Nora Hopper
Nora Hopper, born on January 2, 1871, in Exeter, England, was a notable poet and writer whose work significantly contributed to the Irish literary movement. She was the daughter of an Irish father and a Welsh mother, and after her father's death, she moved to Kensington, where she pursued education and developed an interest in folklore, particularly Icelandic and Irish. Her literary career began with the publication of her first poem in 1887, and she drew inspiration from Irish folklore after reading William Butler Yeats’ work. Her debut book, "Ballads in Prose," was published in 1894 and earned her accolades from Yeats, who included her in his list of noteworthy Irish authors.
Hopper married Wilfred Hugh Chesson in 1901 and continued to write, publishing under the name Nora Chesson. Despite receiving praise for her contributions, some critics considered her work to be imitative. Nonetheless, she was a prolific contributor to periodicals and played an essential role in promoting the Irish literary scene. Nora Hopper passed away on April 14, 1906, but her poetry has continued to be recognized, appearing in various anthologies, including "The Dublin Book of Irish Verse" and the "Oxford Book of Irish Verse."
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Nora Hopper
Writer
- Born: January 2, 1871
- Birthplace: Exeter, Devon, England
- Died: April 14, 1906
Biography
Nora Hopper was born January 2, 1871, in Exeter, England. Her father, Harman Baillie Hopper, was Irish, and her mother, Caroline Augusta Hopper, was Welsh. As an infant, she moved to Kensington following her father’s death. After receiving a formal education, she studied Icelandic folklore at the British Museum. Her first poem was published in Family Herald in 1887. After reading Fairy and Folklore of the Irish Peasantry by William Butler Yeats, she began basing her work on Irish folklore. Her first book, Ballads in Prose, a collection of poetry and prose, was published in 1894. Yeats praised Hopper’s work enthusiastically, listing her first book on his “List of the Best Irish Books,” in the September 1985 installment of a four-part series in Bookman.
Hopper published frequently in periodicals. In 1898, Yeats wrote favorably of her work in “The Poems and Stories of Miss Nora Hopper” published in the Daily Express. In 1900, her work (introduced by Yeats) was included in A Treasury of Irish Poetry in the English Tongue, an anthology. In 1901, Hopper married Wilfred Hugh Chesson, a critic. After her marriage, she published under the name of Nora Chesson. They had four children, one of whom died either in infancy or early childhood. Hopper herself died of heart failure on April 14, 1906.
Although praised highly by Yeats, Nora Hopper was viewed by many critics as imitative. However, as a frequent contributor to London periodicals and a popular author, she helped to advance the Irish literary movement. Her work has been anthologized in The Dublin Book of Irish Verse 1728-1909, published in 1909, and the Oxford Book of Irish Verse, published in 1958.