Harriet Monroe
Harriet Monroe was an influential American poet and literary figure, born on December 23, 1860, in Chicago. She developed an early passion for literature, fostered by her father's extensive library, and pursued her education in esteemed institutions. Monroe began her literary career by publishing her first poem in 1889 and later worked as an art critic for the Chicago Tribune while also contributing freelance articles. In 1912, she founded the groundbreaking journal *Poetry: A Magazine of Verse*, providing a platform for emerging poets and innovative literary styles, including the Imagist movement. Her efforts led to the publication of significant works by renowned poets, such as T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Monroe authored several poetry collections throughout her life, the final one being published posthumously in 1935. She passed away on September 26, 1936, in Argentina, but her legacy endures, with many literary scholars recognizing her role in shaping modern American poetry and her keen ability to support and promote new voices in literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Harriet Monroe
- Born: December 23, 1860
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
- Died: September 26, 1936
- Place of death: Arequipa, Peru
Biography
Harriet Monroe was born on December 23, 1860, in Chicago to Henry Stanton Monroe and Martha Mitchell Monroe. As a child, she developed a love for literature and spent many hours in her father’s library. She received her early education at the Moseley Public Grammar School and the Dearborn Seminary, both in Chicago. In 1877, Monroe began attending Visitation Convent, in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1879.
Monroe published her first poem in Century magazine in 1889. She worked as the art critic of the Chicago Tribune and also pursued freelance writing. She privately published a collection of poetry, Valeria, and Other Poems, in 1891. At about the same time, she moved to New York City, where she served as the art, music, and drama critic for the Chicago Tribune.
Monroe was chosen to write and deliver the dedication poem for the Columbia Exposition, a task that took her about three years. In 1892, a chorus of five thousand voices read Commemoration Ode aloud at the dedication of an auditorium at the exposition. At the same time, Monroe continued to develop literary connections and became acquainted with some of the most prominent poets of her day. In 1896, she published John Wellborn Root: A Study of His Life and Work, a biography of her brother-in-law, a creative and radical architect, largely responsible for the development of the skyscraper. Monroe also traveled widely during the late 1890’s and early 1900’s.
By 1911, Monroe was thoroughly convinced that there must be some venue for poets to share their work and be paid for it. As a result of this conviction, she founded the journal Poetry and actively sought both subscriptions and high quality contributions. The first issue of Poetry appeared in October, 1912, and included work by some of the most important writers of the day, including Ezra Pound. Monroe encouraged innovation and experimentation in her magazine; it became the place where new trends in poetry first made their appearance. The work of the Imagists, for example, found a home in Poetry, and T. S. Eliot’s groundbreaking poem, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” was published in 1915.
Monroe also continued to write and publish her own poetry. In 1914, she published her collection You and I followed in 1924 by another collection, The Difference, and Other Poems. Her final collection, Chosen Poems: A Selection from My Books of Verse, appeared in 1935.
Monroe died of a cerebral hemorrhage while in Argentina on September 26, 1936. After her death, her memoir, A Poet’s Life: Seventy Years in a Changing World, was discovered in her baggage, and it was published in 1938.
It is impossible to overestimate Monroe’s accomplishments; many literary scholars see the founding of Poetry as one of the most important literary events in American history. Monroe’s talent for recognizing and uncovering new poets was unsurpassed; due to her efforts, Pound, Eliot, W. H. Auden, Allen Tate,William Empson, Robert Penn Warren, and Archibald Macleish found a venue for the dissemination of the modern poetic vision.