Anna Maria Lenngren

Anna Maria Lenngren
Anna Maria Lenngren
Born	June 18, 1754, Uppsala, Sweden
Died	March 8, 1817, (aged 62)
Cause of death	Breast cancer
Residence
Other names	Anna Maria Malmstedt
Occupation	Writer, poet and translator
Known for	Swedish writer, poet, and salonist
Spouse(s)	Carl Peter Lenngren; one adopted child

Anna Maria Lenngren, née Malmstedt (June 18, 1754 – March 8, 1817), was one of the most famous poets in Swedish history. Her father and brother were also poets.

One of her best-known poems is Några ord till min kära dotter, ifall jag hade någon ("Advice to my dear daughter, if I had one"). She also wrote on Sweden's class system in the satirical poems against snobbery Hans nåds morgonsömn ("His Grace's morning snooze") and Grevinnans besök ("The Countess's visit").

Anna Maria Lenngren was born in Uppsala as the daughter of the poet Magnus Brynolf Malmstedt (1724–1798), a professor in Latin at Uppsala University, and Märta Johanna Florin (d. 1788). Her father was a member of the Moravian Church and was known for his social work; from 1772, he hosted a school for poor children in his home. Both her parents published hymns, and her brother Johan Magnus (1749–80) wrote secular poems.

Anna Maria Lenngren became set against religion and in favor of the realism of the age of enlightenment through dislike of her father's passionate religious feelings; but her humanism and passion for social justice have also been attributed to her father's influence. In her social views, she felt sympathy for the working classes, opposed the privileges of the nobility and acted as a spokesperson for the "third estate", idealizing a simple and humble life style.

Her father observed her talent early on, and stated that he wished to "make of her not only a literary, but a learned woman". He gave her an advanced education, and she was tutored at home in Latin and the Classics of antiquity. Her favorite poet was Horace.

She began her career in poetry with reviews, epitomes, epigrams and translations in the 1770s. Among her earliest works were interpretations of Horace, published anonymously in the press. In 1772, she published her first poem under her own name, the funeral poem På mademoiselle Anna Lovisa Pahls saliga hemfärds dag, den 14 Maji 1772, die Corona. In 1774–77, she frequently wrote for Anna Hammar-Rosén's paper Hwad Nytt?? Hwad Nytt??.