Her first poems would appear shortly thereafter, under the pseudonym "Lady President." In 1716 her husband was appointed ambassador to Constantinople while traveling with him in Turkey, Lady Mary wrote what would become her most widely-known work-the "Turkish Embassy Letters." Although many of these letters were written to specific friends, she also took the opportunity to address a larger audience on subjects such as the patriarchal legal system. In 1712 Lady Mary eloped with Edward Wortley Montagu, a Whig M.P. Known for her flamboyant behavior, Montagu often wore elaborate Turkish clothing and took snuff in her poems, too, Lady Mary exhibited an uncommon independence, wit, and candor. Such independence of mind would characterize her entire adult life. In her father's library she secretly taught herself Latin, and by 1710 she had translated Epictetus' Enchiridion and sent a copy to a London bishop with a letter advocating a woman's right to formal education. Her father was a wealthy Whig who later became the Marquess of Dorchester, and Lady Mary, like other aristocratic women of her time, was educated at home. Born on to Evelyn and Mary Pierrepont, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu is remembered primarily as a letter writer.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |