Ellen Sturgis Hooper

Ellen Sturgis Hooper (1812-1848) was an American poet associated with the Transcendentalist movement. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment, being the daughter of William Sturgis, a prominent merchant and maritime trader. In 1837, she married Dr. Robert William Hooper, a noted Boston physician. Ellen’s engagement with the Transcendentalist circle, which included luminaries such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Margaret Fuller, greatly influenced her literary pursuits.

Although her body of work is relatively small, Ellen’s poetry reflects the core tenets of Transcendentalism, emphasizing the importance of the individual's connection to nature and the divine. Her poems were often published in the Transcendentalist journal, "The Dial." Themes of introspection, personal growth, and the interplay between humanity and the natural world are prevalent in her writings. Despite her premature death at the age of 36, she left a lasting impact on the movement.

Ellen's poetry, including notable works like “I slept and dreamed that life was Beauty,” is often characterized by its succinct and contemplative style. Today, she is remembered as a poignant voice in 19th-century American literature, emblematic of the Transcendentalist era’s ideals and its focus on the spiritual and the introspective.