The Celebrity of Charlotte Smith: Private Sorrows, Public Tears

Abstract

<p>The celebrity of Charlotte Smith was initiated by the publication of<br />Elegiac Sonnets in 1784. The large subscription lists that successive<br />editions garnered confirms her status as a popular writer. Smith's<br />celebrity is unique when compared to other late eighteenth-century<br />celebrities as she resided outside of London, and did not associate, in<br />public, with other famous writers, artists, and actors of her time. Her<br />solitary existence away from the public view created speculation and<br />gossip about the melancholic poet, which in turn led to an outpouring of<br />financial support.</p> <p>Her celebrity, instigated by the public display of her private sorrows,<br />is inextricably tied to two dominant cultural features: the cult of sensibility<br />and the neoclassic tradition. The culture of sensibility created an ideal<br />atmosphere in which to publish an emotive text, as the public sought out<br />works that would trigger an emotional response. She creates sympathy<br />within her reader, eliciting a strong emotional reaction and acts of charity.<br />Smith also uses a neoclassical poetic convention, quoting profusely from<br />other famous authors to create a connection between her poetry and<br />theirs. Smith foregrounds herself as an educated author, slightly<br />modifying each poetic quotation, and in doing so establishes her own<br />unique niche within the poetic tradition.</p> <p>Smith's celebrity is heavily dependent upon her ability to arouse pity<br />and more importantly charity within the reader. Smith's goal, prior to<br />publication, was to be self-sufficient and garner enough money to provide<br />for her family. Her celebrity can therefore be viewed as a deliberate move<br />into the public sphere.</p>