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Aphra Behn (July 10, 1640 – April 16, 1689) was a prolific dramatist of the Restoration, and considered to be one of the first English professional woman writers. Her writing participated in the amatory fiction genre of British literature.
Early life
The personal history of Aphra Behn, the first Englishwoman to earn her livelihood by authorship, is unusually interesting but very difficult to unravel and relate. Information regarding her, especially her early life, is scanty, but she was almost certainly born in Wye, near Canterbury, on July 10, 1640 to Bartholomew Johnson, a barber, and Elizabeth Denham. Aphra's parents were married in 1638 and Aphra, or Eaffry, was baptized on December 14, 1640. Elizabeth Denham was employed as a nurse to the wealthy Culpepper family, who lived locally, which means that it is likely that Aphra grew up with and spent time with the family's children. The younger child, Thomas Culpepper, later described Aphra as his foster sister.
In 1663 Aphra visited an English sugar colony on the Suriname River, on the coast east of Venezuela (a region later known as Suriname). During this trip Aphra is supposed to have met an African slave leader, whose story formed the basis for one of her most famous works, Oroonoko. The veracity of her journey to Suriname has often been called into question; however, enough evidence has been found that most Behn scholars today believe that the trip did indeed take place.
More on [ Aphra Behn ]
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote >~ want 2 live 4 ever marry
terrysimpson (Terry SImpson) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:38:18 -0000
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote >~ want 2 live 4 ever marry
RT @mariapee: RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
DWO34 (David Ohara) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:30:22 -0000
RT @mariapee: RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
mariapee (Maria Prosia) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:27:30 -0000
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
jantallent (Jan Tallent) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:24:26 -0000
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote (via @LoriMoreno)
sfrizwan (Rizwan.S.F) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:19:26 -0000
Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote (via @LoriMoreno)
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
rocketman528 (Jeff Wallace) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 04:16:26 -0000
RT @LoriMoreno: Each moment of a happy lovers hour is worth an age of dull and common life. ~Aphra Behn #quote
Aphra Behn (1640 - 1689) - Biography of the first professional female playwright, plus links to all of her works currently in print.
Meta Description: [ Biography of Aphra Behn, the first professional female playwright, plus links to all of her works currently in print ]
Aphra Behn Society - Dedicated to encouraging and advancing research that focuses on issues of gender and/or women's role in the arts circa 1660-1800.
Poetry of Aphra Behn - Brief biographical information, the texts of two poems, and links to further resources.
What Is Triumph in Love? - School paper about the life and work of the 17th century English writer.
Meta Description: [ Eli Siegel said of Aphra Behn: There can be a going towards men, and a way one feels they are also not worthy of one. ]
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