Susanna Moodie
Encyclopedia
Susanna Moodie, born Strickland (6 December 1803 – 8 April 1885), was an English
-born Canadian author
who wrote about her experiences as a settler in Canada
, which was a British colony at the time.
, on the River Waveney
in Suffolk
, the younger sister of three other writers, including Agnes Strickland
and Catharine Parr Traill
. She wrote her first children's book in 1822, and published other children's stories in London
, including books about Spartacus
and Jugurtha
. In London she was also involved in the Anti-Slavery Society
, transcribing the narrative of the former Caribbean slave Mary Prince
. On 4 April 1831, she married John Moodie, a retired officer who had served in the Napoleonic Wars
. In 1832, with her husband and daughter, Moodie emigrated to Canada. The family settled on a farm in Douro township, near Lakefield, north of Peterborough
, Upper Canada
, where her brother Samuel worked as a surveyor, and where artifacts are housed in a museum. Founded by Samuel, the museum was formerly an Anglican church and overlooks the Otonabee river where Susanna once canoed. It also displays artifacts concerning both Samuel and Catharine Parr Traill
.
Moodie continued to write in Canada and her letters and journals contain valuable information about life in the colony. She observed life in what was then the backwoods of Ontario, including native
customs, the climate, the wildlife, relations between the Canadian population and recent American
, and the strong sense of community and the communal work,known as "bees" (which she, incidentally, hated). She suffered through the economic depression
in 1836, and her husband served in the militia
against William Lyon Mackenzie
in the Upper Canada Rebellion
in 1837.
As a middle-class Englishwoman Moodie did not particularly enjoy "the bush", as she called it. In 1840 she and her husband moved to Belleville
, which she referred to as "the clearings". She studied the Family Compact
and became sympathetic to the moderate reformers led by Robert Baldwin
, while remaining critical of radical reformers such as Lyon Mackenzie. This caused problems for her husband, who shared her views, but, as sheriff of Belleville, had to work with members and supporters of the Family Compact.
In 1852, she published Roughing it in the Bush
, detailing her experiences on the farm in the 1830s. In 1853, she published Life in the Clearings Versus the Bush, about her time in Belleville. She remained in Belleville, living with various family members (particularly her son Robert)after her husband's death, and lived to see Canadian Confederation
. She died in Toronto, Ontario
on 8 April 1885 and is buried in Belleville Cemetery
.
Her greatest success was Roughing it in the Bush
. The inspiration for the memoir came from a suggestion by her editor that she write an "emigrant's guide" for British people looking to move to Canada. Moodie wrote of the trials and tribulations she found as a "New Canadian", rather than the advantages to be had in the colony. She claimed that her intention was not to discourage immigrants but to prepare people like herself, raised in relative wealth and with no prior experience as farmers, for what life in Canada would be like.
's collection of poetry, The Journals of Susanna Moodie
, published in 1970. It was also an important influence on one of Atwood's later novels, Alias Grace
, based on an account of murder convict Grace Marks
which appeared in Life in the Clearings Versus the Bush. She has also been a source of inspiration for Carol Shields
, who published a critical analysis of Susanna Moodie's work, Susanna Moodie: Voice and Vision. Additionally, the central character of Shield's novel, Small Ceremonies, is working on a biography of Moodie.
released a special commemorative series, "The Writers of Canada", with a design by Katalina Kovats, featuring two English-Canadian and two French-Canadian stamps. Three million stamps were issued. Moodie and her sister Catherine Parr Traill were featured on one of the English-Canadian stamps.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Canadian author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who wrote about her experiences as a settler in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which was a British colony at the time.
Biography
Susanna Moodie was born in BungayBungay
Bungay is a town in Suffolk, East Anglia, England.Bungay may also refer to:* Bungay railway station* Frank Bungay , former professional footballer* Stephen Bungay , British management consultant, historian and author...
, on the River Waveney
River Waveney
The Waveney is a river which forms the border between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads.-Course:The source of the River Waveney is a ditch on the east side of the B1113 road between the villages of Redgrave, Suffolk and South Lopham, Norfolk...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, the younger sister of three other writers, including Agnes Strickland
Agnes Strickland
Agnes Strickland was an English historical writer and poet.-Biography:The daughter of Thomas Strickland of Reydon Hall, Suffolk, Agnes was educated by her father, and began her literary career with a poem, Worcester Field, followed by The Seven Ages of Woman and Demetrius...
and Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill, born Strickland was an English-Canadian author who wrote about life as a settler in Canada.-Biography:...
