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She was the first woman in France to earn a living by her writing! Born 1364, she advocated for women's equality, wrote poetry, novels, biography, an autobiography, literary, political and religious commentary. She was the widowed mother of three and, perhaps, the first feminist!” ― Christine de Pizan, The Book of the City of Ladies
They help to capture the essence of Christine’s project. While one of her intentions of writing The Book of the City of Ladies is to defend and restore the honor and reputation of women, her ultimate goal is not to assert the superiority of women but to argue for equality and the fair and equal treatment of all people, regardless of gender.
Dec 10, 2023 · The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan is an allegorical dream vision written in French vernacular prose – as well as being the West’s first feminist text. Dec 10, 2023 • By Catherine Dent, MA 20th and 21st Century Literary Studies, BA English Literature.
- Summary of The Text
- The Status of Women
- Conclusion
The work begins with the narrator feeling despondent after reading the 13th-century poet Matheolus maintaining the sinfulness of women and how they corrupt and ruin men's lives, especially through marriage. While contemplating how Matheolus' views are found in many other works by learned scholars and clergy, she wonders how God, a master craftsman,...
The section of the work often anthologized as The Status of Women is the opening scene of the book in which the narrator falls into despair and is introduced to the three ladies. Lady Reason's speech concerning what men have said about women, as contrasted with women's true nature, makes up most of the text, only a part of which is given below. The...
Although Lady Reason, Lady Rectitude, and Lady Justice eloquently argued for women's equality throughout Pizan's work, their speeches had little effect on men's attitudes toward women. Even after many of the Church's teachings were rejected during the Protestant Reformation, the concept of women as inherently sinful was retained. Influential women ...
- Joshua J. Mark
Mar 9, 2018 · - The Washington Post. This article was published more than 6 years ago. Christine de Pizan was not a ‘good feminist.’. Can we still learn from her? PERSPECTIVE | How we celebrate...
Mar 26, 2019 · Christine de Pizan (also given as Christine de Pisan, l. 1364 - c. 1430) was the first female professional writer of the Middle Ages and the first woman of letters in France. Her best-known works advocated for greater equality and respect for women, anticipating the feminist movement of the 19th century by 600 years.
