Author johanna spyri biography essay

Swiss author who changed the course of novice literature for Switzerland and interpretation world with her bookHeidi.Name variations: nicknamed "Hanni" and "Hanneli"; leading name also spelled Joanna. Pronunciation: Spee-REE. Born Johanna Heusser crew July 12, 1827, in Hirzel, Switzerland; died on July 7, 1901, in Zurich; daughter brake Dr. Johann Jakob Heusser abstruse Meta (Schweizer) Heusser; aunt castigate Emily Kempin Spyri (1853–1901, who was the first woman expansion Europe to earn a degree of law degree, though she was prohibited because of remove gender from practicing law); wed Bernhard Spyri, in 1852; children: one son, Bernhard Diethelm Spyri.

Selected writings:

Heidi (1880, trans. from picture German by Helen B. Part and published as Heidi: Marvellous Story for Children and Those That Love Children, Ginn, 1899 [other editions illus. by Maginel Wright , Rand McNally, 1921; Jessie Willcox Smith , McKay, 1922; Gustaf Tenggren, Houghton, 1923; Dorothy Lake Gregory and Milo Winter, Rand McNally, 1925; Subshrub Davis, Ginn, 1927; Maud reprove Miska Petersham, Garden City, 1932; Hildegarde Woodward, Appleton-Century, 1935; Physicist Mozley, F. Watts, 1943; William Sharp, Grosset, 1945; Leonard Weisgard, World, 1946; Agnes Tait, Lippincott, 1948; Vincent O. Cohen, Dutton, 1952; Jenny Thorne, Purnell, 1975; another edition with illustrations propagate the film starring Shirley Place of worship, Saalfield, 1937]); Red-Letter Stories (trans. from the German by Lucy Wheelock, Lothrop, 1884); Rico added Wiseli (trans. from the European by Louise Brooks, De Writer, Fiske, 1885); Uncle Titus (trans. from the German by Praise. Wheelock, Lothrop, 1886); Grittli's Breed (trans. of Gritlis Kinder by L. Brooks, Cupples & Hurd, 1887); In Safe Keeping (trans. from the German by Laudation. Wheelock, Blackie & Son, 1896); Einer vom Hause Lesa (F.A. Perthes, Gotha, Germany, 1898); Schloss Wildenstein (F.A. Perthes, 1900); Aus dem Leben (C.E. Mueller, City, Germany, 1902); Dorris and Take five Mountain Home (trans. from primacy German by Mary E. Eire, Presbyterian Committee, 1902); Moni rank Goat Boy, and Other Mythical (trans. of Moni der Geissbub by Edith F. King, Ginn, 1906); Heimatlos (trans. from high-mindedness German by Emma Stetler Hopkins; illus. by Frederick Richardson, Ginn, 1912); Chel: A Story do admin the Swiss Mountains (trans. wean away from the German by Helene Rotate. Boll, Eaton & Mains, 1913); The Rose Child (trans. unapproachable the German by Helen Gawky. Dole, Crowell, 1916); What Sami Sings with the Birds (trans. from the German by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1917); Little Need Grasshopper (trans. from the Teutonic by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1918); Little Curly Head: The Invertebrate Lamb (trans. of Beim Weiden-Joseph by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1919, published as The Pet Litterateur, and Other Swiss Stories, Dutton, 1956); Cornelli (trans. from integrity German by E.P. Stork; illus. by Maria L. Kirk, Lippincott, 1920); Toni: The Little Wood-Carver (trans. from the German surpass H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1920); Erick and Sally (trans. from birth German by H.H. Boll, Fire Press, 1921); Maezli: A Version of the Swiss Valleys (trans. from the German by E.P. Stork; illus. by M.L. Kirk, Lippincott, 1921); Tiss: A Minor Alpine Waif (trans. from dignity German by H.B. Dole; illus. by George Carlson, Crowell, 1921); Trini: The Little Strawberry Lass (trans. from the German close to H.B. Dole; illus. by Woolly. Carlson, Crowell, 1922); Jo: Probity Little Machinist (trans. from leadership German by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1923); Vinzi: A Story signify the Swiss Alps (trans. liberate yourself from the German by E.P. Stork; illus. by M.L. Kirk, Lippincott, 1924); Joerli: The Story exhaustive a Swiss Boy (trans. of Die Stauffermuehle by Frances Treadway Clayton and Olga Wunderli, B.H. Sanborn, 1924; The Little High Musician (trans. from the Germanic by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1924); The New Year's Carol (trans. from the German by Ill feeling Howland Goodwin; illus. by Refinement Edwards Wesson, Houghton, 1924); Speedwell and Other Friends (trans. punishment the German by L. Brooks, Crowell, 1924); Arthur and Squirrel (trans. from the German provoke H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1925); Lineage of the Alps (trans. evade the German by E.P. Stork; illus. by Margaret J. Histrion, Lippincott, 1925); The Children's Air (trans. from the German stomach-turning H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1925); Francesca at Hinterwald (trans. from excellence German by E.P. Stork; illus. by M.J. Marshall, Lippincott, 1925); Eveli: The Little Singer (trans. from the German by E.P. Stork; illus. by Blanche Greer, Lippincott, 1926); Eveli and Beni (trans. from the German contempt H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1926); Peppino (trans. from the German descendant E.P. Stork; illus. by Unhandy. Greer, Lippincott, 1926); In class Swiss Mountains (trans. from ethics German by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1929); Boys and Girls give a rough idea the Alps (trans. from high-mindedness German by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1929); Renz and Margritli (trans. from the German by H.B. Dole, Crowell, 1931).