. She wrote her first children's book in 1822, and published other children's stories in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, including books about Spartacus
Spartacus
Spartacus was a famous leader of the slaves in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Little is known about Spartacus beyond the events of the war, and surviving historical accounts are sometimes contradictory and may not always be reliable...
and Jugurtha
Jugurtha
Jugurtha or Jugurthen was a King of Numidia, , born in Cirta .-Background:Until the reign of Jugurtha's grandfather Masinissa, the people of Numidia were semi-nomadic and indistinguishable from the other Libyans in North Africa...
. In London she was also involved in the Anti-Slavery Society
Anti-Slavery Society
The Anti-Slavery Society or A.S.S. was the everyday name of two different British organizations.The first was founded in 1823 and was committed to the abolition of slavery in the British Empire. Its official name was the Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery Throughout the...
, transcribing the narrative of the former Caribbean slave Mary Prince
Mary Prince
Mary Prince was a Bermudian woman, born into slavery in Brackish Pond, now known as Devonshire Marsh, in Devonshire Parish, Bermuda. Her autobiography, 'The History of Mary Prince', was the first account of the life of a black woman to be published in the United Kingdom...
. On 4 April 1831, she married John Moodie, a retired officer who had served in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. In 1832, with her husband and daughter, Moodie emigrated to Canada. The family settled on a farm in Douro township, near Lakefield, north of Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, where her brother Samuel worked as a surveyor, and where artifacts are housed in a museum. Founded by Samuel, the museum was formerly an Anglican church and overlooks the Otonabee river where Susanna once canoed. It also displays artifacts concerning both Samuel and Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill
Catharine Parr Traill, born Strickland was an English-Canadian author who wrote about life as a settler in Canada.-Biography:...
.
Moodie continued to write in Canada and her letters and journals contain valuable information about life in the colony. She observed life in what was then the backwoods of Ontario, including native
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
customs, the climate, the wildlife, relations between the Canadian population and recent American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and the strong sense of community and the communal work,known as "bees" (which she, incidentally, hated). She suffered through the economic depression
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
in 1836, and her husband served in the militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
against William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie was a Scottish born American and Canadian journalist, politician, and rebellion leader. He served as the first mayor of Toronto, Upper Canada and was an important leader during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.-Background and early years in Scotland, 1795–1820:Mackenzie was...
in the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
in 1837.
As a middle-class Englishwoman Moodie did not particularly enjoy "the bush", as she called it. In 1840 she and her husband moved to Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
, which she referred to as "the clearings". She studied the Family Compact
Family Compact
Fully developed after the War of 1812, the Compact lasted until Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841. In Lower Canada, its equivalent was the Château Clique. The influence of the Family Compact on the government administration at different levels lasted to the 1880s...
and became sympathetic to the moderate reformers led by Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin was born at York . He, along with his political partner Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, led the first responsible ministry in Canada, regarded by some as the first truly Canadian government....
, while remaining critical of radical reformers such as Lyon Mackenzie. This caused problems for her husband, who shared her views, but, as sheriff of Belleville, had to work with members and supporters of the Family Compact.
In 1852, she published Roughing it in the Bush
Roughing it in the Bush
Roughing It in the Bush is an account of life as a Canadian settler by Susanna Moodie. Moodie immigrated to Canada West, near modern-day Peterborough, Ontario during the 1830s. At the suggestion of her editor, she wrote a "guide" to settler life for British subjects considering coming to Canada...
, detailing her experiences on the farm in the 1830s. In 1853, she published Life in the Clearings Versus the Bush, about her time in Belleville. She remained in Belleville, living with various family members (particularly her son Robert)after her husband's death, and lived to see Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
. She died in Toronto, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on 8 April 1885 and is buried in Belleville Cemetery
Belleville Cemetery
Belleville Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Canadian city of Belleville, Ontario, incorporated in 1872. It is most notable for being the burial place of Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie Bowell and author Susanna Moodie. The cemetery covers and is located along the north shore of the Bay of...
