Jane Barker facts for kids
Jane Barker (1652–1732) was a popular English writer and poet. She was a strong supporter of King James II. When King James II left England in 1688 during the Glorious Revolution, Jane went into exile.
Her novels, such as The Amours of Bosvil and Galesia (1713) and Exilius (1715), were written after she came back to London in 1704. Before and during her exile, she wrote poems. These poems, like "Poetical Recreations" (1688), talked about the importance of education for girls and why women might choose to stay single. She also wrote political poems, "A Collection of Poems Referring to the Times" (1701), showing her worries about England's future.
Jane Barker was one of the first female authors to publish her writings both as handwritten copies (manuscripts) and in printed books. This allows today's experts to study how her poetry reached different groups of readers. Jane Barker never married and passed away in 1732.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jane Barker was born in May 1652 in Blatherwick, Northamptonshire, England. Her parents were Thomas Barker and Anne Connock. Her mother's family might have been Catholic, which could explain Jane's later Catholic faith.
Her family supported the King. When William of Orange came to England, threatening to overthrow the Catholic King James II, Jane went into exile with the King. When Jane was 10, her father leased a property in Wilsthorpe, Lincolnshire. After her father died in 1681, this property was left to Jane and her mother. Jane moved there when she returned from exile in 1704.
As a young woman, Jane Barker learned Latin, anatomy (the study of the body), and herbal medicine. Her brother, Edward, taught her these subjects. He studied at St. John's College, Oxford and Christ Church, Oxford. Jane's knowledge of medicine is shown in an advertisement for "Dr. Barker's Famous Gout Plaister." It also appears in her poems about anatomy in "Poetical Recreations." Jane was very grateful to her brother for her education. She was sad when he died in 1675, soon after finishing his studies.
Political Beliefs and Exile
Jane Barker was baptized in the Church of England on May 17, 1652. However, she became a Catholic during the reign of King James II (1685-1688). After James II was defeated by the Prince of Orange (William III) in the Glorious Revolution, London became unsafe for Catholics. This led Barker to follow King James II into exile in France.
Jane Barker was a royalist and believed in Jacobitism, which meant she supported King James II. She was one of about 40,000 people who followed him to France. She was also one of the few who lived at Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1689. King James II held his court at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. This castle was lent to the Stuart family by King Louis XIV from 1689 to 1704.
Jane Barker's support for King James II is also seen in a letter she wrote. This letter was sent to James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, who was planning an invasion from France to help King James II. The letter, dated March 19, 1718, hinted that his supporters in England were waiting for him. However, the British Secret Office, which worked against the Jacobites, stopped the letter that same year. Since the government did not know Barker's name or handwriting, it is thought she was used to write the letter for someone else. This was a way to protect plotters whose identities were already known.
Jane Barker's Important Books
- Poetical Recreations (1688)
- A Collection of Poems Referring to the Times (1701)
- Love Intrigues; or The Amours of Bosvil and Galesia (1713)
- Exilius; or The Banish'd Roman (1715)
- The Christian Pilgrimage (1718)
- A Patch-Work Screen for the Ladies (1723)
- The Lining of the Patch-Work Screen for the Ladies (1726)
Her Poetry
Poetical Recreations
Poetical Recreations was first published in 1688. It has two parts. The first part contains Barker's own poems written to her friends. The second part has poems written by her friends to her. These friends were described as "several Gentlemen of the Universities, and Others," meaning they were from Cambridge or Oxford University.
The book was first printed without Barker's permission by Benjamin Crayle. The title page proudly stated that the poems were "Occasionally written by Mrs. Jane Barker." Benjamin Crayle also wrote twelve poems in the second part and admired Barker's writing. A note in what is now called the Magdalen Manuscript suggests that the publisher did not have Barker's permission. It says "now corrected by her own hand." This means the first collection was not meant for the public yet. Experts like Kathryn King believe that Barker's works are like a diary, telling about her own life.
