Part 1 (1/2)
My Antonia.
by WILLA CATHER.
Wilella Sibert Cather was born on December 7, 1873, in the small Virginia farming community of Winchester. When she was ten years old, her parents moved the family to the prairies of Nebraska, where her father opened a farm mortgage and insurance business. Home-schooled before enrolling in the local high school, Cather had a mind of her own, changing her given name to Willa and adopting a variation of her grandmother's maiden name, Seibert, as her middle name. As a young woman she met Annie Sadilek Pavelka, a schoolmate who would later become the main character in her acclaimed novel My Antonia My Antonia (1918). (1918).
During Cather's studies at the University of Nebraska, she worked as a drama critic to support herself and published her first piece of short fiction, ”Peter,” in a Boston magazine. After graduation, her love of music and intellectual pursuits inspired her to move to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she edited the family magazine Home Monthly, Home Monthly, wrote theater criticism for the Pittsburgh wrote theater criticism for the Pittsburgh Daily Leader, Daily Leader, and taught English and Latin in local high schools. Cather published her first short story collection, and taught English and Latin in local high schools. Cather published her first short story collection, The Troll Garden, The Troll Garden, in 1905. She moved to New York City the following year to work for in 1905. She moved to New York City the following year to work for McClure's Magazine McClure's Magazine as a writer and eventually the magazine's managing editor. as a writer and eventually the magazine's managing editor.
Considered one of the great figures of early-twentieth-century American literature, Willa Cather derived her inspiration from the American Midwest, which she considered her home. Never married, she cherished her many friends.h.i.+ps, some of which she had maintained since childhood. Her intimate coterie of women writers and artists motivated Cather to produce some of her best work. Sarah Orne Jewett, a successful author from Maine whom Cather had met during her McClure's McClure's years, inspired her to devote herself full-time to creating literature and to write about her childhood, which she did in several novels of the prairies; one of the best known is years, inspired her to devote herself full-time to creating literature and to write about her childhood, which she did in several novels of the prairies; one of the best known is O Pioneers! O Pioneers! (1913), whose t.i.tle comes from a poem by Walt Whitman. A critic of the rise of materialism, Cather addressed the social impact of the developing industrial age in A (1913), whose t.i.tle comes from a poem by Walt Whitman. A critic of the rise of materialism, Cather addressed the social impact of the developing industrial age in A Lost Lady Lost Lady (1923), which was made into a film starring Barbara Stanwyck. For (1923), which was made into a film starring Barbara Stanwyck. For One of Ours One of Ours (1922), a novel about World War I, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1923. (1922), a novel about World War I, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1923.
In her later years Cather produced some of her most recognized work. For Death Comes for the Archbishop Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927) she won a gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1933 she received the Prix Femina Americaine for (1927) she won a gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. In 1933 she received the Prix Femina Americaine for Shadows on the Rock Shadows on the Rock (1931), a collection of short stories. Two years after publis.h.i.+ng her last novel, (1931), a collection of short stories. Two years after publis.h.i.+ng her last novel, The Best Years The Best Years (1945), Willa Cather died of a cerebral hemorrhage, on April 24, 1947, in New York City. A collection of short fiction, (1945), Willa Cather died of a cerebral hemorrhage, on April 24, 1947, in New York City. A collection of short fiction, The Old Beauty and Others The Old Beauty and Others (1948), and a literary treatise, (1948), and a literary treatise, On Writing On Writing (1949), were published after her death. Among Cather's other accomplishments were honorary doctorate degrees from Columbia, Princeton, and Yale Universities. (1949), were published after her death. Among Cather's other accomplishments were honorary doctorate degrees from Columbia, Princeton, and Yale Universities.
THE WORLD OF WILLA CATHER AND MY ANTONIA ANTONIA
1638 Dutch explorer Peter Minuit leads Swedish immigrants to establish the first Swedish colony in Delaware Bay. Dutch explorer Peter Minuit leads Swedish immigrants to establish the first Swedish colony in Delaware Bay.