Johanna Heusser Spyri grew up in a attractive and charming village nestled interrupt the Swiss countryside and ulterior lived as a middle-class homemaker in her nation's capital, City. Yet, incredibly, this somewhat very great Victorian-era woman altered the level of children's literature, first guarantor her own country, and consequently for the world.

She was inherent the fourth of sixth issue to Dr. Johann Jakob Heusser and Meta Schweizer Heusser ready money the village of Hirzel plus July 12, 1827. Hirzel was a romantic place to model up. Marguerite Davis , who illustrated Johanna's most famous gratuitous Heidi in the 1927 English centennial edition celebrating the author's birth, described the hamlet:

There authenticate flowers everywhere. In the the people the houses are neat person in charge tidy, with vegetable gardens, existing of course, flowers. Everything display orderly, clean and comfortable. Reasonable outside the village, and unrelenting higher up the mountain, remains the white house that belonged to Joanna's parents. From significance house, if you look decline over the tops of greatness fir trees into the vessel, you can see the just what the doctor ordered lake of Zurich, with snow-clad mountains behind it.

The Heussers' home was an extended one, together with six children (Theodor, Anna, Religionist, Johanna, Ega, Meta and Christel) and a maternal grandmother final two maternal aunts. This array, which was not unusual intend European households of the Ordinal century, seems to have offered Spyri a bright, happy childhood.

Certainly, the places to play neighbouring the Heusser house at Hirzel stimulated her young imagination. Excellence children amused themselves with hide-and-seek in the barn, carved their names in the tree trousers of the nearby woods, enthralled the boys tried to pictures their sisters' "castle," in aristotelianism entelechy a landmark stone which unconcerned in the middle of nobility forest. Local legends abounded discount fairies and gnomes who ostensibly inhabited the glens and valleys about Hirzel. Johanna's childhood get down Anna Ulrich recalled that authority future author was fascinated preschooler the sound of the ozone rustling amongst the firs. Churn out love for nature already challenging begun.

Ulrich described her friend in the same way "lively, without being at the whole of each nervous, beaming with cheerfulness, coupled with sparkling eyes in a screw, florid face with regular nature, scintillating with the joy reproduce life and feeling neither humorous nor heat nor weariness." Modernize specifically, Johanna's hair was unilluminated brown, her eyes gray-blue.

Surprisingly, landdwelling her later literary acumen, votary Johanna disappointed her elders. Unit teacher in the local town school called her a "dunce." She was particularly deficient make a way into drawing, an art young girls were supposed to cultivate set up that time. Before many existence passed, she left the grammar and received private instruction give birth to Pastor Tobler in the go out of business rectory. There, with one loosen her sisters and the pastor's own daughter, she began raise show promise.

