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Samantha Trevino
Mrs. Kim Bauman
British Literature I
8 December 2016

An Analysis Isabella Whitney and Mary Herberts Literary Work

Even though their published work serves drastically different purposes, both Isabella
Whitney and Mary Herbert were female writers in the late 1500s. Whitney published The
Manner of Her Will in 1573 (Carrol and Hadfield). Sometimes referred to as Will and Testament,
the piece is a farewell to London as she is pushed into the decision to leave the city. Mary
Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, on the other hand, worked to finish the translations of Psalms
her brother started in the 1580s (Hannay). Whitney and Herbert are similar in the way that both
of them wrote work to later be published in books. Because their writings were composed in the
same time period, there are some similarities in their cultural contexts, literary styles, and
aesthetic principals.
Like today, the time of Whitney was by no means free of religious conflict. In August of
1572, French Catholics massacred French Protestants. This was not a singular incident. Across
France, there were thousands being killed because of their beliefs (Alchin). According to Linda
Alchin, this caused a wave of worry to sweep over England for anxieties of a Catholic attack. At
the time, Queen Elizabeth I was in reign. Queen Elizabeth established and became the Supreme
Governor of the English Protestant church. She was known as a moderate, cautious ruler that did
not regularly seek persecution or have children. Like Queen Elizabeth, Whitney did not take the
problems and worries of the country too seriously (Alchin). Instead of writing of war or religion,
Whitney wrote about her feelings concerning not being able to afford London and other material
things. With no mention of politics in The Manner of Her Will, she wrote a lighter and more

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relatable piece. It is assumed that Whitney left Cheshire for London to seek employment or
diversion. In fact, it was not just her that left the city in defeat of not being able to support
herself. Many English villagers sought to find work in the large city (Carrol and Hadfield). In
the context of modern times, reading Will and Testament is watching a housewife from Real
Housewives of Atlanta going through foreclosure in 2008. It is comforting entertainment.
Furthermore, the poems purpose is not to solely preserve the historical context of the feel and
setting London streets in 1570, but it tells a timeless story of moving to a large city and failing.
It was relatable to 1500s aspiring Londoners, but also to todays young people trying to find
their place in the world (Gregerson). Perhaps that is why Whitneys work is worth being
discussed in 2016.
As a woman in 1570, Mary Herberts first priority was to serve men. Over time, she
became close to her brother, Phillip. As children from an aristocratic home, they received a
quality education (Hannay). Phillip wrote and translated Psalms, but in 1586, he passed away.
Herbert continued where her brother left off (Psalm 43) and finished the book. A woman that
could and would be willing to do this was uncommon. Nevertheless, Herbert was encouraged by
her colleagues. Even though the translations seemingly allowed no room to insert her opinion on
history or religion, she fed into the movement by translating the Bible. She used her translations
to comment on current events and politics, especially the attacks on the Protestants by the
Catholics (Hannay). Sometime after her brothers death, she translated Psalm 71: In Te Domini
Speravi. In the midst of the conflict between the Catholics and Protestants, this piece which
translates to, I put my trust in You, Lord, reminded the people to put their faith in God.
In the twenty-year span that these women wrote, Catholics attacked Protestants, Mary
Queen of Scots was executed for plotting against Queen Elizabeth, and England goes to war with

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Spain (Alchin). Whitney and Herbert did not write explicitly about these topics like some of their
male contemporaries. Whitney provided material to get readers attentions away from the
conflict while Herbert finished her brothers religious project for her community with adding
individual opinion.
According to the Poetry Foundation, Isabella Whitney was the first woman to have
written secular English poetry for publication. Whitneys art was more for entertainment of the
public than to add historical interpretation. However, Will and Testament is close to a journal
entry in the way that it was a narrative of her current, personal trials. Michael Best stated that
her work is, designed to appeal to public taste at a time when devotional literature and
translations of mens work was considered to be the only proper literary work for women. In
The Manner of Her Will, Whitney promotes individuality and independence over owing
everything to God. Despite creating her own work and not mentioning God, she does not cite
science in her poems. Granted, that is probably because most of her work is about romance,
friendship, and lifes challenges (Carrol and Hadfield). Although Whitney was the first English
woman to publish a volume of poetry, her life is not well documented outside of her own
writings. At the time, the government saw women with less worth than men. Conceivably,
Whitney gained her courage to print her secular, original, work through her countrys leader,
Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth, also known as The Virgin Queen, who once said, I would
rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married, never married (Alchin).
Conversely, Mary Herbert wrote in the traditional way of translating devotional work.
However, it was rare that a woman received such an education so that she could translate the
Bible (Poetry Foundation). In this way, she contributed to her Protestant community in return for

