Official dorothea mackellar website poetry archive. Mackellar was born in the sydney suburb of point piper in july 1885. Adrienne howley the biography of famous australian poet dorothea mackellar. I love a sunburnt countrya land of sweeping plains,of ragged mountain ranges,of droughts and flooding rains. Dorothea mackellars iconic poem, beautifully illustrated by andrew mclean, depicts australia in all its contrasts. She was educated at home and travelled extensively with her parents, becoming fluent in french, spanish, german and italian, and also. Peter luck poetry and illustrations relating to dorothea mackellar s poem my country.
The first draft of my country was written in england when miss. Conclusion the poem clearly represents australia as a challenging land which is cruel in times of drought and the weather is unpredictable in rainy season. Anniversary edition of the iconic australian poem written by the celebrated australian poet dorothea mackellar. They are from the second verse of my country written by a homesick young australian, dorothea mackellar 18851963 in about 1904. Her poem my country is widely known in australia, especially its second. Your teacher will show you the example from the state library collection of, my country. Triple d books, and the dorothea mackellar memorial society, which is situated at gunnedah. A poem by dorothea mackellar and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. My country by dorothea mackellar 18851968, written in 1904 recited by dorothea mackellar. Peter luck poetry and illustrations relating to dorothea mackellars poem my country.
But this poem was her favourite and it was her request that it be read at her memorial service and it was duly read after she died in 1968. Dorothea mackellar, core of my heart my country australian. My country dorothea mackellar state library of nsw. My country by dorothea mackellar famous poems, famous. The whole poems intention seems to evoke the sense of praising for the country and express mackellars deep relationship and passion with her land. Colour dorothea mackellar analysis my word in your ear. My country is a poem about australia, written by dorothea mackellar 18851968 at the age of 19 while homesick in the united kingdom. The love of field and coppice, of green and shaded lanes. Poets australia dorothea mackellar, my country, photos. Upon initial examination of the poem my country, one might think that this is simply a patriotic poem written by a young woman who feels a great bond to the land around her.
The opening two stanzas describe the british landscape, but this is not the country the young dorothea mackellar yearns for. She is best remembered for her poem, my country, with the immortal line i love a sunburnt country this is the official dorothea mackellar website detailing information on her personal and professional history, photographs, poems and requirements. The poems popularity is said to have taken off during the first world war. I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of. The story begins in england, the orderly land of mackellar s ancestors. My country is an iconic nationalistic poem about australia written by dorothea mackellar in 1908. This famous poem is believed to have been directly inspired by dorothea mackellars experience of life on the land, and her love of the allyn river district, nsw. Dorothea mackellar s iconic poem has been brought to life as a beautifully illustrated picture book.
Poets australia dorothea mackellar, my country, photos, art. Early in 1908, a young dorothea mackellar 18851968 sat down to write out the final draft of a poem she had been working on for four years. She is best remembered for her poem, my country, with the immortal line i love a sunburnt country this is the official dorothea mackellar website detailing information on her personal and professional history. Dorothea mackellars my country state library of nsw. Students learn about the poem my country written by dorothea mackellar, and. My country by dorothea mackellar, 9781742990385, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. But, first and foremost for mum, is dorothea mackellar. A poem written by dorothea mackellar in 1908, the words to my country is one that is recited for school and remembered for its compelling description of what.
The poem was later renamed my country when it was published in a book of. Analysis dorothea mackellars my country is a poem expressing mackellars deep passion and love for her country, australia. Her education was comprised of private home tutoring until she attended university of sydney. According to the australian dictionary of biography, her youth was highly civilized and she moved easily between sydneys intellectual and. At 19 years old she wrote a poem, my country, the second verse of which is perhaps the best known stanza in australian poetry. Isobel marion dorothea mackellar better known as dorothea mackellar, obe 1 july 1885 14 january 1968 was an australian poet and fiction writer. A centenary celebration 19082008, and more on thriftbooks. However, when examined a little closer, it becomes apparent that mackellars country is actually a metaphor for her and her life. My country is widely regarded as the universal statement of why australi. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. After travelling through europe extensively with her father during her teenage years, she started writing the poem in london in 1904 and rewrote it several times before her return to sydney.
