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Marianne Moore Collection
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Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
American poet Marianne Moore was born in St. Louis, and graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1909. She lived mostly in New York City, working first as a librarian and later, from 1925 until 1929, as editor of the literary and cultural journal The Dial. Her poetry is witty, intellectual, and often satirical. Volumes of her verse include Poems (1921), Observations (1924), What Are Years? (1941), Collected Poems (1951, Pulitzer Prize), O to Be a Dragon (1959), and Complete Poems (1967). Among her other works are the translation of The Fables of La Fontaine (1954). In addition to winning a Pulitzer Prize, Moore acquired sixteen honorary degrees and a National Book Award and served as a mentor to younger poets such as Elizabeth Bishop. She attended boxing matches, baseball games and other public events, dressed in what became her signature garb, a tricorn hat and a black cape. Not long after throwing the first pitch for the 1968 season in Yankee Stadium, Moore suffered the first of a series of strokes. She died in 1972.
The collection consists of selected correspondence, poems, and photographs of Marianne Moore. The correspondence includes seven letters (1941-1966) by Moore to Mrs. Mildred Pressinger Kienbusch, and two related letters to Mrs. Kienbusch from mutual friends; two letters to Otto von Kienbusch, one written in June 1969, in a shaky hand, after Moore had suffered a stroke; one letter to Mrs. Barbara Turner; five letters to Mr. Mass and Mr. T. Tambimuttu about making corrections to her books before printing; eight letters (1944-1952) to José Rodríguez Feo in Cuba regarding publishing poems by her and Elizabeth Bishop in the prominent Cuban literary magazine Orígenes. There is a photograph of Moore taken at Princeton University in front of Nassau Hall in 1968 during a commencement ceremony, and another one taken at Harvard University. Also included are holograph corrections on a printed copy of p. 122 of her translation of The Fables of La Fontaine; a typed and signed poem titled "Nevertheless"; and a typed and signed poem titled "What Are Years?" inscribed to James Lowe and dated Oct. 7, 1968.
Arranged by accession number.
The collection was formed as a result of a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.
Seven letters to Mrs. Kienbusch and three letters from others were a gift of Carl Otto von Kienbusch, Princeton Class on 1906, in memory of Mildred Clarke von Kienbusch on September 19, 1968.
Letters to Carl Otto Von Kienbusch were a gift of Carl Otto von Kienbusch, Princeton Class on 1906, on August 25, 1969.
"Nevertheless" manuscript was a gift of a Carl Otto von Kienbusch, Princeton Class on 1906, on July 23, 1970.
"What are Years?" manuscript was a gift of Carl Otto von Kienbusch, Princeton Class on 1906, on May 11, 1971.
Photograph of Moore in front of Nassau Hall was a gift of Mrs. Daniel Dillon on September 16, 1969.
Holograph changes to the text of The Fables and letter to Mrs. Turner were purchased on Febuary 13, 1969.
Letters to Mr. Mass and Mr. T. Tambimuttu were purchased on October 23, 1968.
Letters to Mr. Rodriguez were purchased on December 14, 1989.
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Dina Britain on August 3, 2006. Finding aid written by Tenley Eakin on August 4, 2006. Folder inventory added by James Clark '14 in 2012.
No appraisal information is available.
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- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Date
- 2006
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Collection Inventory
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