Owen Wister
Owen Wister
#### Full Name and Common Aliases
Owen Wister was born on July 14, 1860, as Owen Jones Wister in Germantown, Pennsylvania. He is often referred to simply as Owen Wister.
Birth and Death Dates
Wister lived for 71 years, passing away on July 21, 1938, at the age of 78.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Owen Wister was an American novelist, best known for his writing about the Western frontier. His profession also included that of a physician, as he initially trained to become a doctor before turning to full-time writing.
Early Life and Background
Wister's family had strong connections to the medical field; his father, Owen Jones Wister Sr., was a physician. This upbringing likely influenced Wister's decision to pursue medicine at first. However, after completing his studies in 1881 from Harvard Medical School, he traveled extensively throughout Europe before eventually settling on writing as his career path.
Major Accomplishments
Wister is widely regarded for his novel The Virginian, which was published in 1902 and became a massive commercial success. This pioneering work of Western fiction helped establish the genre and paved the way for many other notable authors to follow in Wister's footsteps. The Virginian tells the story of a Wyoming cowboy, set against the backdrop of the cattle industry's early days.
Notable Works or Actions
In addition to The Virginian, Owen Wister also penned several other novels that showcased his interest in Western themes and experiences. Some notable works include Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail (1902), which is a non-fiction account of life on a Wyoming ranch, as well as Lincoln's Girlhood (1897) and Lady Baltimore (1906). Wister was also an active member of the Republican Party and served as the president of the Society for American Rhododendron Enthusiasts.
Impact and Legacy
Owen Wister played a significant role in shaping public perception about the American West. His writing offered a more nuanced understanding of life on the frontier, providing vivid descriptions of landscapes, cultures, and traditions that helped dispel myths prevalent at the time. The Virginian specifically, with its themes of loyalty, honor, and love, contributed to the romanticization of the cowboy figure in popular culture.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Owen Wister's work remains influential today due to his commitment to exploring and celebrating America's rich cultural heritage. His masterful storytelling not only entertained readers but also educated them about the realities of life on the Western frontier, thus expanding Americans' understanding of their country's history.
Quotes by Owen Wister
It may be that them whose pleasure brings you into this world owes you a living, but it don’t mean the world is responsible.
He looked pleased. “I reckon,” he said, “I couldn’t be so good if I wasn’t bad onced in a while.
Dr. MacBride had a manner of saying “pardon me,” which rendered forgiveness well-nigh impossible.
But this I can say: to call any act evil, instantly begs the question. Many an act that man does is right or wrong according to the time and place which form, so to speak, its context; strip it of its surrounding circumstances, and you tear away its meaning.
When a man ain’t got no ideas of his own, he’d ought to be kind o’ careful who he borrows ’em from.
Well, he took dying as naturally as he took living. Like a man should. Like I hope to.” Again he looked at the pictures in his mind. “No play-acting nor last words. He just told good-by to the boys as we led his horse under the limb.
Go on so! I don’t reckon yu’ know what you’re sayin’. Yu’ might as well ask fruit to stay green. If the way we are now can keep bein’ enough for you, it can’t for me. A pleasure to you, is it? Well, to me it is – I don’t know what to call it. I come to yu’ and I hate it, and I come again and I hate it, and I ache and grieve all over when I go. No! You will have to think of some other way than just invitin’ me to keep green.
The creature we call a GENTLEMAN lies deep in the hearts of thousands that are born without chance to master the outward graces of the type.
Has any botanist set down what the seed of love is? Has it anywhere been set down in how many ways this seed may be sown? In what various vessels of gossamer it can float across wide spaces? Or upon what different soils it can fall, and live unknown, and bide its time for blooming?