Margaret Oliphant
Margaret Oliphant: A Life of Literary Achievement
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Margaret Oliphant was born Margaret Wilson on April 4, 1828, in West Calder, Scotland. She is often referred to as Mrs. Oliphant due to her marriage to Francis Humphrey Oliphant.
Birth and Death Dates
Born: April 4, 1828
Died: June 29, 1897
Nationality and Profession(s)
Margaret Oliphant was a Scottish novelist, essayist, and short story writer. Her writing career spanned over three decades, during which she produced numerous novels, stories, and essays that showcased her literary talent.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in a family of modest means, Margaret's early life was marked by financial struggles. Her father, Thomas Wilson, was a minister who struggled to make ends meet, often relying on the charity of others to support his family. Despite these challenges, Margaret's mother encouraged her love for reading and learning, laying the foundation for her future literary pursuits.
Major Accomplishments
Margaret Oliphant's writing career was marked by numerous accomplishments, including:
Her first novel, The Rector, published in 1853
The success of her novel Salem Chapel (1863) which brought her widespread recognition as a writer
The publication of over 100 novels and stories during her lifetime
Her contributions to various literary magazines and journals
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Margaret Oliphant's notable works include:
The Rector (1853)
Salem Chapel (1863)
Miss Marjoribanks (1866)
The Antaline Family (1879)
These works showcase her range and versatility as a writer, covering various themes and genres.
Impact and Legacy
Margaret Oliphant's impact on literature is undeniable. She was one of the first women to achieve significant success as a novelist in Scotland and England. Her writing career paved the way for future generations of female writers, demonstrating that women could make a name for themselves in the literary world.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Margaret Oliphant's quotes are widely used due to her insightful commentary on life, society, and human nature. Her writings often explored themes relevant to her time, such as social class, morality, and the role of women in society. Her quotes continue to be remembered and quoted today for their timeless wisdom and relevance.
Throughout her writing career, Margaret Oliphant demonstrated remarkable talent, perseverance, and dedication. Her legacy serves as a testament to the power of literature to inspire, educate, and entertain readers.
Quotes by Margaret Oliphant
I have my own way of dividing people, as I suppose most of us have. There are those whom I can talk to, and those whom I can’t.
Terror of being found out is not always a preservative, it sometimes hurries on the act which it ought to prevent...
Good works may only be beautiful sins, if they are not done in a true spirit...
It is often easier to justify one’s self to others than to respond to the secret doubts that arise in one’s own bosom.
As for pictures and museums, that don’t trouble me. The worst of going abroad is that you’ve always got to look at things of that sort. To have to do it at home would be beyond a joke.
Somehow even a popular fallacy has an aspect of truth when it suits one’s own case.
Against the long years when family bonds make up all that is happiest in life, there must always be reckoned those moments of agitation and revolution, during which the bosom of a family is the most unrestful and disturbing place in existence...
Spring cold is like the poverty of a poor man who has had a fortune left him – better days are coming...
Oh, never mind the fashion. When one has a style of one’s own, it is always 20 times better.