Aphra Behn is buried in the East Cloister of
Westminster Abbey, London, England.
Gravestone of Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn is now famous for being the first woman to earn her
living from writing. She was a poet, playwright and novelist.
In her early twenties she visited Surinam and on her return she
married a merchant scaller Behn who died two year later. She later worked as a spy
for Charles II during the Dutch War.
Her most famous poem was a coronation ode to Charles II. The hero of her best known play, The
Rover, was said to have been based on John Wilmot
(Earl of Rochester).
Her novel Oroonoko - the story of an enslaved African
Prince - was one of the first anti-slavery works in the English Language.
She was also a friend of John Dryden.
She attracted notoriety due to her unconventional opinions and
the erotic nature of some of her work.
| From me he took his sighs
and tears, |
| From thee
his pride and cruelty; |
| From me his languishments
and fears, |
| And every
killing dart from thee. |
| Thus thou and I the god
have armed |
| And set him
up a deity; |
| But my poor heart alone
is harmed, |
| Whilst thine
the victor is, and free! |
|
From Song |
|
