APHRA BEHN

(1640-1689)

BIO

• “Ay-fra Bean”

• 1st English woman to earn a living through writing

  • (1st professional woman writer)

• Married London merchant of Dutch descent

• 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

"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

"Song: Love Armed"

• 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

• 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