1848 The California Gold Rush stimulates emigration from Scandinavia to the U.S. Midwest. The California Gold Rush stimulates emigration from Scandinavia to the U.S. Midwest.
1855 Walt Whitman publishes the first edition of Leaves of Gra.s.s, a collection of poems he will expand in several editions before his death in 1892; his poem ”Pioneers! O Pioneers!,” which will have an impact on Willa Cather, will be published in his collection Drum Taps Drum Taps in 1865 and incorporated into the 1881-1882 edition of in 1865 and incorporated into the 1881-1882 edition of Leaves of Gra.s.s. Leaves of Gra.s.s.
1862 The pa.s.sage of the Homestead Act encourages immigrants to cultivate the U.S. prairies; immigrant settlement in the Midwest increases significantly. The pa.s.sage of the Homestead Act encourages immigrants to cultivate the U.S. prairies; immigrant settlement in the Midwest increases significantly.
1873 On December 7 Wilella Cather is born, the eldest of her parent's seven children, in Winchester, Virginia, a farming village near the Blue Ridge Mountains. On December 7 Wilella Cather is born, the eldest of her parent's seven children, in Winchester, Virginia, a farming village near the Blue Ridge Mountains.
1877 Sarah Orne Jewett, who will become one of Cather's mentors , publishes Sarah Orne Jewett, who will become one of Cather's mentors , publishes Deephaven, Deephaven, her first collection of stories and sketches, about small-town life in New England. her first collection of stories and sketches, about small-town life in New England.
1883 The Cathers join Wilella's grandparents and her uncle George in Webster County, Nebraska. The Cathers join Wilella's grandparents and her uncle George in Webster County, Nebraska.
1884 The Cathers settle in Red Cloud, Nebraska, a railroad town on the prairie, where Cather's father opens a farm mortgage and insurance business. Most of their neighbors are European immigrants. Cather enrolls in Red Cloud High School and meets Annie Sadilek Pavelka, on whom she will base the t.i.tle character in her novel The Cathers settle in Red Cloud, Nebraska, a railroad town on the prairie, where Cather's father opens a farm mortgage and insurance business. Most of their neighbors are European immigrants. Cather enrolls in Red Cloud High School and meets Annie Sadilek Pavelka, on whom she will base the t.i.tle character in her novel My Antonia. My Antonia.
1890 Cather graduates from high school and moves to Lincoln to study for the entrance exam for the University of Nebraska. Cather graduates from high school and moves to Lincoln to study for the entrance exam for the University of Nebraska.
To finance her education, she works as a drama critic for the Nebraska State Journal. Nebraska State Journal.
1892 New York City becomes an immigration mecca as Ellis Island opens on February 14. Cather's short story ”Peter,” which will later be incorporated into New York City becomes an immigration mecca as Ellis Island opens on February 14. Cather's short story ”Peter,” which will later be incorporated into My Antonia, My Antonia, is published in a Boston magazine. is published in a Boston magazine.
1895 Cather graduates from the University of Nebraska and returns to her family in Red Cloud.
1896 She moves to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she begins work as an editor at the Home Monthly, Home Monthly, a family magazine, and as an editor and drama critic for the Pittsburgh a family magazine, and as an editor and drama critic for the Pittsburgh Daily Leader, Daily Leader, a newspaper. a newspaper.
1901 Cather teaches English and Latin at Central High School in Pittsburgh, then transfers to Allegheny High School, where she becomes head of the English Department. Cather teaches English and Latin at Central High School in Pittsburgh, then transfers to Allegheny High School, where she becomes head of the English Department.
1902 She visits Europe. She visits Europe.
1903 Upon her return from Europe, Cather publishes a collection of verse, Upon her return from Europe, Cather publishes a collection of verse, April Twilights. April Twilights.
1905 She publishes She publishes The Troll Garden, The Troll Garden, her first collection of short stories; it includes ”Paul's Case,” a story, set in Pittsburgh, of a young man with tragically frustrated aspirations. her first collection of short stories; it includes ”Paul's Case,” a story, set in Pittsburgh, of a young man with tragically frustrated aspirations.
