The Publishing Career of Isabella Whitney The English Renaissance was a time of great literature. The world was changing and people were exploring their boundaries. In an era of such opportunities, women were often excluded. For example, it was very difficult for women to get an education. Even if they did, it would be extremely difficult for them to be accepted as writers and almost impossible to publish their work. Only a small number of women writers managed to publish their works due to numerous social barriers. One of the few women to overcome these obstacles was Isabella Whitney. She grew up in a middle-class family in Cheshire, England. Little is known about her family, except that she was the sister of the Protestant poet Geoffrey Whitney, author of Choice of Emblems (Todd). He worked for aristocratic families where he had many opportunities to learn, but he never received a formal education (Krontiris). In addition to this self-education, he devoted a lot of time to reading, which enriched his knowledge. During the Renaissance, it was despised when women read anything other than the Bible. People thought that women should have divine intervention to guide their interpretations of literature; if they didn't do so they were looked at with suspicion (Krontiris). This shows that during the English Renaissance women were seen as fundamentally incompetent. They were not thought to be capable enough to read something and interpret it themselves. Knowing this, Whitney had many obstacles to overcome to become a successful poet. He tried to avoid criticism in many different ways. For example, Isabella Whitney was the first professional poet in British literature… middle of paper… making her way. It's strange to think about what the world would be like today if it weren't for women like Isabella Whitney. If it weren't for her, women might still be banned from publishing their written works. She and the women who followed in her footsteps created the opening of minds that allowed for the possibility of women's equality with men. I'm sure Whitney had no idea the impact she would have not only on literature, but on women and the world. Works Cited Clark, Danielle. The politics of early modern women's writing. England. Pearson Education Limited, 2001.Krontiris, Tina. Opposing Voices: Women as Writers and Translators of Literature in the English Renaissance. London. New York: Routledge Publishing, 1992.Todd, Janet. British Women Writers A Critical Reference Guide. Continuum New York: Continuum Publishing Company, 1989.