A Collection of Poems Referring to the Times
Jane Barker wrote A Collection of Poems Referring to the Times at the end of her time in Saint-Germaine-en-Laye. This collection is very political and supports the Stuart family. The main character in the poems, Fidelia, is thought to be based on Barker herself. Fidelia is shown as a loyal supporter of the Stuarts and a Catholic convert. This reflects Barker's own political and religious beliefs. When Jane Barker returned to England, she gave a copy of this collection to the son of King James II for his birthday. A handwritten copy of the collection is believed to be kept in the British Library.
Her Novels
Love Intrigues or The Amours of Bosvil and Galesia
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Love Intrigues was first printed in 1713 and then updated and reprinted in 1719. It was the first book in a series known as the Galesia Trilogy. Some people think the character Bosvil was based on a man Barker knew well. Expert Kathryn King suggests that the first edition in 1713 was not meant for publishing. This is because many changes were made before it was reprinted with a new title in 1719. Love Intrigues was Barker's first novel published by Edmund Curll, though probably without her permission. Curll also published some of her later works. It is thought that Curll added the word "Amours" to the title to make it more popular and sell better.
Exilius or The Banish'd Roman
Exilius was published right after the death of Queen Anne in 1714. This book can be seen as a story supporting the Stuart family during the time when there was a question about who would be the next ruler after Queen Anne died. Some believe that Curll rushed the book's release to make money during this political uncertainty.
This novel expresses Jacobite feelings through themes of romance, love, and heroism. It was mainly written for female readers. The male characters in the story are simple types, but the female characters are shown as good and follow strict moral rules. Jonathan Grieder says the book's structure is not very strong. However, because it appealed to women in the early 1700s, it can teach us about what interested women at that time.
The Christian Pilgrimage
In 1718, Barker published her translation of a French Catholic book called The Christian Pilgrimage. It was originally written by François Fénelon, an archbishop (a high-ranking church leader) from Cambrai. Barker translated this book because the government was being very harsh on the Catholic community in England in early 1716. This book aimed to help Protestants understand Catholicism better. It hoped to stop further unfair actions against Catholics. Barker's translation used words familiar to the Church of England. She removed some Catholic parts from the original book so that Protestant readers would not be put off.
A Patch-Work Screen for the Ladies and The Lining of the Patch Work Screen
A Patch-Work Screen for the Ladies was published in 1723. It was loosely based on another book called Lettres Portugaises from 1669. The Lining of the Patch-Work Screen was written in 1726. These two works combine different types of writing, like romance stories, poems, hymns, recipes, and philosophical thoughts. They create a unique mix of genres. Barker used the idea of a "patch-work screen" to discuss important topics. These included politics, how men and women were expected to behave, and money matters in her society. In A Patch-Work Screen for the Ladies, Barker included details about her own life. She also included updated poems from Poetical Recreations, such as "Anatomy," which shows her skill in medicine.
Women's Roles in Society
Jane Barker used the education she got from her brother to become an author. She wrote for groups of mostly male writers in the late 1600s. Barker worked to change how people viewed women who chose not to marry. She wanted it to be an accepted choice. Barker never married and enjoyed her freedom from men in her personal life. She was part of a tradition of strong, independent women.
There is evidence that Barker used Katherine Philips' character Orinda as a model for her own character, Fidelia. Barker became a published female author whose printed works were mainly for women. Her dedications, "to the ladies," also suggest she was writing for well-off female readers. However, this dedication might have been added by Edmund Curll for marketing reasons.
Her Lasting Impact
Jane Barker was the first woman to truly establish herself as an author using both handwritten copies (manuscripts) and printed books. By publishing in both ways, her work reached both a wide audience and smaller, more private groups. Because she was interested in both manuscripts and print, Barker connected old ways of sharing works with the newer market. She relied on money from her later publications, which gave her more freedom than other female authors of her time. Expert Kathryn R. King describes Jane Barker as an author who wrote about her own life. Barker's works show a strong focus on women's issues. They offer readers information about single womanhood, female education, and politics.
