Lucy Knox
Lucy Knox was a Victorian poet born on November 9, 1845, in Hither Green, England. She was part of the Spring Rice family, which had connections to notable literary figures like Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Thomas Carlyle. After moving to County Limerick, Ireland, in 1859, she married Octavius Newry Knox in 1866. Her poetic career began in 1870 with the publication of a sonnet in Macmillan's magazine, leading to her first collection, "Sonnets, and Other Poems," in 1872. Knox's poetry often explores themes of death, grief, nature, and love, while also critically examining the societal expectations placed on women during the 19th century. She articulated the struggles women faced in relationships and their quest for fulfillment, contrasting with the idealized portrayals common in her time. Her works engaged with social issues, including women's rights and the political dynamics between Ireland and England. Knox's second collection, "Four Pictures from a Life, and Other Poems," was published in 1884, shortly before her death on May 10 of the same year. Although not widely recognized, her poetry offers valuable insights into the challenges of her era.
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Lucy Knox
Poet
- Born: November 9, 1845
- Birthplace: Hither Green, Lewisham, England
- Died: May 10, 1884
Biography
Lucy Knox was born on November 9, 1845, in Hither Green, Lewisham, England, the daughter of Stephen Edmond Spring Rice, the commissioner of customs, and Ellen Frere Spring Rice. The Spring Rice family was connected with some of the literary giants of their day; her father was a close friend of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Thomas Carlyle. Knox was one of ten children born to the Spring Rice family. In 1859, the family moved from England to County Limerick, Ireland. In 1866, she married Octavius Newry Knox.
It is not known when Knox began writing poetry; however, her first publication was a sonnet that appeared in 1870 in Macmillan’s magazine. Two years later, she privately printed her collection, Sonnets, and Other Poems. Like many other Victorian poets, Knox’s poetry tended to be about death, grief, nature, religion, and love. Many of the poems in her first volume are expressions of grief and the hope for death. She also touches on relationships between men and women, in both courtship and marriage.
Unlike other Victorian writers, however, she does not idealize these relationships and is critical of the social mores of the day. Her most interesting poems demonstrate the difficult predicament of women in nineteenth century Britain; taught by the culture that their fulfillment depends on men and they will find the perfect lover, women instead are betrayed by faithless lovers or married to very real and very fallible husbands. Like poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Knox calls for reform of working conditions, particularly for women. In addition, she tackles the political relationship between Ireland and England. An expanded edition of her first volume was brought out in London in 1876, and Knox continued to publish poems in periodicals throughout the period.
In 1884, Knox’s second book, Four Pictures from a Life, and Other Poems, was published. The poems contain similar themes as her earlier poetry; in addition, Knox included a few poems dedicated to noteworthy people of the age, including family friend Carlyle. She also included translations of German poems in this volume, notably some from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The conflict between the Irish poor and the English landlords continued to occupy her attention as well.
Knox died on May 10, 1884. While her poetic output was not large and her work was not widely known, her poetry nevertheless is an important commentary both on issues of women’s rights and responsibilities and on political and social problems of the mid-Victorian period.