Catharine Trotter

Born in London in 1679, Catharine Trotter showed unusual literary talent very early. As a teenager she wrote the tragedy Agnes de Castro, and she later published novels and several plays, becoming part of the lively literary world of late 17th- and early 18th-century England.

She is especially remembered not only as a dramatist but also as a philosopher. After her marriage she became known as Catharine Trotter Cockburn, and her philosophical writing engaged closely with the ideas of John Locke. Her Defence of Mr. Locke's Essay helped establish her reputation as a serious intellectual voice.

Her career makes her stand out among early women writers: she succeeded in both creative literature and philosophical debate at a time when few women were welcomed into either field. She died in 1749, leaving behind a body of work that has drawn lasting interest from readers of literature, philosophy, and women's history.