Leigh Hunt | Life, Career & Works

Leigh Hunt's Early Years

James Leigh Hunt was born in England on October 19, 1784. His father was of Barbados descent and his mother was from Philadelphia. Although his father studied law, he had a difficult time finding employment. His mounting debts, landed him in a debtor's prison when Hunt was only a small child. Hunt's mother was very anxious over his father's imprisonment, and it is believed that Hunt, too, grew up with anxiety battles as a result. This may have led to his problem with stammering.

Through charity, he attended Christ's Hospital School where he learned about classic literature and how to stand up for others. He believed that he was not accepted to a university due to his stammering. Hunt was well-liked because he was kind to others and cheerful.

Later Years

Hunt is known as a Romantic poet, but his works are far less speculative and dark than his more famous counterparts, like Coleridge and Shelley. As those traits fairly define Romantic poetry, we can see why Hunt was less followed. In 1801, he published his first volume of poetry, entitled Juvenilia.

Hunt married Marianne Kent in 1809. In the next twenty years, they had ten children. Marianne later struggled with alcoholism, and the two had a rocky marriage.

Hunt not only wrote poems but essays, as well. In fact, he became a successful journalist, often critiquing plays. Hunt's older brother, John, owned a periodical called the Examiner and asked Hunt to be its primary editor. Hunt continued to contribute his own articles, as well as edit. The brothers worked well together, not afraid to write straightforward, unbiased news for a primarily middle-class public.

But because they continued to speak out against various political leaders, they were sued for libel more than once. Both John and Leigh were eventually convicted and sent to prison for a few years. England did not have tolerance for freedom of speech at this time.

The Unexpected Impacts of Prison

On the one hand, Hunt relished the thought of being a martyr during the two years he was imprisoned, but his time in prison did take its toll. Hunt, already prone to anxiety, also struggled with depression. His wife and children joined him in prison, and they decorated his cell, making it a home.

Many friends came by and visited, so his stay in prison was happier than most. While he remained in prison, he had time to read and actually published Classic Tales: Serious and Lively, a literary anthology.

He became friends with Charles Lamb, who helped him with another periodical, The Reflector. Philosophically, Hunt became more appreciative of nature and enjoying life with a positive attitude. He wanted others to have this attitude, as well.

From a literary standpoint, Hunt came into his own poetic style and academic focus while he was in prison. He adapted some of the Romantic traits yet wrote in his own voice. Hunt was released from prison in 1815, and his long poem The Story of Rimini, which he wrote in prison, was published in 1816. Hunt's poetic style impacted other poets, such as Keats, and received acclaim, though not all appreciated it.

A Turn for the Worse, and Yet . . .

After prison, Hunt became an agoraphobic and still struggled deeply with anxiety and depression. He also had mounting debts. Financial woes shadowed Hunt for the rest of his days.

There were a few bright spots, though. In 1816, Hunt became friends with both Keats and Shelley. In fact, he was one of the first critics to publicly recognize their talents. Although Hunt and Keats had a falling out, Shelley and Hunt remained deeply close for the rest of their lives.

Shelley's drowning devastated Hunt. He and his family moved several times, even to Italy, which proved to disillusion Hunt because he had always idealized it. After returning to England, Hunt had lost his previous popularity and was impoverished. In his later years, he was admired by such writers as Nathaniel Hawthorne, and though he had suffered some humiliations, he was also appreciated by many in the literary field.

Life continued to hit him with trials, such as the deaths of three children. Marianne died in 1857, and Hunt died in 1859.