Female poets were few and far between in the 16th century, as these women were thought to be disturbed if if they created written works like Virgina Woolf. According to Woolf, "What one would expect to find would be that rather later perhaps some great lady would take advantage of her comparative freedom and comfort to publish something with her name to it and risk being thought a monster." The talent of so many female writers such as Woolf and Margaret Cavendish was stifled by rigid gender expectations guarded by 16th century men. Florence Nightingale best summed up the conditions women of the 16th century faced in the following statement: "women never have an half hour... that they can call their own." In order to hone their craft, early female authors observed the intricacies of character and analyzed the values of emotions.
Female authors such as Virgina Woolf and Margaret Cavendish paved the way for future female authors like Aphra Behn, who proved that a woman can make a living by the work of her pen. The acts of Behn and other women like her made it possible for 18th century women to become extremely involved in cultural activities, such as talking, meeting, and writing essays about the works of Shakespeare.
Although Aphra Behn was an author and only earned enough money to make ends meet, I cannot help but draw comparisons between Behn and Henrietta "Hetty" Green, who was known as "The Witch of Wall Street". Green was famous for her miserliness and careful investment techniques which led her to be considered the wealthiest woman in America during the late 19th century. Like Behn's successes in the male dominated world of writing, Green was famous for her extreme successes in the male dominated worlds of business and finance. Like early female writers practicing their secret craft, Green too had cultivated a hardened image by wearing all black clothing in order to portray a confident, "don't mess with me" attitude.
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