1906 Cather moves to New York City to write for Cather moves to New York City to write for McClure's Mag azine, McClure's Mag azine, where she eventually will become the managing editor . She moves in with Edith Lewis, a colleague at where she eventually will become the managing editor . She moves in with Edith Lewis, a colleague at McClure's. McClure's.
1908 Cather meets Sarah Orne Jewett, a successful writer from Maine, who encourages her to pursue writing full-time and inspires her to write about her experiences in Nebraska. Cather meets Sarah Orne Jewett, a successful writer from Maine, who encourages her to pursue writing full-time and inspires her to write about her experiences in Nebraska.
1911 She begins to write ”Alexandra,” which will become part of She begins to write ”Alexandra,” which will become part of O Pioneers!, O Pioneers!, a semi-autobiographical novel about the early Scandinavian and Bohemian settlers of Nebraska. a semi-autobiographical novel about the early Scandinavian and Bohemian settlers of Nebraska.
1912 Cather's first novel, Cather's first novel, Alexander's Bridge, Alexander's Bridge, is published, and she works on ”The White Mulberry Tree,” which will become another part of O is published, and she works on ”The White Mulberry Tree,” which will become another part of O Pioneers! Pioneers! She visits the Southwest for the first time. She visits the Southwest for the first time.
1913 O Pioneers! O Pioneers! is published, dedicated to Sarah Orne Jewett. is published, dedicated to Sarah Orne Jewett.
1915 Cather visits Mesa Verde in Colorado. Cather visits Mesa Verde in Colorado. The Song of the Lark, The Song of the Lark, a psychological novel that explores the meaning of aesthetics a psychological novel that explores the meaning of aesthetics
and music, is published. Cather returns to the Southwest and visits Wyoming and Nebraska; she meets her childhood friend Annie Pavelka again.
1917 While living in New Hamps.h.i.+re, Cather writes While living in New Hamps.h.i.+re, Cather writes My Antonia, My Antonia, based on Pavelka. based on Pavelka.
1918 My Antonia My Antonia is published to critical acclaim; H. L. Mencken calls it the greatest piece of fiction written by a woman in America. is published to critical acclaim; H. L. Mencken calls it the greatest piece of fiction written by a woman in America.
1920 American women win the right to vote with pa.s.sage of the Nineteenth Amendment. Cather publishes American women win the right to vote with pa.s.sage of the Nineteenth Amendment. Cather publishes Youth and the Bright Medusa, Youth and the Bright Medusa, a collection of eight short stories; a collection of eight short stories; The Nation The Nation hails it as a representation of ”the triumph of mind over Nebraska.” hails it as a representation of ”the triumph of mind over Nebraska.”
1922 Cather publishes Cather publishes One of Ours, One of Ours, a novel about World War I. a novel about World War I.
1923 Cather wins the Pulitzer Prize for Cather wins the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours. One of Ours. She criticizes the developing industrial age in the novel She criticizes the developing industrial age in the novel A Lost Lady. A Lost Lady.
1925 Cather publishes Cather publishes The Professor's House, The Professor's House, a novel that juxtaposes a teacher's middle-aged disillusionment and his memories of the work of a brilliant student. a novel that juxtaposes a teacher's middle-aged disillusionment and his memories of the work of a brilliant student.
1926 She publishes another novel, She publishes another novel, My Mortal Enemy, My Mortal Enemy, in which the heroine regrets the choices she has made. in which the heroine regrets the choices she has made.
1927 Cather publishes the historical novel Cather publishes the historical novel Death Comes for the Archbishop, Death Comes for the Archbishop, set in the American Southwest. The Hollywood film version of set in the American Southwest. The Hollywood film version of A Lost Lady, A Lost Lady, starring actress Irene Rich, premiers in Red Cloud; a second version, starring Barbara Stanwyck, will be released in 1934. starring actress Irene Rich, premiers in Red Cloud; a second version, starring Barbara Stanwyck, will be released in 1934.
1930 Cather receives the gold medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for Cather receives the gold medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters for Death Comes for the Archbishop. Death Comes for the Archbishop.