It is always tempting to try to peer into a writer?¢??s mind and pry apart the myriad of elements that make the mind produce the final product. In the case of Beatrix Potter, the elements of inspiration can be derived from reading biographical facts. Born into a wealthy Victorian family in London in 1866, young Beatrix spent much of her time observing the little animals that lived nearby or roamed the countryside of the Lake District where she spent her summers. Her parents didn?¢??t spend much time with her and her brother, Bertram, went to boarding school, leaving Beatrix to herself under the care of governesses. Sketching and writing in her journal took up a great deal of her time, as did her study of animals and plants. It is easy to speculate that her imagination prospered in such a lonely environment, and that the animals endeared themselves to her during her frequent interactions with them.
Beatrix also showed particular interest in the study of fungi, and probably would have pursued this specialty had she not been born a woman. Her attempts to access to the academic world of botanists were rebuked due to her gender, so she redirected her energies to animals and to writing. She wrote stories and then presented them to children as gifts. Eventually, under the guidance of friend and writer Hardwicke Rawnsley, Beatrix considered sending them in for publication. Her first story, The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1902), became a great success, though it was initially rejected. Other early stories included The Tailor of Gloucester (1902), The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin (1903), and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny (1904).
Beatrix Potter?¢??s stories are infused with her favorite landscape: the Lake District of England. After Peter Rabbit established her reputation as a writer, Beatrix purchased a farm in that area in 1905. Four years later, she bought another called ?¢??Castle Top?¢?? and continued to acquire land for the rest of her life.
In 1913, at the age of 47, Beatrix married William Heelis. The couple was very involved in farming and raising Herdwick sheep, and her interest in writing waned (along with her eyesight). In her later years, Beatrix remained very active and was a dedicated conservationist. When she died in 1943, she left 14 farms and 4000 acres of land to the National Trust. This gift, along with the stories, are lasting legacies.
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Articles About Potter, Beatrix
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Beatrix Potter - More Than Just Bunnies: The Legacy of Beatrix Potter
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June 26, 2009 |
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Beatrix Potter may be best known as the creator of charming characters like Peter Rabbit, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle and Hunca Munca, but, as is true in most lives, she was in reality many other things, as well. A product of Victorian times, she far surpassed societal expectations of women of her era and class. She was an accomplished botanical illustrator, a sheep breeder and farmer, a wife, and a conservationist greatly devoted to her home, the Lake District of England.
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