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She wrote most of her work in her room at the Hotel Kreuzer (Nathan 1). After
battling through difficult times, Beauchamp made many changes in her life.
Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp began using the name Katherine Mansfield
exclusively starting in 1910 (Nathan 1). Steven Swift, a fairly well known
publisher at the time, published the first copies of Mansfield's In a German
Pension (Baugh 287). It was originally advertised as a six-schilling novel
(Baugh 287). Only a short time after the initial publication, Swift added the
work onto his list of Books that Compel (Sampson 308). During this time,
Katherine Mansfield made an acquaintance with an important person. J. Middleton
Murry was the editor of Rhyme magazine. Katherine met Murry for the first time
when he was twenty-two while working in the same town (Nathan 1). J. Middleton
Murry and Katherine Mansfield became closer and their personal relationship
grew. Eventually, Murry moved in with Katherine at her London apartment and they
soon became lovers. John Middleton Murry and Katherine Beauchamp Mansfield were
married on May 3, 1918. This move was made in an act of convenience as well as
love, considering Murry was an editor of a magazine that also published short
stories. After her marriage to Murry in May of 1918, Katherine went right back
to work. In August of the same year, she published the short story Bliss in the
English Review (Nathan 1). In early 1918, Mansfield was formally introduced to
Virginia Woolf for the first time. This introduction began a great chapter of
women's English literature. Although their personal friendship was close, Wolf
and Mansfield were immense literary rivals. Differences between the two included
background, taste, and mode of living. By being the friend of Virginia Woolf,
Katherine Mansfield aided her own success in her work. Katherine revised a work
titled The Aloe and was able to get it published by Virginia and Leonard Woolf's
publishing company, Hogarth Press (Mitchell 1). Several hardships fell on
Mansfield in the years following her marriage to Murry. Katherine's brother
Lesley was a soldier in World War I. On October 7, 1915, he was tragically
killed in action (Nathan 1). Katherine went into mourning for some time. Even
after the death of her brother, her life and emotions were greatly effected
(Sampson 308). Katherine's brother had two nicknames Katherine often called him:
Bogey and Johnny. After his death, she began to call Murry Bogey. She used this
name in letters and journal entries as well (Nathan 1). Near the time of her
latest publication Bliss, tragedy struck Mansfield. Her mother, Annie Dyer
Beauchamp, passed away. Combined with the earlier loss of her brother, she
became grief stricken. The deaths of these two family members became great
inspiration for her work. For example, after Katherine's mother's passing,
Mansfield used many characteristics of her mother as traits for her characters.
Sickness hit Mansfield during this time as well. Nearing the end of 1918,
Katherine began to feel weak and sickly (Sampson 308).
Mansfield continued with
her literary work, even though she was pestered with a constant cough. In 1919,
Murry received the editing job at a new journal named Athenaeum (Nathan 1). He
appointed Katherine as the novel reviewer for the journal (Disc. Authors 1).
While working through her illness, Mansfield began to cough consistently and
harshly. After a time, blood began to appear with her cough. As soon as these
symptoms began, Katherine immediately went to see a doctor in London. The doctor
diagnosed Mansfield with tuberculosis (Baugh 287). This new discovery did not
stop Mansfield from continuing her work.
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