Stephen Vincent Benet

Date of Birth: July 22, 1898

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: March 13, 1943

Biography

Stephen Vincent Benét was an acclaimed American poet, short story writer, and novelist, best known for his epic poem “John Brown’s Body,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1929. Born into a military family, Benét’s father was a colonel in the United States Army, which influenced his early life and education. Benét attended Yale University, where he was a member of the literary society and published his first volume of poetry. Over his career, he wrote a diverse range of works from historical novels to science fiction stories, making significant contributions to American literature. His works often explored themes of American history and folklore, and he is remembered for his narrative ability and profound insight into the human condition.

5 Interesting Facts about Stephen Vincent Benet

1. Stephen Vincent Benét won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry twice, first in 1929 for “John Brown’s Body” and posthumously in 1944 for “Western Star.”

2. His short story “The Devil and Daniel Webster” was adapted into a successful play, opera, and film.

3. Benét’s siblings, William Rose Benét and Laura Benét, were also notable writers.

4. He was a regular contributor to “The Saturday Evening Post,” where many of his short stories were first published.

5. Despite his literary success, Benét struggled with health issues throughout his life, which ultimately led to his early death at the age of 44.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Stephen Vincent Benet

1. “We thought, because we had power, we had wisdom.”

2. “Life is not lost by dying! Life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.”

3. “We have our arts so we won’t die of truth.”

4. “I say that a man must be certain of his morality for the simple reason that he has to suffer for it.”

5. “Remember that when you say ‘I will have none of this exile and this stranger for his face is not my face and his speech is strange,’ you have denied America with that word.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Stephen Vincent Benét did not achieve significant financial wealth during his lifetime. His highest net worth is estimated to have been modest, primarily derived from his literary work and contributions to magazines.