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Aphra Behn

Type Figure Region England Time 1640–1689 Also known as Aphra Behn (Chinese transliteration)、Aphra Johnson

Aphra Behn was a Restoration-era English playwright, poet and novelist, widely regarded as the first woman in the English-speaking world to earn her …

Timeline

  1. 1640–1664Kent · KentBelieved born in Kent, she travelled with her family to Suriname and elsewhere; a brief marriage gave her the title 'Mrs Behn', paving the way for her later independent livelihood and writing career.
  2. 1666–1667The Hague · South HollandEmployed by Charles II to gather Dutch intelligence during the Second Anglo-Dutch War, active in The Hague and elsewhere, she later fell into debt through funding and mission setbacks and was forced to return to England.
  3. 1670–1689London · LondonMaking her living by writing, she staged several comedies at Drury Lane and other theatres; The Rover was a great success in 1677; in 1688 she published the novel Oroonoko, exploring slavery and humanity through the tragic fate of an African prince, establishing her place in literary history.

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