Aphra Behn

(1640-89)

BACKGROUND

• “Ay-fra Bean”
• 1st English woman to earn a living through writing (1st professional woman writer)
• Married London merchant of Dutch descent
   

BACKGROUND

• Served as a spy in the Dutch Wars, 1665-67 (after his death)
• Novels
  • Oroonoko
    • (royal slave, one of 1st English works to question slavery)
• Plays, Poetry

POETRY

• “Song: Love Armed”
  • (1676)
• CHARACTERS:
  • Love = Cupid, the god of love
  • Persona = man
  • Addressee = woman
• POETIC CONVENTIONS:
  • Unrequited love of the man
    • toward a disdainful woman
  • Unrequited love is painful
    • Yet pleasurable
• STRUCTURE:
  • 2 4-line stanzas
  • Rhyme scheme = ABAB
  • Refrain
    • “from me”
    • “from thee”
    • (variations on)
  • What’s “Taken” (to arm Love)?
    • From man (persona):
      • desire from his eyes
      • sighs & tears
      • languishments & fears
    • From woman:
      • fire from her eyes
      • pride & cruelty
      • killing dart

POETRY

• THEMES:
  • Love & war connection
    • Battle of the sexes
    • All’s fair in love & war
    • Cupid w/bow & arrow
  • Why do we enjoy suffering? Listening to others suffer?
    • The Blues
    • Sad songs, break-up songs
    • Why do we name hurricanes?
      • To impose form onto suffering = To master or control suffering, the unknown, uncontrollable
• QUESTIONS:
  • What is its theme concerning “love” or relationships?
  •  Is this a man’s poem – to be enjoyed more by male readers than female readers?
  • Is it sexist in its portrayal of women?
  • The persona = man, written by a woman – Does that make a difference?