2 Poems by Charlotte Mew

Charlotte Mew, a British poet of the late Victorian and early Modernist era, led a life marked by tragedy, unconventional choices, and literary brilliance that was only fully recognized after her death. Born on November 15, 1869, in London, Mew was one of seven children, though only she and two of her siblings survived to adulthood. This early exposure to loss would be a recurring theme throughout her life and work.

Mew's family, while respectable, faced financial difficulties after her father's death in 1898. This economic strain, coupled with the mental illness that afflicted two of her siblings, cast a long shadow over her life. Charlotte and her sister Anne took on the responsibility of caring for their mother and institutionalized siblings, a duty that would shape much of their adult lives.

Despite these challenges, Mew received a good education at the Lucy Harrison School for Girls. It was here that her literary talents began to flourish, and she started writing poetry and prose. Her early work showed promise, but it would be years before she gained significant recognition in literary circles.

Mew's personal life was unconventional for her time. She was known for her distinctive appearance, often dressing in masculine attire and sporting a close-cropped hairstyle. This, combined with her intense friendships with women, has led many scholars to speculate about her sexuality. While Mew never openly identified as lesbian, her work often explores themes of unrequited love and desire, particularly between women.

Her first published work appeared in The Yellow Book, a influential quarterly literary periodical associated with Aestheticism and Decadence, in 1894. However, it wasn't until 1916, when she was in her late forties, that her first poetry collection, "The Farmer's Bride," was published. This slim volume of just 18 poems immediately caught the attention of literary critics and fellow poets.

Mew's poetry is characterized by its intense emotional charge, vivid imagery, and innovative use of dramatic monologue. Her work often explores themes of loneliness, unfulfilled desire, and the struggles of marginalized individuals. Her most famous poem, "The Farmer's Bride," tells the story of a young woman who flees from her husband on their wedding night, capturing the fear and alienation of a forced marriage.

Despite the critical acclaim she received, Mew struggled financially throughout her life. She supplemented her income by writing children's stories and essays, but lived in relative poverty. Her situation was somewhat alleviated when she was awarded a Civil List pension in 1923, championed by fellow writers Walter de la Mare, Thomas Hardy, and John Masefield.

Mew's later years were marked by increasing isolation and depression. The death of her sister Anne in 1927 was a devastating blow from which she never fully recovered. Unable to bear the thought of life without her closest companion, Charlotte Mew took her own life on March 24, 1928, by drinking disinfectant.

In the years following her death, Mew's reputation has grown significantly. Her work has been championed by poets and critics who recognize her as an important transitional figure between the Victorian and Modernist periods. Her poetry, with its psychological depth and formal innovations, anticipates many of the concerns of later 20th-century poetry.

Mew's life and work have been the subject of renewed interest in recent decades. Scholars have explored her place in the canon of LGBTQ+ literature, her contributions to the development of Modernist poetry, and her unique voice as a woman writer in a male-dominated literary landscape. Her complete poems were published posthumously in 1953, and several biographies have since been written, shedding light on her complex life and artistic legacy.

Charlotte Mew's poetry continues to resonate with readers today, praised for its emotional intensity, technical skill, and unflinching exploration of human experience. Her ability to capture the inner lives of diverse characters, from farmers to nuns to children, demonstrates a remarkable empathy and observational power. While her output was relatively small – she published only two collections in her lifetime – the quality and impact of her work have secured her place as a significant figure in English poetry.

In studying Charlotte Mew, one encounters a poet who defied easy categorization, both in her life and her art. Her work bridges the gap between Victorian sensibilities and Modernist experimentation, offering a unique perspective on a period of rapid social and artistic change. For scholars and poetry enthusiasts alike, Mew remains a fascinating figure – a poet whose life was as compelling and complex as the verses she penned.