Jane Anger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Anger
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| Language | English |
| Nationality | British |
| Period | 16th century |
| Subject | Feminism |
| Notable works | Jane Anger Her Protection For Women |
 Literature portal |
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Jane Anger was an English writer who lived in the 1500s. She was the first woman to publish a full book defending women in English. Her book, called Jane Anger Her Protection For Women, came out in 1589.
During the late 1500s, it was very unusual for women to write and publish books that were not about religion. It was also rare for women to argue against the idea that men were better than women.
Contents
Who Was Jane Anger?
We don't know much about Jane Anger's life. She is mainly known as the person who wrote the book Jane Anger Protection for Women in 1589.
There were a few people named Jane Anger living in England at that time. But no one has been able to say for sure which one was the writer. Some people have even wondered if "Jane Anger" was a pen name used by a male writer.
However, other clues suggest that Jane Anger was a real woman. Her writing style was very new and broke away from how men usually wrote.
Her Important Work
Jane Anger's book strongly defended women. It also made important points about women being able to write and publish. Her book brought a new and strong female voice to English writing, especially showing female anger.
She created a new way of writing for women. It was different from the writing styles men used. Some experts today say that Anger purposely used ideas from her opponents to create a direct female point of view. This went beyond the usual arguments about women.
Jane Anger was the first major female writer in English who argued strongly for a cause. Her work helped start feminist ideas. In the Middle Ages, arguing for or against women was a popular topic in schools.
Why She Wrote Her Book
Jane Anger's book, Her Protection of Women, was a reply to a book written by a man named Thomas Orwin. His book was called Book His Surfeit in Love. Anger's arguments used many of the same ideas and examples found in Orwin's book.
She showed how Orwin's "objective" or "natural" ideas were actually just one-sided male views. Anger's book passionately defended women and attacked the male writer's complaints. He had said he was "surfeit," meaning "sick from too much pleasure from women."
By defending her right to join the debate, she reminded readers that women were not usually confident enough to share their own thoughts or "masculine" feelings.
Her Writing Style
Her book starts by criticizing how men wrote. She pointed out that men cared too much about how they said things, rather than what they actually said. She quickly showed a problem: male writers often praised women as their inspiration, but then put women down.
She also talked about the myth that men's ideas came from a special place. She wrote, "If they may one encroach so far into our presence as they may but see the lining of our outermost garment, they straight think that Apollo honours them." This means men thought they were special just by seeing a woman.
Jane Anger described her own writing as something her "choleric vein hath rashly set down." This means her angry mood made her write it quickly. She even said, "it was ANGER that did write it."
The first part of her book is for gentlewomen. In it, she apologizes for her direct and angry way of speaking as a woman. In the second part, she criticizes men's "railing" or angry complaints: Fie on the falshoode of men, whose minds goe off a madding, & whose tongues can not so soone be wagging, but straight they fal a railing...shall not Anger stretch the vaines of her braines, the stringes of her fingers, and the listes of her modestie, to answere theire Surfeitings: Yes truly.
Then, she used the same funny style as the male writer she was arguing against. This made her readers laugh at her, but also at him. This also showed how women who spoke out were often seen as bossy.
She used a female way of speaking that was both confusing and clever. It sounded like academic arguments:
Give me leave like a scoller to prove our wisdom more excellent then theirs, hough I never knew what sophistry ment. There is no wisdom but it comes by grace, this is a principles & Contra principium non est disputandum: but grace was first given to a woman, because to our lady: which premises conclude that women are wise. Now Primus est optimum, & therefore, women are wiser then men. That we are more witty which comes by nature, it connot better be proved, then that by our answers, men are often driven to Non plus.
Jane Anger often pointed out that men kept misunderstanding women. This was because male writers thought women could not enter the world of published books to challenge them. She wrote, "their slanderous tongues are so short, that the time wherein they have lavished out their words freely hath been so long, and they know we cannot catch hold of them to pull them out, and they think we will not write to reprove their lying lips."
At the end of her book, Anger blamed the male writer for his views. But she also admitted she enjoyed using his style. Anger's work included many ideas that put women down. These ideas were common in popular stories of her time.
Experts disagree on whether she should be called a "feminist" or "prowoman." But her work definitely opened new doors for women writers in the 1500s.
A Sample from Her Book
Here is a small part from Jane Anger's Her Protection for Women:
Fie on the falsehood of men, whose minds go oft a –madding and whose tongues cannot so soon be wagging but straight they fall a-railing. Was there ever any so abused, so slandered, so railed upon, or so wickedly handled undeservedly, as are we women? Will the gods permit it, the goddesses stay their punishing judgements, and we ourselves not pursue their undoings for such devilish practices? O Paul's steeple and Charing Cross!
Women Writers in History
In the early modern period (around the 1500s), there were not many formal schools for girls. But this did not stop some women from learning to read and write. Girls often learned informally in different places and ways.
Early women writers used three main handwriting styles: italic, secretary, and a mix of both. Writing was also connected to reading books. Many books were expensive, so some women copied them by hand. They also wrote their own notes in the margins of books.
Throughout this time, many women chose to write and share their work by hand. This included diaries, travel journals, recipe books, religious writings, and collections of different writings. These collections often included women's own writing and their responses to other texts.
Writing at Home
Some early studies of women's writing suggest that women often started writing at home. In the early modern period, homes were seen as places for work and business. Homes also had special areas that helped shape women's writing. Other places like royal courts, churches, and law courts also influenced what women wrote.
Most of the learning spaces for girls were found within the home. This helped women write about cooking, carving, and needlework. Many women writers openly supported the social structures of their time, including ideas about gender and social class.
Gender issues were a main reason for women to write. They also wrote about politics, religion, social class, and everyday matters. Like Jane Anger, many women wrote to defend themselves and their good names. They did this through legal documents and different kinds of personal writings.
Women wrote for many reasons. Some wrote for themselves, some for their family members, and some for religious reasons. Even though formal education was not available for many early modern women, they found many ways to write and share their work.
Images for kids
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Cover of 'Protection for Women' by Jane Anger in a modern English translation, published 2019.