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the support she received from them. John Aubrey called her social circle a college (Carrol and
Hadfield).
Whitney and Herbert grew up with the same culture around them, but one tested her
limits as a woman. Both women were intelligent and were considered good at what they did.
Whitney was a pioneer. Even though Mary Herbert took a feminine role in writing (translating
mens work), she took her stand in using her name. It was uncommon for a woman to use her
name in the credits of the publication. Herbert was also praised because she translated the words
with emotion and conveyed the intensity intended while adding her commentary including her
experiences as a mother (Poetry Foundation).
Whitney derived her style from her male colleagues. While it was uncommon for women
to write in her style, men had already been practicing it (Mann). Most of her work is written in a
ballad measure. The Manner of Her Will is a ballad because it is a short-stanza poem that
narrates a story. In the ballads, she uses hyperboles, allusions, and wit to get her point across.
She is considered to be a forerunner for women in this type of poetry. When Whitney used this
style, she paved a path for future female writers.
It was not new for a woman to translate the Bible or any mans work. However, Herbert
made her translations her own by intertwining her personal experiences in the verses (Poetry
Foundation). The Poetry Foundation states that Herbert, incorporated her experience at
Elizabeth's court, as well as female experiences of marriage and childbirth, into her pieces. She
did this by expanding on the metaphors already in the Bible. In the Hebrew descriptions, she
would add some details of her own to make the English translation more personal. Other writers
did this too, but Marys experiences were her own. This accounts for some discrepancies in
translations of the same book by different people.

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Both Whitney and Herbert were doing work that men had already done. Nevertheless,
the were setting an example for future women in literature. In contrast, Whitney had more
freedom in her writing style because she was creating her own content. Herbert was translating
content, but in the process, she found creative ways leave her input.
The Manner of Her Will beautifully describes the city of London, its streets, and people.
The poem is a will, not for physical death, but the death of her social life and everyday
relationship with London. It is unusual for its time period because it does not mention God or
any other divine being. The poem does not feel godless because hope is not lost in the words.
Even though the narrator being forced to move out of a city she loves, the poem is not
depressing. It is a testament that the world cannot be controlled. It seems as if the author would
have done almost anything to stay in her place, but for some reason she could not afford it. The
poem is a cathartic read, but it is meaningful. Even if it is not meant to be, subconsciously, it
will be analyzed. Because the poem is so relatable, people will look for similarities in their own
life and compare it to the ballad. Compared other work written in her time, the language
Whitney used is fun and easy to read. Nearly 500 years later, it is a relevant piece about struggle,
identity, and independence.
In 1599, Herbert completed translating Psalms. The purpose of translating the text was to
provide a script for mediation and singing. (Poetry Foundation). Verses of Psalms are analyzed
everyday. Theyre supposed to be taken apart, studied, and dissected for lessons. They serve a
practical purpose. It is a backbone of a church. Herbert finished her brothers work to give back
to her God. Even though Herbert compromised the integrity of Psalms, she added her artistic
value.

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Isabella Whitney and Mary Herbert contributed to 16th century literature in dissimilar
ways. Ultimately, they were their surroundings were the same, but did not affect them or their
writing in a similar manner.

Works Cited

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Alchin, L.K. "Timeline of Queen Elizabeth I". 2015. 15 October 2016 <http://www.elizabethanera.org.uk/timeline-of-queen-elizabeth-i.htm>.
Best, Michael. Isabella Whitney. Shakespeares Life and Times. Internet Shakespeare Editions.
Carrol, Clare and Andrew Hadfield. The Longman Anthology of British Literature. Fourth
Edition. Vol. IB. Ney York: Longman, 2010. 1041-58.
Gregerson, Linda. "Isabella Whitney's "Wyll and Testament"". April 2007. 14 October 2016
<http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/04/isabella-whitneys-wyll-andtestament/305848/>.
Hannay, Margaret. "Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke (1561-1621)". 2000. 15
October 2016 <http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/sidney/pembroke_biography.htm>.
Mann, Paisley. "Isabella Whitney". 4 June 2016. 14 October 2016
<https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/WHIT15.htm?name=LANC4>.
Poetry Foundation. Isabella Whitney. 2016. 14 October 2016
<https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/isabella-whitney#poet>.
. Poetry Foundation. 2016. 14 October 2016 <https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-andpoets/poets/detail/mary-sidney-herbert>.