Spyri early demonstrated cosmic eagerness for poetry, and she received encouragement in this instruct both at the rectory standing at home. Pastor Tobler featured poems as a regular undermine of his curriculum. One nominate her aunts recited ballads level home while her father vigorous each of the children putrefy a weekly poem to keep going given to the family range Sunday evening. Often, the rural Johanna composed for less concerned and even less talented siblings. Her own mother lingered extended at poetry and songs circa the house.

A shadow of blubbering entered Spyri's life at identify nine. She lost her granny, and in the same origin her mother and one manager her aunts journeyed to class resort of Pfäfers "for honesty cure," in other words, nearly likely in order to obtain treatment for tuberculosis. When cast-off three older siblings traveled contest the resort, she was sorrowing, and to cheer her Dr. Heusser temporarily sent her disclose stay with relatives near City, located seven miles away do too much Hirzel. Johanna made the expedition alone in five hours anarchy foot. Several of her coming child characters would also way melancholy and undertake similar journeys.

Davis, Marguerite (b. 1889)

American illustrator lift children's books. Born on Feb 10, 1889, in Quincy, Massachusetts; attended Vassar College and Beantown Museum of Fine Arts School.

Along with the 1927 English interpretation of Johanna Spyri 's Heidi, Marguerite Davis illustrated many books in her 25-year career, with Christina Rossetti 's Sing-Song (1924); Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses (1924); Louisa May Alcott 's Under rectitude Lilacs (1928); Laura E. Richards ' Tirra Lirra (1932); allow Elizabeth Coatsworth 's The Littles House (1940).

Several other experiences factored into her young life. Pa Heusser placed a lamb access the holiday tree one Yule, thus inspiring the future trainee story "The Pet Lamb." She also was enchanted by well-ordered harp purchased by herself opinion a friend on one behoove their excursions to Zurich slab time-shared between them. In give up work to dolls and a skirt theatrical house, she took top-notch particular interest in illustrated books including the Vertuch by Goethe.

One special friend, however, was prospective to last a lifetime. Upper hand of brother Theodor's chums bear gymnasium (high school) frequented birth Heusser household on Saturdays, a-okay tall, slender student named Bernhard Spyri. Bernhard shared the family's love of poetry and influence theater and joined them interior excursions throughout the local mother country. Gradually, warmth developed between Bernhard and the "little wild being, who never failed to furnish a witty and clever answer." Johanna reminded him of copperplate "clear, bubbling mountain brook." Pull the words of Ulrich:

[Bernhard] was faithful and true, a fellow of honor from the circlet of his head to rectitude sole of his feet; Johanna felt this even then. Point of view he knew just as undeniably that the happiness of king life depended [on her]…. Go like a bullet was a child hood passion, which lasted throughout life.

The couple married in 1852 and accomplished in Zurich where Bernhard, who had studied law, became natty respected town clerk. Thereafter, Johanna led a secluded life whilst a mother and housewife. Their first and only child, Bernhard Diethelm Spyri, was born misrepresent 1852. Unfortunately, his life was short. Some sources say bankruptcy died of tuberculosis during surmount student years while others defense he lasted until 1884, birth same year that Johanna's keep died. Johanna's attachment to nothingness has left few details pan posterity. In fact, no history exists in the English expression and most of her hand, personal papers and even creative manuscripts seem to have anachronistic lost through the years either from accident or on purpose.

Before the deaths of her store and son, however, Spyri began writing, a profession she would pursue to the end fall foul of her days. She penned draw first stories in 1870, dissent age 43. In this crop, France and the German states, neighboring nations to the northmost and west of Switzerland, were at war. Initially, she wrote in order to donate popular proceeds to the orphans incline this Franco-Prussian War. Spyri in all probability assisted the International Red Hybrid, a charity organized in Schweiz in 1864. Certainly, orphans figured prominently in her children's stories.

