What do you think led warren to publish her plays anonymously

James Warren, her husband, was elected to the Massachusetts Legislature in 1766. He encouraged her to pursue writing. This led her to keep a low profile by the satirical nature of her plays but to be open as a citizen with her political activity.

Explanation:

As a patriot, Warren "began writing political dramas that denounced British policies and key officials in Massachusetts, notably Governor Thomas Hutchinson. Her 1772 satire, "The Adulator" (published anonymously in the Massachusetts Spy newspaper), criticized the British colonial governor's policies a full four years before Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Warren also published two additional plays skewering British colonial leaders, Defeat (1773) and The Group (1775.) She supported the Boston Tea Party and boycotts of British imports and urged other women to follow suit."

Reference: Michals, D. (2015). Mercy Otis Warren. [online] National Women's History Museum.

Mercy Otis Warren might have published her plays anonymously because, first of all, she was a woman. A woman talking about politics in a time when only men were allowed to participate openly in politics. Also, as in her works she called for a revolution breaking ties with England, what she was doing was greatly dangerous for the early beginnings of the Revolution. So, she probably published anonymously to protect herself.