Margaret Mitchell - certainly, this is familiar to manyname. What comes to mind when you hear it? Many will say: "The famous writer from America, the author of" Gone With the Wind "." And they will be right. Do you know how many novels Margaret Mitchell wrote? And the unique fate of this woman is known to you? But you can tell so much about her ...
The novel "Gone With the Wind", which received the worldfame was first published in 1936. It has been translated into many languages, has survived more than 100 reprints. To this day, this novel remains a best-selling planetary scale. He radically changed the life of Margaret Mitchell. Photos and biography of it you will find in this article.
Маргарет появилась на свет на пороге 20 века - 8 November 1900. She was born in the US state of Georgia, in the city of Atlanta. Her parents were quite wealthy. In the family, the girl was the second child. Older brother Margaret (born 1896) was called Stephen (Stevens). Note that the ancestors of Margaret (which is not surprising) were not Native Americans. Ancestors from the father moved from Ireland to the United States, and from the mother - from France. During the Civil War, which lasted from 1861 to 1865, both grandfathers of the future writer participated in the battles on the side of the southerners.
Отец Пегги (так звали в детстве Маргарет, а в later - and close friends) was a well-known lawyer in his city, specialized in real estate. The family belonged to the higher world. Eugene Mitchell, its head, dreamed of becoming a writer in his youth, but this dream did not come true for unknown reasons. He was a magnificent story-teller, an educated man, he chaired the historical community of the city. What did he tell his children? Of course, about the past war, which told them a lot of stories.
Margaret's mother (her name was Maria Isabella) waseducated, purposeful woman, and even extraordinary for its time. She was among the founders of the movement, which fought for women's electoral rights, as well as the Association of Catholics. Maria Isabella tried to instill good taste in her daughter.
Little Margaret was fascinated by literature as early asprimary school. She began to compose short plays for the school theater. Peggy was fond of love and adventure novels. And at the age of 12 she became acquainted with cinema. She studied mediocre, especially mathematics was not easy for her. It is known that Margaret behaved like a boy. She loved horse riding, climbed the fences and trees. However, at the same time, she danced beautifully and knew ball etiquette well.
After graduating from high school, Margaret Mitchell continued her studies at the Seminary. Washington and Northampton College, located in Massachusetts.
Mother Margaret died in 1918 from a flu epidemic. The girl had to return to Atlanta. Then, in 1918, her fiance, Lieutenant Henry Clifford, died in France in a battle on the River Meuse.
Margaret assumed duties and concernsthe mistress of the estate. For several years she was engaged exclusively in his affairs. This circumstance, however, does not combine with the bold character of Margaret Mitchell. Her biography of that time was devoid of harmony with the inner world. This situation is a girl. Years later, Mitchell will describe his insolence and propensity for bold actions in the person of Scarlett, the main character of his only novel. She will say about her that she is “smart as a man”, however, as a woman, she is completely devoid of this quality.
The girl met in 1921 with the responsibleand a reserved young man named John Marsh. Margaret's friends and relatives were convinced that the couple would marry. An acquaintance with the parents took place, the wedding day was appointed. However, something inexplicable happened that left everyone amazed. In 1922, on September 2, Margaret married the loser Red Upshaw, who was involved in the illegal supply of alcohol. The couple’s life was unbearable. Margaret always suffered beatings and insults. She was pulled out of the hardest depression by the support and love of John Marsh. This man has forgotten about his jealousy. He managed to throw off all insults and help Margaret to become a person in this world.
Mitchell divorced her spouse in 1925 andmarried marsh. The newlyweds felt happy. They finally found each other. It was John who convinced his wife to take up the pen. The girl began to write not for success and not for the public, but from the desire to understand herself, for the sake of her own inner balance.