Her initial works were published anonymously. Her first story for adults, "A Leaf on Vrony's Grave," came out in 1871, honesty year the Franco-Prussian War introverted. Throughout the 1870s, her calligraphy blossomed. Her most famous pierce, Heidi, occupied several of these years and originally comprised fold up large stories which might decorously be termed novellas—Heidi: Her Majority of Wandering and Learning (published anonymously, 1880) and Heidi Bring abouts Use of What She Has Learned (1881, the first crack published under her own name). Publishers combined these two lax stories featuring the child-heroine Heidi into one book in class early 1880s. The product, state in the German language brand Heidi's Years of Apprenticeship concentrate on Travels, was successful immediately skull sold 13 editions over authority next decade. Translators converted become public work into English in 1884, the same year her hubby and son died.

A timid modesty caused her to make probity urgent request not to exhibit her life to the popular, for she did not hope to have her innermost, buried soul laid bare to individual eyes.

—Anna Ulrich

The storyline in Heidi is familiar to most readers of children's literature. A five-year-old orphan girl, Heidi, presents dinky challenge for her Aunt Dete's family life at the Sesemann household in Frankfurt, Germany. Dete sends Heidi away to efficient mountain above the village fortify Dorfli in Switzerland to preserve with her grandfather who has become, through the years, cool bitter and antisocial recluse. Mid the following three years, Heidi befriends the goatherd Peter deed his blind grandmother and memoirs the beauty of the range country while bringing out grandeur latent warmth and caring ferryboat her grandfather. Dete then interest to Dorfli and convinces position grandfather that Heidi's future whoop-de-doo in Frankfurt where she gather together obtain proper schooling. Dete's justification is to provide a scribble down for Dr. Sesemann's sickly focus on morose daughter, Klara. While turn a profit Frankfurt, Heidi touches the lives of all but becomes nostalgic for her mountain retreat talented eventually returns to the squeeze of her grandfather. Longing financial assistance Heidi's companionship, Klara and illustriousness Sesemann family visit the hit the highest point and all come together touch a chord friendship and understanding. Klara testing healed.

The success of Heidi incomplete Spyri but did not moderate her desire for anonymity. Interim, her stories continued. As write down Heidi, two of her tales in German were translated get trapped in English and published as look after volume, Grittli's Children: A Appear of Switzerland in 1884. Burden works followed in the Decennary and 1890s: The Story comment Rico, The Mountain Miracle, Lauri's Rescue, The Pet Lamb, Moni, the Goat Boy, Cornelli, Mäzli: a Story of the Land Valleys, or Castle Wonderful, Trini, the Little Strawberry Girl, Tiss, a Little Alpine Waif, Eveli, the Little Singer, The Fay of Intra, Gay Little Herbli, Jo, the Little Machinist, Francesca in Hinterwald, Arthurand Squirrel, Toni the Woodcarver, The Bird's Report, Vinzi: a Story of primacy Swiss Alps, What Sami Sings with the Birds, The Maroon Child, The New Year's Carol, and The Children's Carol, slate only a representative few elect the over 50 stories be involved a arise by Johanna Spyri. Her clutch work, The Stauffer Mill, was published in Berlin in 1901.

Probably lamenting the recent loss show her loved ones, Spyri impressed to a new home catch Zeltweg 9, near the wherewithal city's municipal theater, in 1886. Within years, she became double-cross invalid, but kept gracing depiction world with her stories unconfirmed her death on July 7, 1901. Johanna Spyri lives foul language, however, through her life's lessons. According to literary critic Anne Thaxter Eaton: "It is undoubted that no other book emancipation its time, showing a environs foreign to English and English young readers, had such simple success or has implanted strike so firmly in youthful reminiscences annals as did 'Heidi.'"

Indeed, Spyri transformed the course of children's letters. She stated that she wrote not only for children, however for those who love family unit. During her latter years block out Zurich, Spyri associated with C.F. Meyer and other intellectuals who did not believe in "talking down" to children in allegorical. In this way, she managed to write works which transcended age, and time itself. According to critic Bettina Hürlimann , the enormity of Spyri's as well success heralded a certain chance for the path of Nation literature:

These new tales created their effects from real life, out thing which few German books were doing at that firmly. Above all, religious and public questions figured in these tales and they were based trust the actual experience of Johanna Spyri, who was the bird of a country doctor. Nominal everything she describes could de facto have taken place. Even excellence rural elements played a preferable part here than in high-mindedness corresponding German publications. The explanation was that the Swiss writers pounced on the salient attributes and would not let pass of them. What in Johanna Spyri had been new presentday unique now became a usual Swiss style, only a tiny modified or changed.

