Key, Ellen, 1849-1926

Ellen Key (1849–1926) was a Swedish writer, thinker, and advocate for children's education; six of her works are held in this collection. Her writing centers on child development, family upbringing, women's morality, and relations between the sexes. Representative works include The Century of the Child, The Education of the Child, The Morality of Woman, and Other Essays, and Love and Marriage, along with Skönhet för alla: Fyra uppsatser and De moedige vrouw. The Century of the Child is the best known; the child-centered orientation announced in its title has become the hallmark of her thought. Her texts are mostly argumentative essays, earnest in tone and often polemical, combining criticism of social custom with concern for individual growth. Public information on the details of her life is limited, yet her works have long been discussed and have left their mark on public discourse about children's education and women's issues.