The Convent of Pleasure: A Comedy

by Margaret Cavendish

Margaret Lucas Cavendish, duchess of Newcastle (1623-1673), began her literary career in 1653, with the publication of a volume of her poems and another of her “philosophical fancies.” Her writing continued at a hectic pace for nearly two decades. She did not limit herself to the genres considered “acceptable” for those few women who dared to publish in the late seventeenth century; instead, she wrote philosophical and scientific works, a utopian romance that has often been called the first work of science fiction in English, a biography of her husband, and her own autobiography. She also published two collections of dramatic the first of these, Plays, appeared in 1662, the second, Plays, Never before Printed, in 1668. Cavendish was keenly aware that her comedies and tragedies were unlikely to be acted, at least in her lifetime, but that did not deter her. “To those that do delight in scenes and wit / I dedicate my book,” she writes in a brief poem at the beginning of Plays. She continues, “For all the time my plays a-making were, / My brain the stage, my thoughts were acting there.” Today the most widely read of Cavendish’s plays is The Convent of Pleasure, from Plays, Never before Printed. In this provocative comedy, Cavendish presents us with the delightful Lady Happy, whose determined efforts to avoid the pains of men and marriage lead her to construct a convent where women can devote themselves to enjoying life’s pleasures. The women who retreat with her into the Convent of Pleasure are determined to avoid not only the dangers of men and marriage but also of childbirth and motherhood. Even so, they will not deny themselves the pleasures of love. Inside her convent, Lady Happy dares to imagine a radical alternative to since men and marriage cause only pain and suffering, perhaps a woman can fulfill her emotional and sexual desires with another woman. When she finds her soul’s mate in a princess (rather than a prince), Lady Happy poses a critical question to herself and to “But why may not I love a woman with the same affection I could a man?” This Saltar’s Point Press edition, designed for classroom use, provides readers with an ample introduction to Cavendish’s life and work, a carefully modernized and well-presented text, helpful glosses and notes, a bibliography with references for further reading, and a chronology of Cavendish’s published work.

Genres: Plays, Classics, Read For School, School, LGBT, Feminism, Drama

41 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1668

About the author

Margaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle, was the youngest child of a wealthy Essex family. At the age of 20 she became Maid of Honour to Queen Henrietta Maria and traveled with her into Persian exile in 1644. There she married William Cavendish, Marquis (later Duke) of Newcastle.

Between 1653 and 1668 she published many books on a wide variety of subjects, including many stories that are now regarded as some of the earliest examples of science fiction.

Reviews

[Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

make the ending gayer you coward

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“More innocent Lovers never can there be,
Then my most Princely Lover, that's a She.

Nor never Convent did such pleasures give,
Where Lovers with their Mistresses may live.”

——————————————

“Can any Love be more vertuous, innocent and harmless than ours?”

[cranbelries · Rating 4 out of 5]

do they know it’s legal now

[Alex Abrahams · Rating 3 out of 5]

choosing to believe the princess is a trans woman so the ending is still lesbian rights

[Olivia's Bookish Places & Spaces]

I honestly have no idea what to make of this. I have never read anything quite like it...

[Bella Dufresne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lesbians! Lesbians! Lesbians!

[hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

more 17th century lesbians please

[Eline]

kunnen mannen zich ook gewoon bemoeien met hun eigen zaken????

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, and examines the nature of class and gender relations to comedy. While reading, question - is this truly a comedy? Is the ending happy for everyone? Who is Lady Happy directing her convent for? Remember, "Happy" at the time meant more "fortunate, wealthy, lucky" than it does now. Words are fascinating, why are you laughing?

[Amarah H-S]

this is wildly funny, as a play from the 17th century has no right to be

[Visfrietje · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sex story

[Kaylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t care about anyone’s interpretations except mine because mines obviously the only correct one. this is inherently a queer story, specifically love between two women, that was construed to seem like a heterosexual romance because the author was closeted. there, I said it. the ending was shocking and disappointing. to find out my lesbian lovers were in fact actually just a man pretending to be a woman in order to wriggle his way into a women’s only space was actually a horror story! my poor girl Lady Happy got trapped into that marriage and she knows it 🫩 and Cavendish, I know what you are…

[Celia T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold...

[Sita · Rating 4 out of 5]

LESBIANISM!!!

[annie york · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know… I hate that we had to go and get rid of the lesbians at the very last second but Margaret Cavendish doesn’t care what I think and for that she gets five stars

[Mariana Loureiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

o final tem um temp diferente do restante da peça, mas ainda assim é muito boa

[bente · Rating 4 out of 5]

i will now create my own convent of pleasure. who wants to join?

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

ugh just another case of men ruining everything

[Finn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The twist reveal of the “princess” nearly ruined the whole story for me but then Cavendish ends it with a character literally saying “if you don’t like this play I don’t care” and honestly I just have to respect her. The first few acts were very entertaining and fun and if she hadn’t bent to the demands of heteronormativity then it could’ve been fantastic, honestly.

[Emma Bussolotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had dreams exactly like this

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sapphic fever dream. Possibly the best play ever written.

[Claudiafoxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

LET THEM BE LESBIANS!! NO MORE PRETEND LESBIANS WHO TURN OUT TO BE HETERONORMATIVE PLEASE

[amelie · Rating 3 out of 5]

dont mind me just adding the books i read for uni!

this was fun, i ALSO think society would be better without men! men dont bring pleasure, they only bring pain!

the ending was confusing and disappointing though (if you know you know)

[Robin]

wild

[T.B. Caine · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was fun!

also very gay (until the ending)

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

nothing but respect for my queen 👸

[Camila · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved that most of act 3 is a critique of marriage, bummed that the play ended with marriage but what can ya do.

[Sophia]

WHAT?!??? WHAT!!!!!!!

[Hannah H · Rating 5 out of 5]

inspiring. has made me write creatively for the first time in months

[whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

the ending was unfortunate