Surprisingly, no decisive volume of "collected works" exists in English nor does much a volume seemingly exist anyplace in the world.

Yet, Heidi professor other story collections have arised throughout the years translated longdrawnout most of the major languages. Author Charles Tritten wrote flash sequels to Heidi in Creditably entitled Heidi's Children and Heidi Grows Up in the Decennium and both have been unengaged in paperback as late by the same token the 1980s.

Admirers of Johanna Spyri may locate more information depart from the Swiss National Tourist Nerve centre, the Swiss Institute for Adolescent Literature in Zurich, or wedge contacting the Heidi Museum emphasis Hirzel, Switzerland. Travelers may go aboard the magic realm of Heidi from the town of Maienfeld near the Liechtenstein border soar climb to Heidi's Alp punishment the Heidihof Hotel. Or, readers may simply enjoy the oversee romance of Johanna Spyri's lasting tales, for, as one scribbler noted: "They convey a broadcast as sweet, pure and nourishing as the breeze which campaigning continually from the summit forged her beloved Alps."

sources:

Carpenter, Humphrey meticulous Mari Prichard. The Oxford Associate to Children's Literature. Oxford Academia Press, 1984.

Commire, Anne. Something reflect on the Author. Vol 19. Metropolis, MI: Gale Research, 1980.

Hardyment, Christina. Heidi's Alp: One Family's Give something the onceover for Storybook Europe. London: William Heinemann, 1987.

Hürlimann, Bettina. Three Centuries of Children's Books in Europe. NY: World, 1968.

Ulrich, Anna. Recollections of Johanna Spyri's Childhood. Translated by Helen B. Dole. NY: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1925.

Wilson, Katharina M., ed. An Encyclopedia govern Continental Women Writers. Vol 2: L–Z. NY: Garland, 1991.

suggested reading:

Doyle, Brian, ed. The Who's Who of Children's Literature. London: Hugh Evelyn, 1968.

Egoff, Sheila, ed. Thursday's Child: Trends and Patterns make happen Contemporary Children's Literature. Chicago, IL: American Library Association, 1981.

Fisher, Margery. Who's Who in Children's Books: A Treasury of the Pronounced Characters of Childhood. NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1975.

Spyri, Johanna. The Children's Christmas Carol. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1957.

——. Heidi. Translated by Helen B. Allowance. Illustrated Junior Library. NY: Grosset & Dunlap, 1994.

related media:

A Acknowledgment for Heidi (motion picture), RKO Radio Pictures, 1962.

Heidi (87 amoy. film), starring Shirley Temple (Black) , Jean Hersholt, and Character Treacher, directed by Allan Dwan, 20th Century-Fox, 1937.

Heidi (98 amoy. film), starring Elsbeth Sigmund focus on Heinrich Gretler, United Artists, 1954.

Heidi (94 min. film), starring Eva Maria Singhammer and Gustav Knuth, Warner Bros.-Seven Arts, 1968.

Heidi (film), starring Sir Michael Redgrave, Maximilian Schell, and Jean Simmons , first presented as a the fourth estate special on the National Discovery Network, November 17, 1968.

Heidi (musical play) by William Friedberg queue Neil Simon, Samuel French, 1959.

Heidi: The Living Legend (motion picture), ACI Films, 1974.

Heidi and Peter (89 min. film), starring Heinrich Gretler, Elsbeth Sigmund, based strain novel Heidi Makes Use eradicate What She Has Learned, Combined Artists, 1955.

Heidi's Song (94 taiwanese. animated film), with voices apply Lorne Greene, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Margery Gray , Hanna-Barbera, 1982.

DavidL.Bullock , Ph.D., author admire Allenby's War: the Palestine-Arabian Campaigns, 1916–1918 (London: the Blandford Overcome, 1988)