Long before modern feminist movements asserted female agency in print, early modern women writers fought an uphill battle simply to claim ownership of their creative voices. 17th- and 18th-Century Poems by Women, compiled under the academic direction of coordinator Tonya Howe, gathers pivotal verse from early modern trailblazers including Anne Bradstreet, Margaret Cavendish, Aphra Behn, Anne Killigrew, and Anna Letitia Barbauld. This poetry collection explores artistic legitimacy, gendered double standards, bodily autonomy, and intellectual independence. It is an ideal resource for students, literary historians, and lovers of classic poetry, though readers seeking contemporary verse styles or unified prose narratives may prefer a different selection.
| Metadata Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | 17th- and 18th-Century Poems by Women |
| Compiling Coordinator | Tonya Howe |
| Featured Poets | Anne Bradstreet, Margaret Cavendish, Aphra Behn, Anne Killigrew, Anna Letitia Barbauld |
| Era / Context | 17th & 18th Century (Puritan, Restoration, and Enlightenment periods) |
| Genre | Poetry Anthology / Feminist Literary History / Early Modern Verse |
| Core Themes | Female self-authorship, societal critique, romantic autonomy, gender politics |
| Target Audience | Literary scholars, university students, classic poetry readers, feminist historians |
Plot Overview & Premise
This curated selection presents a vivid chronicle of early modern female expression, bridging the transatlantic distance between Puritan New England and Restoration-era England. The collection opens with Anne Bradstreet’s foundational works, “The Prologue” and “The Author to Her Book.” Bradstreet balances traditional modesty with sharp ironies, defending a woman’s right to write while candidly reflecting on the anxieties of seeing her unrefined poems thrust into the public sphere.
Moving into the Restoration era, Margaret Cavendish’s “The Poetess’s Hasty Resolution” addresses the frantic, compulsion-driven nature of artistic creation despite inevitable public judgment. Aphra Behn—one of England’s first professional female writers—introduces bolder, highly provocative themes. In “To the Fair Clarinda,” Behn playfully blurs gender boundaries, while “The Disappointment” flips traditional pastoral poetry by addressing male vulnerability and female desire with sharp satirical wit.
The collection continues with Anne Killigrew’s formal verse “To My Lord Colrane,” demonstrating how women navigated courtly panegyric and intellectual exchanges. It culminates in Anna Letitia Barbauld’s Enlightenment-era piece “The Rights of Woman,” a complex examination of emotional power, social expectations, and political agency at the turn of the eighteenth century.
Key Themes & Literary Analysis
The Defense of Female Authorship
Across these poems, a primary battleground is the right to write and publish. Anne Bradstreet uses subtle irony to mock critics who insist a needle fits a woman’s hand better than a pen, while Margaret Cavendish captures the psychological compulsion to write despite societal hostility. These works document women actively asserting their place in literary history.
Subversion of Poetic Conventions
Aphra Behn repeatedly subverts the male gaze and classical pastoral tropes. Rather than portraying female figures purely as passive objects of desire, Behn grants her speakers sexual awareness, emotional complexity, and a capacity for gender-bending subversion that challenged the moral conventions of her period.
Political Consciousness and Social Critique
By the late eighteenth century, female poets were engaging directly with political theory and civic rights. Anna Letitia Barbauld’s “The Rights of Woman” responds directly to contemporary revolutionary debates, offering a nuanced reflection on gendered authority and the boundaries of sentimental influence.
Who Should Read This?
This collection serves as an indispensable entry point for anyone researching the origins of women’s literature and early modern poetic form.
Pros:
- Features essential works from seminal early modern female authors.
- Offers a clear historical progression from early colonial verse to Enlightenment poetry.
- Directly addresses themes of authorship, gender dynamics, and creative agency.
Cons:
- Requires comfort with 17th- and 18th-century poetic meter and archaic vocabulary.
- Focuses on a targeted selection of poems rather than providing an exhaustive history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which poets are featured in this collection?
The anthology highlights works by Anne Bradstreet, Margaret Cavendish, Aphra Behn, Anne Killigrew, and Anna Letitia Barbauld.
What is the main thematic focus of these poems?
The selection primarily explores how female writers during the 17th and 18th centuries claimed authority over their work, critiqued gender roles, and expressed intellectual and romantic autonomy.
Is this text suitable for university coursework?
Yes, this selection is a well-structured primary resource for academic modules focusing on British and American literary history, early modern poetry, and women’s studies.