Anna Alcott Pratt
Encyclopedia
Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt (March 16, 1831 – July 17, 1893) was the elder sister of American
novelist Louisa May Alcott
. She was the basis for the character Margaret "Meg" of Little Women
(1868), her sister's classic, semi-autobiographical
novel. The eldest of the four Alcott sisters (being herself, Louisa, Lizzie
, and May
), Anna is remembered as a dutiful, self-sacrificing and loving sister, wife and mother who conformed to the mold of Victorian
womanhood more easily than did her sisters. To her family members, she served as an emotional shelter.
, a neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
on March 16, 1831. She was homeschooled
by her parents, Amos Bronson Alcott
and Abby May
, and excelled in her studies.
From an early age, Anna was "stage-struck" and secretly longed "to shine before the world as a great actress or prima donna
." In her youth she and her sister Louisa created romantic melodrama
s which they performed for friends.
, Louisa and Anna helped form the Concord Dramatic Union. Another member of the group was John Bridge Pratt
. He and Anna fell in love while playing opposite each other in a play called "The Loan of a Lover." Anna is Meg in Little Women
and the description of Meg's wedding in the book is an actual description of Anna’s wedding. Anna and John were married in the parlor of Orchard House
on May 23, 1860. Unlike Meg, Anna had two children, but Meg had twins, a boy and a girl (Demi and Daisy), and then another daughter, Josie, whereas Anna had two boys (Frederic and John).
on Main Street in Concord, where their mother died just a few days after moving in. Over the next 16 years, Anna raised her sons and helped Louisa care for their niece "Lulu," who came to them after her mother, May, the youngest Alcott sister, died following childbirth. Anna lived another five years after the deaths of her father and sister Louisa in 1888. She died in Concord, Massachusetts
in July 1893 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott was an American novelist. She is best known for the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. Little Women was set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts, and published in 1868...
. She was the basis for the character Margaret "Meg" of Little Women
Little Women
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
(1868), her sister's classic, semi-autobiographical
Autobiographical novel
An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using autofiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fiction elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction...
novel. The eldest of the four Alcott sisters (being herself, Louisa, Lizzie
Elizabeth Sewall Alcott
Elizabeth Sewall "Lizzie" Alcott is the real-life model for the fictional character Beth March in Little Women, a novel written by her sister Louisa May Alcott...
, and May
Abigail May Alcott Nieriker
May Alcott Nieriker was an American artist and the youngest sister of Louisa May Alcott. She was the basis for the character Amy in her sister's semi-autobiographical novel Little Women...
), Anna is remembered as a dutiful, self-sacrificing and loving sister, wife and mother who conformed to the mold of Victorian
Victorianism
Victorianism is the name given to the attitudes, art, and culture of the later two-thirds of the 19th century. This usage is strong within social history and the study of literature, less so in philosophy. Many disciplines do not use the term, but instead prefer Victorian Era, or simply "Late 19th...
womanhood more easily than did her sisters. To her family members, she served as an emotional shelter.
Birth and childhood
Anna Bronson Alcott was born in GermantownGermantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
, a neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on March 16, 1831. She was homeschooled
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
by her parents, Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcott
Amos Bronson Alcott was an American teacher, writer, philosopher, and reformer. As an educator, Alcott pioneered new ways of interacting with young students, focusing on a conversational style, and avoided traditional punishment. He hoped to perfect the human spirit and, to that end, advocated a...
and Abby May
Abby May
Abigail "Abby" Alcott was the wife of Transcendentalist Amos Bronson Alcott and mother of four daughters, including Civil War novelist Louisa May Alcott...
, and excelled in her studies.
From an early age, Anna was "stage-struck" and secretly longed "to shine before the world as a great actress or prima donna
Prima donna
Originally used in opera or Commedia dell'arte companies, "prima donna" is Italian for "first lady." The term was used to designate the leading female singer in the opera company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given. The prima donna was normally, but not necessarily, a soprano...
." In her youth she and her sister Louisa created romantic melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
s which they performed for friends.
Marriage and children
In 1858, the year they moved to Orchard HouseOrchard House
Orchard House is an historic house museum in Concord, Massachusetts. It was the longtime home of Amos Bronson Alcott and family, including his daughter Louisa May Alcott who wrote and set her beloved novel Little Women there.-History:...
, Louisa and Anna helped form the Concord Dramatic Union. Another member of the group was John Bridge Pratt
John Bridge Pratt
John Bridge Pratt was the husband of Anna Alcott Pratt, the elder sister of American novelist Luisa May Alcott. He was the basis for the character John Brooke in Little Women. He was a member of Concord Dramatic Union. When playing "The Loan of a Lover", he fell in love with Anna. They were married...
. He and Anna fell in love while playing opposite each other in a play called "The Loan of a Lover." Anna is Meg in Little Women
Little Women
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
and the description of Meg's wedding in the book is an actual description of Anna’s wedding. Anna and John were married in the parlor of Orchard House
Orchard House
Orchard House is an historic house museum in Concord, Massachusetts. It was the longtime home of Amos Bronson Alcott and family, including his daughter Louisa May Alcott who wrote and set her beloved novel Little Women there.-History:...
on May 23, 1860. Unlike Meg, Anna had two children, but Meg had twins, a boy and a girl (Demi and Daisy), and then another daughter, Josie, whereas Anna had two boys (Frederic and John).
The last sister
John Pratt died in 1870, leaving Anna with their two young sons. In 1877, with Louisa's help, Anna purchased the Thoreau-Alcott HouseThoreau-Alcott House
The Thoreau-Alcott House is an historic house at 255 Main Street in Concord, Massachusetts that was home to the writers Henry David Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott at different times.-History:...
on Main Street in Concord, where their mother died just a few days after moving in. Over the next 16 years, Anna raised her sons and helped Louisa care for their niece "Lulu," who came to them after her mother, May, the youngest Alcott sister, died following childbirth. Anna lived another five years after the deaths of her father and sister Louisa in 1888. She died in Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...
in July 1893 and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is a cemetery located on Bedford Street near the center of Concord, Massachusetts. The cemetery is the burial site of a number of famous Concordians, including some of the United States' greatest authors and thinkers, especially on a hill known as "Author's...
.