Charles Harpur, a nineteenth century poet, was considered to be one of Australia’s most important and influential poets. Harpur was born near the Hawkesbury River in Australia. His father was a criminal deported from Ireland to Australia for his participation in a robbery. However, after living in Australia for several years, Harpur’s father became a reputable citizen and served as a schoolmaster and parish clerk. Through his father’s friendship with the local minister, Reverend Samuel Marten, young Charles Harpur was exposed to the literary classics.
In 1834, Harpur became employed as a post office clerk in Sydney, Australia. At this time, he began composing poetic verse centered mainly on themes of the beauty of nature that he encountered in his youth on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. Harpur contributed these verses to the literary journals The Empire and The Maitland Mercury. By age thirty, Harpur grew tired of city life in Sydney and left his employment as a post office clerk and took up sheep farming with his brother in Hunter Valley, New South Wales. There he met and married Mary Doyle, daughter of Cyrus Doyle, who was one of the first settlers in Hunter Valley.
In 1845, Harpur’s first book, Thoughts: A Series of Sonnets, was published. Due to the timing of its publication, Harpur’s collection of sonnets was not well received. The mid-1800’s was a time in Australia’s history when newcomers were pouring into the country for gold exploration and other material gains. Few of these newcomers had intellectual or literary inclinations; therefore, Harpur’s poetry went unrecognized.
In 1859, at the age of forty-six, Harpur was appointed gold commissioner in the Araluem district, and then later transferred to Nerrigunda. He occupied this position until the office was abolished in 1866. At about the same time he lost his post as gold commissioner, Harpur’s son, at the age of thirteen, was killed in a shooting accident. The grief over his son’s death, along with his self-perception as a literary failure and the loss of his job, hastened Charles Harpur’s death of consumption in 1868.