Katherine Philips

Background and Early Life

• Born in early January 1632 in London, daughter of Katherine and John Fowler.
• Had a half-brother Joshua Fowler; step-siblings from mother’s later marriages.
• Father, John Fowler, was a prosperous cloth merchant; died in 1642.
• Philips was noted for her early aptitude for learning, reading the Bible by age four.
• Educated at Mrs. Salmon's boarding school with a strong Puritan influence.

Familial and Political Connections

• Mother, Katherine Oxenbridge, related to prominent Puritan figures; uncle John Oxenbridge was a friend of John Milton and Andrew Marvell.
• Married Parliamentarian James Philips in August 1648, who was significantly older at age 54.
• Lived at Cardigan Priory in Wales with her husband.

Literary Contributions

• Wrote approximately 125 poems on various subjects, best known for works on female friendship.
• Translated plays and wrote letters published posthumously as Letters from Orinda to Poliarchus.
• Poems circulated in the 1650s-60s, known as "the Incomparable Orinda."

Themes in Poetry

• Explored themes of friendship, particularly between women, using language of love poetry.
• Marriage poems often reflect on the ideal of companionate marriage.
• Elegies and epitaphs for friends and family, some inscribed on monuments.
• Political poems include Royalist themes and celebrate the Restoration.

Friendship and Society

• Formed a Society of Friendship, possibly akin to a salon, focusing on poetry and intimate discussions.
• Often assigned coterie names to friends, like Lucasia and Rosania.

Published Works and Legacy

• First woman to have a play produced in a British public theater with her translation of Corneille's Pompey.
• Poems. By the Incomparable Mrs. K. P. published without her consent in 1664.
• Posthumously published works in 1667 expanded on unauthorized 1664 edition, including her translations.

Influences and Recognition

• Acquaintances included notable poets like Abraham Cowley and Henry Vaughan.
• Inspired praise from contemporaries and posthumous recognition.

Death and Posthumous Publications

• Died of smallpox on 22 June 1664 at age 32.
• Her works continued to be published after her death, compiled by friends and admirers.

Modern Scholarship

• Modern interest focuses on how Philips gained acclaim in an era when women's literary voices were often suppressed.
• Recognized today as a talented poet whose work was admired by contemporaries and remains significant in literary history.