Life summary: Her early life is disputed, and there is no definitive source to describe her life besides her own writing. She may have been born in Canterbury, possibly receiving an education. Behn's travels may have led her to Surinam, though she did settle in London. She was financially insecure, and ended up in debtors prison at one point. She served as a spy for King Charles II, later writing plays and poetry. Behn died, possibly with rheumatoid arthritis, in 1689.
Major Works: Oroonoko, The Rover, The Widdow Ranter, The Younger Brother, The Amorous Prince, The Dutch Lover
Social Context: Aphra Behn played many roles in society, though by most accounts she did not come from an aristocratic family. Her experience in the theater allowed her to witness aristocracy, though it also isolated her from gaining social standing.
18th Century Lit. Importance: As a woman writing in a masculine public sphere, Behn did not immediately gain attention immediately. Recently, there has been research on female writers of the 18th century, and her contributions are critical to udnerstanding the female perspective of the print culture and society as a whole.
As Finke notes in her study of Behn's work; "In Behn's prefaces, the theater emerges as a cultural activity-a set of practices full of conflict, collaboration, competition, politics, and even gossip. It is an agent of both social and cultural behavior, a produer of-as well as a product of-social meanings" (Finke 19). Behn knew how to comment on society, and as a result, her plays were popular amongst the 18th century audience.