Born: 18 June 1754, Sweden
Died: 8 March 1817
Country most active: Sweden
Also known as: Anna Malmstedt
The following is excerpted from “400 Outstanding Women of the World and the Costumology of Their Time” by Minna Moscherosch Schmidt, published in 1933.
This Swedish woman, who won literary fame, was born in Uppsala. She was the daughter of a professor Malmgren. From her father she received a thorough education in the Classics; she even helped him correct the Latin papers of his students. Her literary interest developed early. Her first poem of major importance, Thé-Conseilen (The Tea Council), was published in 1775
and showed strongly the influence of the Swedish author Dalin.
It was of interest not only for its literary merits but as an expression of the author’s views on the social position of women. The poem may be regarded as a forerunner of the feminist literature of our day, as it pleads in a satirical way for the right of women to cultivate intellectual interests. The same theme inspired an introduction, written by Lenngren, to her translation
of Lucie by Gretry, published in 1776. From 1776-1779 gave her attention to translations, among them a translation from Ovidius. In 1780 she married Karl Peter Lenngren, who held a position on the Board of Trade, and issued a daily paper in co-partnership with the famous author Kellgren.
This brought an interruption for a time in her literary activities. During the first twelve years of her marriage she published only about eighty poems. She then appeared, once more, as one of the leading authors of the day; the character of her poetry, however, had changed greatly. The years 1795 to 1800 mark the height of her literary career. With the beginning of the new century her production practically ceased, and tragedies within her family threw a deep shadow over the last years of her life. Her poetry was greatly admired and loved by her contemporaries, as it still is by Swedes of today, because of its clear and simple form and its realistic, sometimes idyllic, sometimes satirical, trend. Among her best known poems are the following: Kalian (The Spring), Portratierna (The Portraits), Slottet och kojan (Castle and Cottage), Grevinnans besök (The Countess’ Visit), Pojkjzrna (The Boys),
Lycksaligheten (Happiness) and Min salig hustru (My Blessed Wife).