Aphra Behn, born around 1640 and dead on 16 April 1689, occupies a singular position in English literary history: she was a successful Restoration playwright, a daring poet, an innovator in prose fiction, a political writer, and, most importantly for later generations, a woman who openly made writing her profession. Her precise origins remain uncertain, a fact that has invited both scholarly caution and romantic spec…
“I shall omit, for brevity, the many adventures that befell him in his youth.”
Neighbourhood:
LGBTQ+ Poets, Love Poets, Political Poets, Restoration Poets, Women Poets
Emotional landscape: Longing, Tenderness, Sensuality
In the twilight years of the English Renaissance, as the golden age of the madrigal began to fade and the court of King James I embraced new continental fashions, a composer emerged whose delicate art would capture the essence of a transforming musical landscape. John Attey, though his name may not resonate with the same authority as his contemporaries John Dowland or Thomas Campion, created a body of work that stand…
Neighbourhood:
Lute-Song Composers, Renaissance Poets
Emotional landscape: Tenderness, Spirituality, Joy