Frances Sargent Osgood

Frances Sargent Osgood (1811–1850) was an American poet and author whose popular verse and literary friendships made her a prominent figure in nineteenth-century literary culture.

Connect

Edgar Allan Poe: Edgar Allan Poe was an American poet, author, and editor known for works of Gothic fiction and literary criticism. Their literary friendship and published exchanges became central to Osgood’s enduring public story.
A Wreath of Flowers from New England: A collection of poems by Frances Sargent Osgood published in 1838. The volume represents her early development as a published poet.
Newburyport, Massachusetts: Newburyport is a coastal city in northeastern Massachusetts. Osgood was born there in 1811.
Sentimentalism: Sentimentalism is a literary mode that emphasizes emotion, sympathy, domestic life, and moral feeling. Osgood’s popular verse often drew on the emotional conventions of sentimental poetry.
Sarah Helen Whitman: Sarah Helen Whitman was an American poet and spiritualist who corresponded with Edgar Allan Poe. Whitman’s later account of Poe’s relationships helped frame Osgood’s place in his biography.
The Poetry of Flowers and Flowers of Poetry: A gift book combining poetry and floral illustrations, edited by Frances Sargent Osgood and published in 1841. It shows her work in the popular gift-book market as both poet and editor.
Boston literary culture: Boston literary culture comprises the writers, publishers, institutions, and readers active in and around Boston. Osgood’s career developed within New England’s dense network of publishers and literary venues.
Gift book: A gift book is an illustrated literary annual produced for presentation as a personal gift. Osgood wrote and edited for a format that made poetry part of domestic reading and gifting.
Rufus Wilmot Griswold: Rufus Wilmot Griswold was an American anthologist, editor, and literary critic. His accounts and editorial choices influenced the posthumous record of Osgood and Poe.
The Snowdrop: A poem by Frances Sargent Osgood included in her nineteenth-century poetry collections. Its floral subject reflects the sentimental and domestic imagery common in her verse.