Isabella Whitney
Encyclopedia
Isabella Whitney is the earliest identified woman to have published secular poetry in the English language. She has been called "the first professional woman poet in England."
, Cheshire
, England. She came from a reformist family which allowed the daughters as well as sons access to a certain degree of humanist
education. She had a brother, Geoffrey Whitney
, who wrote A Choice of Emblems in 1586. From what we can gather from A Sweet Nosgay Whitney also had a brother-in-law and three sisters, though their identities are not certain. Unlike many of the other women writers of the sixteenth century, Isabella Whitney did not come from a noble family. Rather, she was of the middle class and lived on meager finances. This can be seen in A Sweet Nosegay, where she states that she is "whole in body, and in mind, / but very weak in purse". Isabella left Cheshire at an early age to work in London as a servant. While there, she wrote multiple works demonstrating an acute awareness of public taste. This awareness, combined with a sharp satirical tone allowed her to become one of the first professional women writers in Europe
. She was also the first woman to write a collection of original poetry, and is thought to be the first professional female poet in England. According to most critics, Isabella Whitney’s works contained a certain degree of autobiographical material. This can be seen in two of her connected poems: A Communication Which the Author had to London before she Made Her Will and The Manner of Her Will, and What She Left to London and to All Those in it, of her Departing where the writer is not only lacking in finances, but also spends the majority her time amongst "the poor, the imprisoned, and the insane", otherwise known as the commonwealth of London. Her most innovative poems were her verse epistles, many of which were addressed to female relatives. She addressed her poem "Will and Testament" to the city of London, mocking it as a heartless friend, greedy and lacking charity. These works were written in ballad metre and contained both witty and animated descriptions of everyday life. Judging from these popular inclusions, it is likely that the reason for the publishing of her works was simply to supplement her scanty income. Isabella Whitney pioneered her field of women poets. She published her poetry in a time when it was not customary for a woman, especially one not of the aristocracy, to do so. In addition, her material contained controversial issues such as class-consciousness and political commentary as well as witty satire, and was made available to the upper and the middle class. Whitney’s two best known works are The copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge gentilwoman: to her vnconstant louer written in (1567?), and A sweet nosgay, or pleasant posye contayning a hundred and ten phylosophicall flowers written in 1578.
Biography
Isabella Whitney was born sometime in the late 1540s in Coole PilateCoole Pilate
Coole Pilate is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, which lies to the north of Audlem and to the south of Nantwich. The area is predominantly rural with scattered farms, and a total population of 60 people...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. She came from a reformist family which allowed the daughters as well as sons access to a certain degree of humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
education. She had a brother, Geoffrey Whitney
Geoffrey Whitney
Geoffrey Whitney was an English poet, now best known for the influence on Elizabethan writing of the Choice of Emblemes that he compiled.-Life:...
, who wrote A Choice of Emblems in 1586. From what we can gather from A Sweet Nosgay Whitney also had a brother-in-law and three sisters, though their identities are not certain. Unlike many of the other women writers of the sixteenth century, Isabella Whitney did not come from a noble family. Rather, she was of the middle class and lived on meager finances. This can be seen in A Sweet Nosegay, where she states that she is "whole in body, and in mind, / but very weak in purse". Isabella left Cheshire at an early age to work in London as a servant. While there, she wrote multiple works demonstrating an acute awareness of public taste. This awareness, combined with a sharp satirical tone allowed her to become one of the first professional women writers in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. She was also the first woman to write a collection of original poetry, and is thought to be the first professional female poet in England. According to most critics, Isabella Whitney’s works contained a certain degree of autobiographical material. This can be seen in two of her connected poems: A Communication Which the Author had to London before she Made Her Will and The Manner of Her Will, and What She Left to London and to All Those in it, of her Departing where the writer is not only lacking in finances, but also spends the majority her time amongst "the poor, the imprisoned, and the insane", otherwise known as the commonwealth of London. Her most innovative poems were her verse epistles, many of which were addressed to female relatives. She addressed her poem "Will and Testament" to the city of London, mocking it as a heartless friend, greedy and lacking charity. These works were written in ballad metre and contained both witty and animated descriptions of everyday life. Judging from these popular inclusions, it is likely that the reason for the publishing of her works was simply to supplement her scanty income. Isabella Whitney pioneered her field of women poets. She published her poetry in a time when it was not customary for a woman, especially one not of the aristocracy, to do so. In addition, her material contained controversial issues such as class-consciousness and political commentary as well as witty satire, and was made available to the upper and the middle class. Whitney’s two best known works are The copy of a letter, lately written in meeter, by a yonge gentilwoman: to her vnconstant louer written in (1567?), and A sweet nosgay, or pleasant posye contayning a hundred and ten phylosophicall flowers written in 1578.
Works
- The Copy of a Letter, Lately Written in Meter by a Young Gentlewoman: to her Unconstant Lover (1567)
- The Admonition by the Author to all Young Gentlewomen: And to all other Maids being in Love (1567)
- An Order Prescribed, by Is. W., to two of her Younger Sisters Serving in London (1567)
- A Sweet Nosegay or Pleasant Posy: Containing a Hundred and Ten Philosophical Flowers (1573)
- To her Sister Mistress A. B. (1573)
- Will and Testament (1573)
- The Lamentation of a Gentlewoman Upon the Death of her Late Deceased Friend William Gruffith Gentleman (1578)
External links
- Text of "A Sweet Nosegay or Pleasant Posy: Containing a Hundred and Ten Philosophical Flowers"
- Text of "To her Unconstant Lover"
- Text of "The Admonition by the Author to all Young Gentlewomen: And to all other Maids being in Love"
- Text of "An Order Prescribed, by Is. W., to two of her Younger Sisters Serving in London"
- Text of "To her Sister Mistress A. B."
- Text of "Will and Testament"
- Text of "The Lamentation of a Gentlewoman Upon the Death of her Late-Deceased Friend, William Gruffith, Gentleman"