Aphra Behn was a renaissance era 17th century English poet, novelist and playwright. Behn broke every cultural norm prevalent in society to be recognized as a literary role model for aspiring female authors in the years to come. She was the first female to make a living out of writing in a time when the number of active professional writers was negligible. There is an inadequacy of information on her personal life due to intentional obscurity. With the onset of the Exclusion Crisis under Charles II regime, she went on to write an epilogue and prologue. Thereafter, she concentrated largely on prose writing and translation. According to modern critics, her work in plays such as Oroonoko, Abdelazer, The Rover and The Feigned Courtesans paved the path of development of English novels. Behn will always be remembered as a prolific fiction and play writer whose work attracted controversies and scandals due frequent references of homoerotic and sexual themes. Aphra’s thoughts and saying emphasized on love, life, humanity, compassion, pleasures, sexuality and feminism. Delve into these quotes from this bold writer.
All I ask, is the privilege for my masculine part the poet in me.... If I must not, because of my sex, have this freedom... I lay down my quill and you shall hear no more of me.
I think a Play the best divertisement that wise men have: but I do also think them nothing so who do discourse so formallie about the rules of it, as if 'twere the grand affair of humane life.
Of all that writ, he was the wisest bard, who spoke this mighty truth- He that knew all that ever learning writ, Knew only this-that he knew nothing yet.
Aphra Behn
Oh, what a dear ravishing thing is the beginning of an Amour!
Who is't that to woman's beauty would submit,
And yet refuse the fetters of their wit?
Aphra Behn
Money speaks sense in a language all nations understand.
Aphra Behn
Variety is the soul of pleasure.
Aphra Behn
Come away; poverty's catching.
Aphra Behn
A poet is a painter in his way, he draws to the life, but in another kind; we draw the nobler part, the soul and the mind; the pictures of the pen shall outlast those of the pencil, and even worlds themselves.
As love is the most noble and divine passion of the soul, so is it that to which we may justly attribute all the real satisfactions of life, and without it, man is unfinished, and unhappy.
Fantastic fortune thou deceitful light,
That cheats the weary traveler by night,
Though on a precipice each step you tread,
I am resolved to follow where you lead.