.
Her greatest success was Roughing it in the Bush
Roughing it in the Bush
Roughing It in the Bush is an account of life as a Canadian settler by Susanna Moodie. Moodie immigrated to Canada West, near modern-day Peterborough, Ontario during the 1830s. At the suggestion of her editor, she wrote a "guide" to settler life for British subjects considering coming to Canada...
. The inspiration for the memoir came from a suggestion by her editor that she write an "emigrant's guide" for British people looking to move to Canada. Moodie wrote of the trials and tribulations she found as a "New Canadian", rather than the advantages to be had in the colony. She claimed that her intention was not to discourage immigrants but to prepare people like herself, raised in relative wealth and with no prior experience as farmers, for what life in Canada would be like.
Recognition
Moodie's books and poetry inspired Margaret AtwoodMargaret Atwood
Margaret Eleanor Atwood, is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist. She is among the most-honoured authors of fiction in recent history; she is a winner of the Arthur C...
's collection of poetry, The Journals of Susanna Moodie
The Journals of Susanna Moodie
The Journals of Susanna Moodie is a book of poetry by Margaret Atwood, first published in 1970.In the book, Atwood adopts the voice of Susanna Moodie, a noted early Canadian writer, and attempts to imagine and convey Moodie's feelings about life in the Canada of her era...
, published in 1970. It was also an important influence on one of Atwood's later novels, Alias Grace
Alias Grace
Alias Grace is a historical fiction novel by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood. First published in 1996 by McClelland & Stewart, it won the Canadian Giller Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize....
, based on an account of murder convict Grace Marks
Grace Marks
Grace Marks was an Canadian maid who was convicted in 1843 of murder in the death of her employer Thomas Kinnear, and was suspected of murdering his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery...
which appeared in Life in the Clearings Versus the Bush. She has also been a source of inspiration for Carol Shields
Carol Shields
Carol Ann Shields, CC, OM, FRSC, MA was an American-born Canadian author. She is best known for her 1993 novel The Stone Diaries, which won the U.S. Pulitzer Prize for Fiction as well as the Governor General's Award in Canada.-Biography:Shields was born in Oak Park, Illinois...
, who published a critical analysis of Susanna Moodie's work, Susanna Moodie: Voice and Vision. Additionally, the central character of Shield's novel, Small Ceremonies, is working on a biography of Moodie.
Commemorative Postage Stamp
On 8 September 2003, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Library of Canada, Canada PostCanada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
released a special commemorative series, "The Writers of Canada", with a design by Katalina Kovats, featuring two English-Canadian and two French-Canadian stamps. Three million stamps were issued. Moodie and her sister Catherine Parr Traill were featured on one of the English-Canadian stamps.
Novels
- Mark Hurdlestone - 1853
- Flora Lyndsay - 1854
- Matrimonial Speculations - 1854
- Geoffrey Moncton - 1855
- The World Before Them - 1868
Poetry
- Patriotic Songs - 1830 (with Agnes Strickland)
- Enthusiasm and Other Poems - 1831
Children's books
- Spartacus - 1822
- The Little Quaker
- The Sailor Brother
- The Little Prisoner
- Hugh Latimer - 1828
- Rowland Massingham
- Profession and Principle
- George Leatrim - 1875
Memoirs
- Roughing It in the BushRoughing it in the BushRoughing It in the Bush is an account of life as a Canadian settler by Susanna Moodie. Moodie immigrated to Canada West, near modern-day Peterborough, Ontario during the 1830s. At the suggestion of her editor, she wrote a "guide" to settler life for British subjects considering coming to Canada...
- 1852 - "Life in the Backwoods; A Sequel to Roughing it in the Bush"
- Life in the Clearings Versus the Bush - 1853
Letters
- Letters of a Lifetime - 1985 (edited by Carl Ballstadt, Elizabeth Hopkins, and Michael Peterman)
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Ashton Warner - Slave Narrative of St Vincent, British West Indies 1831
- Free downloadable audiobooks by Susanna Moodie at LibrivoxLibriVoxLibriVox is an online digital library of free public domain audiobooks, read by volunteers and is probably, since 2007, the world's most prolific audiobook publisher...
.