Aemilia Lanyer was a woman far ahead of her time. In the 16th century she had already embraced the equality of men and women, devoting her poetic voice to the praise and empowerment of the women around her. She demonstrates a decided feminist preoccupation in her writing, while managing to not alienate her male readers with insults or defamation of any kind.
As her poems "To the Vertuous Reader" and to the "Doubtfull Reader" so clearly outline, Lanyer's target audience is female. She calls for her fellow women to step into the roles which they already fulfill with a renewed sense of confidence. Her aim is to praise the work that is already being accomplished, while subtly reminding her peers that they hold value and are capable of great things aside and separate from their male contemporaries. In a real sense, Lanyer is acting out of her beliefs by staking her reputation on this poetry in order to remind women that they can accomplish greatness.
In other texts, Lanyer takes a more personal approach. She writes about her own life, with a certain fondness mingled with awe, as if she is constantly astonished at the beauty of her own life without growing narcissistic. "The Description of Cooke-ham" outlines where Lanyer first began writing, an act which required great courage for her. She credits her home with giving her the strength and support to pursue her writing, as well as to step into a mature understanding of herself and her talents. Lanyer is by no means consumed by the need for success, however, as she focuses on the beauty of the world around her, which she can neither control nor resist. Her poems a way of beckoning the reader into a state of surrender.
