The Amorous Lady

Fearless. That is the only way that I can correctly describe The Amorous Lady. Vocalizing feminist views in the age of revolution, The Amorous Lady, suspected to be Martha Fowke Sansom, was unconventional and ahead of her time. Sure of herself, passion bled through the pages of her writings as she refused to conform to the rules. In her poem On Being Charged with Writing Incorrectly, Sansom exposes her critics limited structure and how she will not fall into the line of conformity. Sansom writes, No let my genius have its way/My genius I will still obey/Nor with their stupid rules control/The sacred pulse that beats within my soul (Lines 9-12). Sansom broke away from what was considered proper writing as she voiced frustrations of the expectations of what good writing should be arguing the male dominated literary scene. Her work published anonymously in the Barbados Gazette, Sansom’s subject were carnal and emotional and proved to be more accepted in the transatlantic region.

Upon reading her works, I applaud Sansom and her willingness to stay true to herself and her craft. Unafraid of backlash and opposed to conformity, she did not let systemic rules put into place by men confine her genius or keep her from voicing them. As Mary Astell points out in her essay Some Reflections Upon Marriage, it is important for the woman to be educated and knowledgeable about the world so they do not fall into traps and become disgraced. Sansom does not fall into these traps and is fortunately, Like Astell, extremely educated and supported by her father. Sansom questioned the laws and customs that were put into place. What is writing? What about creativity and Progression? Sansom exposed the inequalities and boundaries that the rules of writing and instead created her own lane in which she can be free from the marginalized views of women and proper writing.