Jane Anger may have been an actual woman; or the text that was published in this name in 1589 may have been written by a man. There is no doubt of the interest and value of the feminist polemic (in verse as well as prose) which bears 'her' name. It is a contribution to the querelle des femmes ('debate about women') which for generations pitted attacks on women with defences of them. Women were a favourite topic for academic disputation; sometimes the same polemicist would argue on each side in turn.
Milestones
JA's birth date is unknown. It might be surmised from her text that she was no longer a young woman, and therefore was likely born some time during the 1550s.
1589 There was published a satirical seventeen-page feminist polemic, printed in black-letter:
Jane Anger her Protection for Women.
JA presumably died after the date of her publication, though there is no evidence about how long she lived.
