Hannah Webster Foster
Hannah Webster Foster (1758-1840) was a significant figure in early American literature, recognized primarily for her groundbreaking novel, "The Coquette: Or, The History of Eliza Wharton." Born in Salisbury, Massachusetts, to a wealthy merchant family, Foster experienced a tumultuous childhood, marked by her mother's early death. She married Reverend John Foster in 1785 and had a large family, which included three sons and three daughters, two of whom became writers themselves.
"The Coquette," published in 1797, is notable for being the first novel authored by a native-born American woman and is presented in an epistolary format, telling a cautionary tale inspired by the real-life tragedy of Elizabeth Whitman. The book garnered attention for its exploration of social issues surrounding women's autonomy and morality in early 19th-century New England. Foster's second novel, "The Boarding School," released in 1798, focused on the theme of education in early America. After her literary contributions, she shifted her focus to family responsibilities and community involvement, particularly following her husband's departure from ministry in 1827 and his subsequent death. Ultimately, Foster moved to Montreal to live with her daughter, where she passed away in 1840.
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Hannah Webster Foster
Author
- Born: September 10, 1758
- Birthplace: Salisbury, Massachusetts
- Died: April 17, 1840
Biography
Hannah Webster Foster was born in Salisbury, Massachusetts, in 1758. She was the daughter of Grant Webster, a wealthy Boston merchant and his wife, Hannah Wainwright Webster. After her mother’s death in 1762, Foster was sent to a boarding school for several years. In 1785, she was married to Reverend John Foster; the marriage took place a year after he assumed the post a minister of the First Parish Church in Brighton. The Fosters enjoyed a long marriage, and they had three sons and three daughter. Two of Fosters’ daughters followed their mother’s path and became writers. After the publication of her second novel, Foster stopped writing and devoted herself to raising her large family and to attending to the responsibilities of being the wife of a well-known minister. After a controversy erupted at the First Parish Church in 1827, Foster’s husband relinquished his post as minister, and he died two years later. Foster then moved to Montreal to live with one of her daughters; she died in Montreal in 1840.
Foster is best known for her novel The Coquette: Or, The History of Eliza Wharton. The book was a thinly disguised version of the true story of Elizabeth Whitman, a young woman who had been seduced by the son of a prominent preacher, was betrayed by him, and eventually died in childbirth. At the time of its writing, the book caused a sensation, and it was extremely popular in early nineteenth century New England. The novel was written in the epistolary style, in letters or diary entries convey the story. Foster’s book also had the distinction of being the first novel ever written by a native-born American woman. Her second book, The Boarding School, was an account of early American education; it was published in 1798.