Louise May Alcott is an American-born writer who became famous after creating a novel about the family of “little women,” based on her recollections of her three sisters, their childhood and youth. Books by this author have been loved by many generations. After all, their reading is not only entertaining, but helps to form moral beliefs, and also, together with the heroes of books, learn self-development and the right attitude towards oneself and people.
Parents of the writer
Amos Alcott grew up in a farmer's family. He worked hard and eventually became a very educated person. Having invented a number of innovations in the field of education, Alcott decided to establish schools in different states. He considered the most important thing in the work of the teacher to convey to students the thoughts of self-education. Such advanced ideas embarrassed parents, so schools often had to close. After the closure of another school, Amos moved with his family. For 30 years, the Olcott had to change their place of residence more than 20 times. Only many years later, Amos's ideas were understood and approved. By that time, he had decided to create a philosophical school for adults.
Abigail Alcott independently handled the household, raising four daughters and social work. All this took a lot of time and energy, but Louise's mother was always ready to come to the aid of people in distress. Alcott actively supported the company in the battle for sobriety and the women's rights movement, and also promoted the idea of ​​ending slavery.
Childhood and youth
Louise May Alcott, whose biography is inextricably linked with her family, was born in Philadelphia, PA. She was the second daughter of four in their poor, but close-knit family. Louise and her sisters Anna, Elizabeth and May were educated at home, their father was engaged in their training. The future writer was greatly influenced by communication with her father's friends: Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Alcott sisters communicated well with the Emerson children. Gathered all together in the barn, they staged plays written by Louise.
The family constantly felt an acute shortage of money, so the writer had to work from a young age. So she changed the work of a seamstress, companion and maid. The novelist actively used the gained experience after as materials for her works.
Early work
At 22, Louise Alcott wrote her first book. It was a storybook called Fables of the Flowers.
During the Civil War, Louise worked as a nurse in a hospital. Having described her impressions of these years in the work “Hospital Essays”, she achieved positive reviews from critics and the great interest of readers. After such recognition of her talent, Louise May Alcott, whose books became successful, decided to describe real events from her life, and not empty flights of fantasy.
Very popular
The novel "Little Women", which was published in 1868, brought its author real fame. The book tells how the four daughters of the March family grew up: Meg, Joe, Beth, and Amy. The story tells that the idea of ​​this book came from Louise Alcott after the publisher Thomas Niles ordered her a novel interesting for girls. The prototypes of the main characters became the sisters of the author. Meg was written with the older Anna, the young Louise was portrayed by Joe, and the younger ones Elizabeth and May helped in creating the characters Beth and Amy.
In the work, a lot of attention is paid to the mother of girls, whose life is very similar to Abigail Alcott. Since her husband went to war, the mother alone does her job, home and children. She monitors the moral and spiritual education of girls, helping them make the right choices when faced with difficulties.
Despite the difficult time for the family, concern for the fate of the father and serious lack of money, the sisters, with the help of maternal support, find the strength to cope with difficulties and be grateful to fate for the joys that they have.
The success of Little Women
After the release of the novel "Little Women" and further books from this series, the writer was able to financially help her parents and, having stopped working, completely devote herself to creative work. Anne, who, due to the death of her husband, independently raised two children, Louise bought a house. And the younger sister paid for her studies in Europe, thanks to which she was able to become famous as a female artist whose works were exhibited in Paris.
The readers' enthusiasm for the heroines of Little Women and the great popularity of the book prompted Louise Alcott to write several sequels to the story.
“Good wives”
In Good Wives, Louise May Alcott continues to describe the life of the March family four years after the events of the first book. The author addresses already more serious topics, as all girls grow up and change. Meg's elder sister marries, gives birth to two children and leaves her home. Joe understands his personal relationships with a childhood friend and, not being ready for marriage, temporarily leaves home. Beth is recovering hard after scarlet fever in childhood, and at some point the painful condition returns. Amy's younger sister gets the opportunity to see the world, going on a trip around the world, in the end she is changing for the better.
In this book, sisters are faced with adult problems: the death of loved ones, difficulties in relationships, the choice between material well-being and love. But they all come out of difficult situations with dignity and continue to please their parents with moral success.
"Little men"
The work is a continuation of the novel "Good Wives." The book tells about a private school for boys in Plumfield, which Joe March with her husband, Mr. Baer, ​​was able to open thanks to the inheritance left by her aunt. They created this boarding school in order to help children and raise them with real men. Despite the personal shortcomings of children, teacher teachers find an approach to each of them. There are almost no rules of conduct at school, but imperceptibly for boys, instruction in discipline and self-knowledge takes place in it. And although the children make mistakes, Joe and Mr. Baer, ​​like real parents, are always ready to assist in any situation. The book also shows the fate of the rest of the March family members - they all maintain the closest relationship with each other and are ready to help Joe and her husband.
Other books by the author
After the story of the March family, Louise Alcott writes new books almost every year. These are the works “The Rose and the Seven Brothers”, “The Youth of the Rose”, “The House under the Lilacs”, “The Lulu Library”, “The Joe Guys”. Louise May Alcott also creates the novel "Work." In this work, the author describes the time when she was the only breadwinner of the whole large family.
Screen adaptations of works
The novel "Little Women" and its continuation fell in love with readers, so they were often filmed. The first pictures were shot in the UK and the USA back in 1917-1918. For all time, about 17 different films and series were shot, but most of them were not translated into Russian. The following three paintings won the most popularity.
The 1933 film was shot in black and white, which absolutely does not interfere with immersing in its atmosphere. Actresses playing the role of sisters are already held Hollywood stars of the 30-40s.
The second film of 1949 has already been shot in color. For a long time it was not translated into Russian, but now it can already be watched with scoring. The film is played by the popular actress Elizabeth Taylor, portraying Amy's younger sister. For Americans, this film has become the favorite movie adaptation of the novel, and they often watch it on television during the Christmas holidays.
The latest 1994 film adaptation is closer to modern audiences thanks to its popular cast: Kirsten Dunst, Winona Ryder and Christian Bale.
last years of life
Louise Alcott had to go through many shocks. So, one of her younger sisters died of a serious illness at 23, and the writer transferred her feelings to the pages of “Good Wives”, describing the death of the heroine Beth. Her second younger sister died after childbirth, and the writer took her niece to be raised. After the death of Louise, the eldest of the sisters, Anna, who lived longer than all family members, began to take care of the child.
Louise Alcott actively fought for women's rights and even became the first representative of the weaker sex to register for the election. The writer never married, although the heroine Joe March, whom the author endowed with his own features, found happiness in marriage.
In her last years, Louise was tormented by a serious illness, and the subsequent death of her parents exacerbated her condition. Alcott wrote until her death, despite deteriorating health. She died a few days after the death of her father, poisoning with mercury, which she took because of typhoid fever.
Her works continue to be published, films are made on them, and book plots are played on stages. In classical American literature, the work of Louise Alcott is still the most famous, because the author’s novels are very moving and sincere in writing.