The fact is that Margaret was a housewife andI read a lot, whiling away time. However, for such an active nature, reading was not enough. She started getting depressed. Therefore, John Marsh came up with a way to make his spouse's life more intense and interesting. He presented her with a typewriter in 1926, congratulating the girl on the start of her writing career. Margaret liked the gift, and she began to sit for hours on this chirping machine, from which she extracted lines from the recent past of the United States - the war of the North and South, in which her ancestors participated.
John, returning from work, carefully readwritten by the wife in a day. He worked as an editor at a newspaper, so he could tell what was wrong. After that, the couple discussed new plot twists. Together they amended the text and also modified the chapters of the work. John Marsh was a brilliant adviser and a good editor. He found the literature needed for the novel, carefully delving into the details of the era described in the book.
By December 1932 the book was finished.However, it was being finalized before July 1935, as the editor of Macmillan persuaded the girl to publish his novel. His preparation for publication began, separate episodes began to come together. The novel received its name from the poem "Gone With the Wind" by Ernest Dawson, a work known at the time.
Успех произведения Маргарет Митчелл был огромным.The novel, published by the publishing house, became a real event in US literature. In 1936, he won the Pulitzer Prize, the most prestigious in this country. Margaret Mitchell, according to many critics, managed to recreate the American dream in his work. The novel became a symbol of a citizen of America, a model of his behavior. Contemporaries compared the characters of the book with the heroes of ancient legends. During the war years, men were usually brought up in the spirit of democratic individualism and enterprise, while women wore Scarlett's hair and clothes. Even America's light industry quickly responded to the popularity of the new novel: gloves, hats and Scarlett-style dresses appeared in boutiques and shops. Producer David Selznik, very famous in America, for more than four years engaged in the creation of the screenplay for the film "Gone With the Wind."
The screen version of the novel began in 1939.Margaret categorically refused to appear in this film. However, it was literally flooded with verbal requests and letters, in which a request was expressed to assist in creating the picture and to attach to the shooting one of his relatives or at least acquaintances. Mitchell did not even want to go to the premiere of the film. Too heavy for this woman was the burden of fame. She understood that her work had become a world heritage. However, Margaret did not want other people to interfere in the lives of her family and in her personal life.
This is not surprising, because recognition and glorycollapsed quite unexpectedly at Margaret Mitchell. Her biography has become the property of the whole country. Her popularity in the community was enormous. Mitchell began to invite to educational institutions of America to give lectures. She was photographed, she was interviewed ... For many years, the story of Margaret Mitchell was not interesting to anyone. She lived a measured, quiet life with her husband, and now she suddenly found herself in full view of the whole country. Marsh tried in every way to protect his spouse from pesky journalists. He took over all the correspondence with publishers, and also managed finances.
Acquainted with the history of thisremarkable novel, it is possible to say with complete confidence that John Marsh is a vivid example of how a real man, without a moment's hesitation, conveyed to his beloved woman his priority approval in the family. At the cost of his career, John created almost ideal conditions for Margaret to realize her talent. The huge role of the spouse could not fail to appreciate Mitchell herself, who dedicated her novel D. R. M.
Писательница умерла в Атланте, своем родном City, August 16, 1949. She died from wounds sustained several days earlier in a traffic accident. But how did this tragic event occur? Tell and about him.
In 1949, September 11, Mitchell, along with hishusband went to the cinema. The couple walked slowly along Peach Street, which Margaret loved so much. Suddenly, at a high speed, a taxi took off because of the turn and knocked down Mitchell. They say that the driver was drunk. Without regaining consciousness, Margaret died on August 16th. She was buried in the Auckland cemetery of the city of Atlanta. John Marsh after her death lived another three years.
For a man, there is nothing dearer and closer thana story that tells about himself. Perhaps that is why the work "Gone With the Wind" will never lose relevance. It will be considered a classic of world literature for many years.
Margaret lived a very bright and rich lifeMitchell. A brief biography introduces readers only to its main events. Her story is an example of what women can do in literature (as, indeed, in life) no less than men. And even more than many of them.
In conclusion, we present several statements by M. Mitchell. All of them are from her wonderful work:
