Arguably the most powerful monarch in history, Queen Elizabeth I tops this list of Top 10 Real-Life Spinsters. Why She Makes the List Though not the first female ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I was certainly the most famous. During a time when women were very commonly believed to be inherently feeble, lesser beings than […]
Susan B. Anthony is one of the most iconic and accomplished spinsters the world has ever known. It’s difficult to overstate the role of Susan B. Anthony in the rise of equal rights in the United States. While countless suffragists contributed to the eventual acceptance of women in governance, no single figure stands out quite […]
Whether you love her or hate her, Oprah proved that a woman can be a success by every measure without a husband or children. Oprah Winfrey’s Story Oprah was born into poverty in rural Mississippi in 1954. Her mother was still a teenager, unmarried and under-educated. For the early portion of her life, it appeared […]
“Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without Affection.” Of course Jane Austen was going to be on this list of Top 10 Real-Life Spinsters. Though she herself was not well known during her lifetime, today she is an inspiration to women, particularly happily single and childfree women, everywhere. For any new […]
Helen Keller’s fame is such that every school child knows her name and has learned about her life. Helen Keller’s Story As an infant, Keller contracted measles. Though this wasn’t uncommon during the time, the disease left her both blind and deaf. The loss of two primary senses while still a baby meant that as […]
#6: Greta Garbo Greta Garbo and Lillian Gish (both film stars from 1920s) were contenders for this spot on the list, but while Gish is still better known for her stardom rather than her spinsterhood, Garbo has become most remembered for her desire for solitude. While Garbo insists that she herself never said “I want […]
7. Emily Dickinson One of history’s most famous reclusive writers. Dickinson, from the outside, may have been the image of a madwoman in the attic. However, her extreme social phobia didn’t prevent her from being an incredibly prolific (albeit, posthumous) poet. Dickinson wrote about 1800 poems, but published less than a dozen during her life. […]
8. Anne Brontë Writer, Social Critic, Lifelong Spinster Of the three sisters (Charlotte, Emily, and Anne), only Anne Brontë makes this list. While Charlotte’s Jane Eyre rightly receives praise for its surprisingly strong-willed and independent female protagonist, Charlotte – like Jane – was happily married. The other two sisters remained unmarried until their early deaths, […]
Next up on our Sunday list of real-life spinsters comes the Lady of the Lamp… 9. Florence Nightingale Famous for her role in the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale revolutionized how nursing was seen and practiced, especially regarding the treatment of soldiers during foreign wars. She was also a gifted mathematician, and turned her keen and […]
Each Sunday for the next two months, The American Spinster will be counting down our list of Top Ten Real-Life Spinsters. These brief biographies will examine the lives of extraordinary single, childfree women who left their mark on the world and made a name for themselves in history. Starting the list of is Joan of […]