Aphra Behn

Legacy: the Artists Behind the Legends

Aphra Behn was an English playwright, translator, poet, and fiction writer active during the Restoration Era in 17th the Century. She is perhaps best known for being one of the first British female writers to earn her living from her literary works, and during her life she was one of the most frequently performed playwright in England. Her novel, Oroonoko, was inspired by Behn’s own experiences in Suriname during her youth, and in addition to being considered one of the earliest novels in the English language, it was also one of the first to address controversial issues such as racism, colonialism, sex, class, and gender. If that’s not enough of an introduction, like Christopher Marlowe in Episode 2, Behn served as a spy for the crown throughout the Second Anglo-Dutch War, reporting back to King Charles II with information in…no joke…invisible ink. By far one of the coolest writers of the past, let’s dive into the life of Aphra Behn, a pioneer for the rise of the female voice, whose wit, charm, and talent turned her into a literary hero.