Edna St. Vincent Millay
Poet//Visionary//Feminist
Early Life
- Edna St. Vincent Millay was born on February 22nd, 1892 in Rockland, Maine.
- To her friends and family, she was known as Vincent.
- Growing up, she studied piano, language, and theatre.
- At the age of 20, Vincent received instant acclaim after the publication of “Renascence” in The Lyric Year.
- While studying at Vassar College, she published her first book Renascence and Other Poems.
- After graduation, she moved to NYC's Greenwich Village and lead a bohemian lifestyle.
Career Success
- Over the following three decades, Vincent published poetry, plays, political writings, and a libretto for an opera.
- Vincent's writing was inspired by Robert Frost.
- She won a Pulitzer Prize for her fourth book, The Ballad of the Harp Weaver.
- She wrote and performed her pieces with passion, often sprinkling in her forward-thinking opinions on politics, women's issues, and sexuality.
Personal Life
- Vincent attracted many suitors and even refused a Vanity Fair editor's marriage proposal, for fear of wasting away in a life of domesticity.
- Vincent was openly bisexual.
- She eventually married Eugen Boissevain, a self-proclaimed feminist.
- The couple resided in Austerlitz, New York, on their farm Steepletop.
- Vincent died on October 19, 1950 in her home.
Works Cited
"Edna St. Vincent Millay." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2016.
"Poet: Edna St. Vincent Millay." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2016.
"About Millay." Edna St. Vincent Millay Society. Edna St. Vincent Millay Society, n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2016.