It became my country in mackellars first book of poems, the closed door, published in australia in 1911. Isobel marion dorothea mackellar obe 1 july 1885 14 january 1968 was an australian poet and fiction writer. It reappeared several times in australia before being included as my country in her first book, the closed door and other verses melbourne, 1911. My country poem annotation australian landscape poetry. I love her far horizons, i love her jewel sea, her beauty and her terror, the wide brown land for me. Discover book depositorys huge selection of dorothea mackellar books online. The genre is part of bush poetry and does not tell a story.
Buy a discounted hardcover of my country online from australias leading online bookstore. The genre is part of bush poetry and does not tell a story context. My wife janet and i went for a trip to gunnedah where dorothea mackellars family had a property, and where much of the poets inspiration for my country came from. Mar 31, 2017 author of the little blue devil, the witchmaid, my country and other poems, i love a sunburnt country, diaries of dorothea mackellar, i love a sunburnt country, my country dorothea mackellar, my country, the poems of dorothea mackellar. Isobel marion dorothea mackellar 18851968, writer, was born on 1 july 1885 at dunara, point piper, sydney, third child and only daughter of nativeborn parents sir charles kinnaird mackellar, physician, and his wife marion, daughter of thomas buckland. Andrew mcleans rich illustrations bring the poem to life, and will help it resonate with a new generation of young australians and those who love australia. My country is a rhyming poem, fourteen stanzas in length. Mackellar attains this response from the audience by using numerous language techniques such. My country in her first book, the closed door and other verses melbourne, 1911. I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of ragged. A passionate, patriotic poem, it describes the contrasts that lie at the heart of australia. Of ordered woods and gardens is running in your veins, strong love of greyblue distance brown streams and soft dim skies i know but cannot share it, my love is otherwise. Her bestknown poem is my country, written at age 19 in 1904, while homesick in england. A poetess, and third generation australian who loved australia and the australian countryside.
My country dorothea mackellar analysis essay 1087 words. My country is an iconic patriotic poem about australia, written by dorothea mackellar 18851968. Dorothea mackellars iconic poem, beautifully illustrated by. Core of my heart later my country would become the poets most iconic achievement as a writer, marking a pinnacle in her literary career and creating a lasting landmark in australias literary heritage. Dorothea mackellar the analysis perhaps this is why the poem my country is one of the most well known australian. Biography isobel marion dorothea mackellar australian. A poem written by dorothea mackellar in 1908, the words to my country is one that is recited for school and remembered for its compelling description of what australia is even today.
My country by dorothea mackellar 18851968, written in 1904 recited by dorothea mackellar the love of field and coppice, of green and shaded lanes. Along with waltzing matilda, this is probably one of the poems australians can quote more readily than the national anthem. Critical analysis of my country by dorethea mackellar. The poem was first published in the london spectator on 5 september 1908 titled as core of my heart. We did a search for other books with a similar title, and found some results for.
Author of the little blue devil, the witchmaid, my country and other poems, i love a sunburnt country, diaries of dorothea mackellar, i love a sunburnt country, my country dorothea mackellar, my country, the poems of dorothea mackellar. Mackellar was educated at home and began writing at a very young age. Ive always loved the passion and the power of dorothea mackellars my country. My country by dorothea mackellar goodreads share book. Dorothea mackellar was born in sydney in 1885 into a wellestablished, wealthy family, and was educated privately at the university of sydney.
My country is widely regarded as the universal statement of why australians love their country. My country by dorothea mackellar 9781743837702 dymocks. By then, mackellar was living back in australia, after several years in england, where she shared lodgings with her childhood friend, ruth bedford. My country by dorothea mackellar famous poems, famous poets. Welcome to the official dorothea mackellar website. Her poem my country is widely known in australia, especially its second stanza, which begins. My country by dorothea mackellar 9781862917309 booktopia. Illustrations by awardwinning artist andrew mclean, celebrating the contrasts of australias stunning landscapes. Dorothea mackellar 1885 1968 the australian poet dorothea mackellar is better known for the poem my country written at the age of 19 when homesick in england. See all books authored by dorothea mackellar, including i love a sunburnt country, and dorothea mackellars my country. Buy a cheap copy of dorothea mackellars my country. A poem by dorothea mackellar with decorations and illustrations by j. Sorry, the book that you are looking for is not available right now. I was able to get a feel for the place, and the landscape that is quite different from my part of the world.