Edgar Lee Masters

Biography

Edgar Lee Masters (1868–1950) was an American attorney, poet, and biographer best known for Spoon River Anthology (1915), one of the most original and influential works of American poetry. Masters practiced law in Chicago for decades before his literary breakthrough. Spoon River Anthology consists of free-verse epitaphs spoken by the dead inhabitants of a fictional small Illinois town, each revealing the secret truths of their lives. The work caused a sensation for its frank depiction of small-town hypocrisy, frustrated ambition, and hidden passion. Despite writing prolifically afterward, Masters never equaled the power and originality of Spoon River.