A Sweet Nosegay, or Pleasant Poesy, Containing a Hundred and Ten Philosophical Flowers
Isabella Whitney's second published poetical work showed an entirely new side to her as a poet and creative altogether. It highlighted that Whitney was a strong and independent woman. Throughout the poem, we can see how Whitney changes from her writings about being sad and depressed about modern love to now being a fierce single woman that lives in London. The poems act as a re-telling of Whitney's life as they are largely autobiographical, and they end with her suffering and subsequent illness that forced her to leave her city: London.
Will and Testament
This two-part poem served as a fake, humorous will for Whitney. In the poem, she wishes her farewells to her family, primarily her sisters, as well as the friends that she has gained along the way. Whitney also wishes to say goodbye to London, and in doing so reflects on the beautiful city and the hilarity that she has ensued there. As a poet, she vividly paints a picture of the London scene at the time, with it being similar to a guide book in its details, especially for female readers.
The Copy of a Letter, Lately Written in Meter, by a Young Gentlewoman To her Unconstant Lover
One of Isabella Whitney's most well-known works, yet also her debut poem, in which she explores four romantic complaints, each taking the form of a letter. Of the four love grievances that are depicted, two of them belong to female voices with the other two belonging to male voices. The first voice is the voice of Whitney herself, as she expresses her complaints about her ex-lover who left her and went on to marry another woman. The voices that follow are also fictitious, although the problems they each face are entirely real for the reader.
