author
Philip Morin Freneau
1752–1832
A sharp-tongued voice of the early republic, this writer earned the nickname “Poet of the American Revolution” for verse that mixed politics, satire, and a strong sense of the new nation. His work also drew on life at sea, giving his poems an energy and range that still feel distinctly American.
3 Audiobooks
The Poems of Philip Freneau, Poet of the American Revolution. Volume 1 (of 3)
by Philip Morin Freneau
The Poems of Philip Freneau, Poet of the American Revolution. Volume 3 (of 3)
by Philip Morin Freneau
The Poems of Philip Freneau, Poet of the American Revolution. Volume 2 (of 3)
by Philip Morin Freneau
About the author
Born in New York City in 1752 and raised in New Jersey, Philip Morin Freneau studied at the College of New Jersey, now Princeton, graduating in 1771. He became known as one of the first important poets of the United States, writing at a moment when the country was still being imagined and argued over.
During and after the Revolutionary era, he worked not only as a poet but also as a journalist, editor, and sea captain. His political poems and essays were often fierce and satirical, especially in their attacks on the British and later in his criticism of Federalist leaders through the National Gazette.
Freneau's writing ranged beyond politics. He also wrote about nature, travel, and everyday experience, helping shape an early American literary voice that was less dependent on European models. He died in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in 1832, and is still remembered as a lively, combative, and deeply influential figure in early American literature.