Jane Anger

12 Jane Anger

To all Women in general, and gentle Reader whatsoever.

FIE on the falsehood of men, whose minds go oft a madding, & whose tongues can not 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? . . But judge what the cause should be, of this there so great malice towards simple women. Doubtless the weakness of our wits, and our honest bashfulness, by reason whereof they suppose that there is not one amongst us who can, or dare reprove their slanders and false reproaches: their slanderous tongues are so short, and the time wherein they have lavished out their words freely, hath been so long, that they know we cannot catch hold of them to pull them out, and they think we will not write to reprove their lying lips.

Like many of the works written by early women authors, Jane Anger’s (1560? – 1600?) pamphlet Her Protection for Women, To defend them against the scandalous reports of a late Surfeiting Lover, and all other like Venerians that complain so to be overcloyed with women’s kindness, 1589, was addressed explicitly to an audience of other women. It was probably the first book-length defence of women’s place in society to be published in English but nothing is known about its author; Jane Anger may not even have been her

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real name. The pamphlet seems to have been written in response to some other pamphlet concerning a ‘Surfeiting Lover’ but no appropriate candidate for that pamphlet is extant. However, earlier, in 1558 – the year Elizabeth I ascended to the throne, after five years of ‘Bloody’ Mary Tudor and nine days of Lady Jane Grey – the Scots preacher John Knox had published The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women, railing against rule by women; Anger’s book is a fitting, if belated counterblast to that work, which opens.

THE DECLAMATION. The Proposition. To promote a Woman to bear rule, superiority, dominion or empire above any realm, nation or city is

A. Repugnant to nature. B. Contumely to GOD. C. The subversion of good order, of all equity and justice. A. Men illuminated only by the light of nature have seen and determined that it is a thing most repugnant to nature, that Women rule and govern over men. B. 1. Woman in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man, not to rule and command him. 2. After the fall, she was made subject to man by the irrevocable sentence of GOD. In which sentence there are two parts. (a) A dolour, anguish and pain as oft as ever she shall be a mother. (b) A subjection of her self, her appetites and will to her husband and his will.

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The appropriately-named Anger’s pamphlet was the first sustained blast of women in return and is very angry indeed. She wonders rhetorically what is the cause of ‘so great malice towards simple women’ among men.

Doubtless the weakness of our wits, and our honest bashfulness, by reason whereof they suppose that there is not one amongst us who can, or dare reprove their slanders and false reproaches: their slanderous tongues are so short, and the time wherein they have lavished out their words freely, hath been so long, that they know we cannot catch hold of them to pull them out, and they think we will not write to reprove their lying lips

But they will. They really will. Anger says that men’s three main characteristics are ‘Lust, Deceit, and Malice.’

Of all kinds of voluptuousness, they affirm Lechery to be the chiefest, & yet some of them are not ashamed to confess publicly, that they have surfeited therewith. It defileth the body, & makes it stink, & men use it: I marvel how we women can abide them but that they delude us, as (they say) we deceive them with perfumes. Voluptuousness is a strong beast, and hath many instruments to draw to Lust: but men are so forward of themselves thereto, as they need none to hail them.

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Like other pre-feminist writers going back to Hildegard of Bingen, Anger claims that Eve’s original transgression is more than balanced by the Virgin Mary’s grace, bestowed upon her by God; the troubles of the world are not a woman’s fault and even if they were, Mary has absolved all women. Far from being inferior to men, women are superior; God first gave grace to woman and it is women ‘whereby the world increaseth.’ Again, Anger is specifically addressing a female audience, using mocklearned Latin, no doubt ironically.

And now (seeing I speak to none but to you which are of mine own Sex,) give me leave like a scholar to prove our wisdom more excellent then theirs, though I never knew what sophistry meant. There is no wisdom but it comes by grace, this is a principle, & 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 Primum est optimum, & therefore women are wiser than men.

GOD making woman of man’s flesh, that she might be purer then he, doth evidently show, how far we women are more excellent then men. Our bodies are fruitful, whereby the world increaseth, and our care wonderful, by which man is preserved. From woman sprang man’s salvation. A woman was the first that believed, & a woman likewise the first that repented of sin.

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Books of this time very often begin and sometimes end with a apologia, often a woman will apologise for daring to publish her own writings, or they may include a fawning dedication to a wealthy patron – actual or potential. Jane Anger will have none of this; she ends her book with a highly transgressive blast of a poem (though possibly written by someone else) that is completely unapologetic, playing on the name Anger and emphasising rather than trying to hide or hide behind her gender.

Though, sharp the seed by Anger sown, we all (almost) confess: And hard his hap we aye account, who Anger doth possess: Yet hapless shalt thou (Reader) reap, such fruit from ANGERS soil, As may thee please, and ANGER ease from long and weary toil Whose pain were took for thy behoof, to till that cloddy ground, Where scarce no place, free from disgrace, of female Sex, was found. If ought offend, which she doth send, impute it to her mood. For ANGERS rage must that assuage, as well is understood If to delight, ought come in sight, then deem it for the best. So you your will, may well fulfil, and she have her request.

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