The daughter of Count Franz von Dubsky, her mother died when Marie was an infant and she received her education from governesses and her step mothers. She became inspired by the theatre and began writing poetry, short stories and epics from Roman history. In 1847, some of her work was submitted to the Austrian dramatist Franz Grillparzer who praised her. In 1848, she married a cousin, Moritz Freiherr von Ebner-Eschenbach, an army captain, and later that year they moved to Klosterbruck. In 1858, she published a small book of poetry, From Franzenbad. They returned to Vienna in 1863 and she became good friends with the poet Betty Paoli. She was also encouraged to write by her husband. During her long career she produced a number of plays, most of which were unsuccessful. Today she is best remembered for her tales and short stories. Her works include Mary Stuart in Scotland (1860), The Violets (1863), The Princess of Banalia (1872), Tales (1875), Lotti, the Watchmaker (1880), Again the Same Old Stuff (1885), Krambambuli (1887), Beyond Atonement (1889), Aphorisms, Parables, Fairy-Tales and Poems (1892), The Baleful (1894) and Miss Susanna's Christmas Eve (1902). |
