Zelda Fitzgerald

Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, born July 24, 1900 in Montgomery, Alabama. Her wild behavior made her the center of gossip in Montgomery. After her high school graduation, she met F. Scott Fitzgerald at a dance. While he was immediately infatuated, she continued with her escapades with other men. After extensive fighting and a long breakup, she married F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1920.

During the beginning of their marriage, the Fitzgeralds lived in New York, famed literary celebrities. In the late 1920's, they moved to Europe. During their stay in Europe, they mixed with famous literary names such as Ernest Hemingway. They also began having increasingly troublesome problems in their marriage.

Zelda began her literary career at the age of 27, first publishing articles for magazines and writing short stories. Her marriage took a toll on her mental health, and she was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1930. She wrote a semi-autobiographical novel, Save Me the Waltz, while in a mental institution in Maryland.

Zelda died in a fire in 1948. She had started a second novel, but sadly, it was never finished. Aside from Save Me the Waltz, her other novels included Bits of Paradise,Scandalabra, and Zelda Fitzgerald: The Collected Writings. Aside from that, she has many stories and articles, many of which are published only in her husband's name. Some include both Fitzgeralds' names in the byline.

Zelda's work became extremely popular post-humously, since by then, both she and F. Scott passed away.

Zelda made her mark as the "first female flapper" (as proclaimed by her husband). Flappers were a source of controversy in the early 1900's, and most people saw the women in an extremely negative light. Flappers started the movement that led to women being comfortable with their sexuality, and comfortable with showing their bodies. In those days, both of these were unacceptable. Her legacy is still apparent today with women's rights and liberation from outdated social norms.