Sylvia Townsend Warner
Full Name and Common Aliases
Sylvia Townsend Warner was a British author, poet, and journalist.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on May 6, 1893, Sylvia Townsend Warner passed away on March 4, 1978.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Warner was a British national, holding multiple professions throughout her life: author, poet, and journalist.
Early Life and Background
Sylvia Townsend Warner was born in Harrow Weald, England. Her father was a civil engineer who later became a successful businessman. The family moved to London when Warner was young. She began writing at an early age, encouraged by her mother. Warner's childhood experiences had a significant impact on her writing style and subject matter.
As a child, Warner spent time in various parts of the world with her family due to her father's business ventures. These experiences would later influence her writing about different cultures and places. Warner's love for nature was also evident from an early age, shaping her poetry and writing style.
Warner attended a boarding school in England before moving to Oxford University to study English literature. Her time at university provided a solid foundation for her future writing career, exposing her to various literary works and styles.
Major Accomplishments
Sylvia Townsend Warner's work spanned multiple genres, including poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and editing. Some of her notable accomplishments include:
Editor of the influential magazine The London Mercury, where she played a crucial role in promoting modernist literature.
Collaborations with notable authors such as Virginia Woolf and E.M. Forster.
Her writing showcased a unique blend of realism and romanticism, reflecting her diverse experiences.Notable Works or Actions
Warner's notable works include:
The House in Paris (1939) - a novel that explores themes of identity, love, and loss.
Summer Will Show (1936) - a historical novel set during the English Civil War.
Her poetry collections showcased her skill with language and form.
Impact and Legacy
Sylvia Townsend Warner's impact on literature is multifaceted. As an editor, she played a significant role in promoting modernist writing. Her own work demonstrated a unique style that blended elements of realism and romanticism. Warner was also known for her strong feminist views, often exploring themes of identity and women's experiences in her writing.
Warner's legacy extends beyond her literary contributions. She was part of the Bloomsbury Group, a circle of intellectuals and artists who pushed boundaries in various fields. Her relationships with other notable authors and poets have made her an important figure in literary history.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Sylvia Townsend Warner is widely quoted or remembered for her:
Unconventional style: Her writing blended realism and romanticism, offering readers a unique perspective on the world.
Feminist views: Warner's exploration of women's experiences and identities in her work has made her an important figure in feminist literature.
* Influence on modernist literature: As an editor and writer, Warner played a crucial role in promoting modernist writing and pushing boundaries in literature.
Quotes by Sylvia Townsend Warner
Those who spend their strength in field and factory would rather hear that their emancipation is bound to come than that it is something to be hazardously purchased by struggle and sacrifice.
She had thrown away twenty years of her life like a handful of old rags, but the wind had blown them back again, and dressed her in the old uniform.
Of all damnable offenses preaching prudence to the young is the most damnable.
There is a moral, of course, and like all morals it is better not pursued.
I have an idea that conscience impedes quite as many merits as faults, is a sort of alloy, a nickel which may prevent silver from bending but also prevents it from shining.
As for her own share in the matter, she felt no shame at all. It had pleased Satan to come to her aid. Considering carefully, she did not see who else would have done so. Custom, public opinion, law, church, and state – all would have shaken their massive heads against her plea, and sent her back to bondage.
Laura also thought that the law had done a great deal to spoil Henry. It had changed his natural sturdy stupidity into a browbeating indifference to other people’s point of view. He seemed to consider himself briefed by his Creator to turn into ridicule the opinions of those who disagreed with him, and to attribute dishonesty, idiocy, or a base motive to every one who supported a better case than he.
To one who has led a virtuous life, to sin is the easiest thing in the world. No experience of unpleasant consequences grits that smooth sliding fall, no recollection of disillusionment blurs that pure desire.