Mary Wroth
Lady Mary Wroth was an English poet and novelist, born on October 18, 1587, into a prominent literary family. She was the niece of Sir Philip Sidney, a significant figure in English literature known for his sonnet cycles, which greatly influenced Wroth’s own literary aspirations. Educated at home, Wroth displayed a talent for the arts early in life. In 1604, she married Sir Robert Wroth, but their relationship was unhappy and marked by Sir Robert's disinterest in literature. Following his death in 1614, Wroth faced financial difficulties and became estranged from court life, eventually moving to her cousin’s estate. Her most notable works include "Pamphilia to Amphilanthus," a sonnet sequence, and "The Countess of Montgomery's Urania," a lengthy prose romance published in 1621, which sparked controversy due to its portrayal of court figures. Wroth's writings have made a lasting impact, providing a foundation for future women writers, and her life remains a subject of interest for literary scholars today. She is believed to have died around 1651 or 1653.
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Mary Wroth
Writer
- Born: Probably October 18, 1587
- Birthplace: England
- Died: 1651 or 1653
Biography
Lady Mary Wroth is believed to have been born on October 18, 1587, in England. Her father was Sir Robert Sidney and her mother Lady Barbara Gamage. Her most famous relative was Sir Philip Sidney, who was largely responsible for introducing the sonnet cycle into English. Famous for long sequences such as Astrophel and Stella (1591) and Arcadia (1590), Philip Sidney was an important influence on his niece. Another important influence on Wroth’s literary aspirations was her association with her aunt Mary Sidney, the countess of Pembroke.
Wroth was educated at home by tutors, and early on displayed her talent for the arts; her tutor reported to her father, serving as governor of Flushing in the Netherlands, that she was a very fine student. In 1604, she married Sir Robert Wroth, who had been knighted by James I just the year before. The two were not happy together. Sir Robert had no interest in literature, preferring to spend his time hunting and drinking. Comments on Sir Robert’s churlishness can be found in many sources; most notably, the poet and dramatist Ben Jonson spoke disparagingly of him.
Nevertheless, Sir Robert’s association with the king brought Mary Wroth into court circles, where she became active in masques by Jonson and Inigo Jones. References to Wroth’s writing appear as early as 1613, although her work was not published before 1621. An autographed manuscript of her sonnet sequence Pamphilia to Amphilanthus, written in her own hand, survives.
In 1614, Sir Robert Wroth died, leaving his wife with crushing debt. When her husband died, Wroth became estranged from the court. After his death, Wroth moved to the estate of her first cousin, William Herbert, the third earl of Pembroke, with whom she had a long and intimate relationship beginning in childhood and extending through both of their marriages. Wroth bore two children by Pembroke.
In 1621, Wroth’s long work The Countess of Montgomeries Urania was published; Wroth dedicated the work to her closest friend, Susan Vere, the earl of Oxford’s sister and the wife of Sir Philip Herbert, earl of Montgomery. Because Wroth based many of the approximately three hundred characters in this long prose romance on acquaintances from court, the publication caused a scandal. There is some indication that Wroth never intended the work to be published, but that it was pirated and published with out her consent. She wrote a sequel, The Second Part of the Countesse of Montgomery’s Urania, although the work was not published.
The rest of Wroth’s life remains a mystery, although it is clear that creditors hounded her. Nothing survives of her literary output for the last part of her life. Records suggest that she died in either 1651 or 1653.
Lady Mary Wroth’s literary achievements as well as her presence among some of the greatest literary minds of the seventeenth century have earned her an important place in literary history. Her work provided a model for many women writers, and continues to interest scholars to the present day.