Mary Davys
Mary Davys was an influential Irish author born in Dublin in 1674, known for her works that reflect the complex social conditions faced by women in the 18th century. She married Reverend Peter Davys, headmaster of a school linked to St. Patrick's Cathedral, but became financially dependent on others after his death in 1698. This dependence highlighted the societal constraints placed on women, who often faced shame for seeking independence. Davys began her literary career with the novella *The Lady's Tale* in 1700, and her writing evolved to include more sophisticated forms like the epistolary novel and comic fiction, often weaving social commentary into her narratives. Her later work, *The Merry Wanderer* (1725), features a heroine who experiences prolonged financial dependence, mirroring Davys's own life. Throughout her career, she gained recognition in literary circles alongside notable contemporaries such as John Gay and Alexander Pope. Davys also opened a coffeehouse in Cambridge to support herself, and her novels offer valuable insights into the challenges and experiences of women during her time.
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Subject Terms
Mary Davys
Writer
- Born: 1674
- Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
- Died: 1732
- Place of death: Cambridge, England
Biography
Not much is known about author Mary Davys’s early life. She was born in Dublin in 1674 and enjoyed a happy marriage with Reverend Peter Davys, headmaster of the free school attached to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where Jonathan Swift, the famous author of Gulliver’s Travels, was dean. Davys’s husband died in 1698, an event that forced Davys to become dependent on others for her living (a fate experienced by many unfortunate eighteenth century women). At the time, it was not considered appropriate for a woman to attempt to make a living for herself; to do so would result in shame and loss of reputation.
In her autobiographical narrative The Fugitive (1705), later revised as The Merry Wanderer, Davys writes of feeling herself and her life at the whim of the goddess Fortune. Davys began her writing career with a simple novella called The Lady’s Tale (1700), in which the heroine tells the simplistic story of two lovers, Alcippus and Abaliza, who cannot seem to unite due to misunderstandings. Davys quickly advanced as a writer, moving to the far more complex epistolary novel (novel of letters) and comic fiction. All the while, however, she provided social commentary on women’s precarious lives by criticizing their dependent status. For instance, in her revision to The Fugitive, The Merry Wanderer (1725), which is a partly autobiographical account of Davys’s travels around England after moving from Ireland, the heroine remains financially dependent for years after the return of her brother from the East Indies. In time, Davys came to be accepted in literary circles that included such famous writers as John Gay and Alexander Pope. At one point, she moved to York for financial reasons (London was prohibitively expensive) and then to Cambridge, where she opened a coffeehouse that provided her with some income. She lived there until her death.
Davys’s novels provide historical insights into the lives of eighteenth century British women. For instance, in the preface to The Reform’d Coquette (1724), she writes that the heroine Amoranda entertained herself by writing; it was published only after she showed her work to gentlemen and they insisted that it be disseminated.