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Christine De Pizan Essay

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Medieval Europe ranged from 500 to 1500 AD, and was considered by many to be a Dark Age. After the fall of Western Rome, Europe was divided into many different feudal states. Lifestyle was very rural and simple, with little progression or innovation; until the Commercial Revolution, beginning in 1100. This influx of trade led to a more stabilized merchant or middle class, causing towns and cities to be built. These cities meant a growing economy, and in turn more innovation and art. This Commercial Revolution was a key to the start of the Renaissance in 1300, which spanned until 1600. It began in Florence, Italy before spreading to the rest of Europe. The Renaissance was defined by its revival of Classical era art and values. Artists and philosophers …show more content…

The Renaissance man is a famous generalization for a well-rounded or scholarly person during the Renaissance time period from 1300-1600 AD. But, one Renaissance woman had a great impact on society today, and embodied the spirit of the Renaissance. Christine De Pizan was born in Venice, Italy in 1364, before moving to France, where her father Thomas worked for Charles V. Since her father worked for the King, Christine was able to receive a great education. She then began writing philosophical works of her own and spreading her ideas on important issues regarding women. Christine De Pizan embodied the spirit of the Renaissance by preaching the value of education and studying Classical subjects, using her work The Book of the City of the Ladies to spread her idealism on portrayal of women and harmful stereotypes and skepticism on gender roles, and by laying a foundation for future improvements on gender …show more content…

The Book of the City of the Ladies begins with three characters; Lady Reason, Lady Rectitude, and Lady Justice. These characters build a scholarly city where women can seek refuge from misogyny. They answer questions from Christine along the way about why men criticize women and exclude them from main parts of society. This book contributes many different ideas that go against the status quo. One important gender role that she disputes is that women are less than men as a whole. She writes, “There Adam slept, and God formed the body of woman from one of his ribs, signifying that she should stand at his side as a companion and never lie at his feet like a slave, and also that he should love her as his own flesh”(1.9.2). Christine is saying that because Eve was created by Adam’s rib does not mean that she is his slave or less than him, more so that she is one with him. This represents the spirit of the Renaissance because it shows skepticism of the gender roles of society. Skepticism is an important part of the Renaissance because it is the main way the new ideas are formed, which is by the questioning of what is normal. Another idea that Christine expands upon is why there are so many misogynous opinions in literature. She believes that the reason is mainly due to

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She was a French Renaissance writer, she wrote some the very first feminist pieces of literature. She wrote a book and called The Book Of The City Of Ladies. Her book was written to combat the current ideas that existed about women's nature. “Christine's book stood as a testimony to the greatness and accomplishments

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After Christine 's children grew up, they became independent from her, and she was able to study along with her writing. Christine 's writings were mainly regarding the question of equality between both sexes and women 's rights. However, these writings were so different from writings of her time, especially because she is a woman. Christine is the one to introduce the writings of Dante to the French, and her work The Fayttes of Armes is based on her reading of Vegetius who was a writer of ancient Rome. Christine 's writings, in their various forms, discuss many feminist topics such as women 's oppression, the lack of education for women, societal behaviours towards women, combating a misogynistic society, women 's rights and accomplishments, and visions of more equal world between men

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Christine de Pizan uses her literary work, The Book of the City of Ladies, as a way to criticize medieval European society through the extensive use of multifaceted characters in a physical world setting. Through the construction of the City of Ladies, Christine questions the world that man created and proves that women are much more capable of doing physical and intellectual activities than men give them credit for. The story opens with Christine reading Lamentations, written by a thirteenth century poet named Mathieu of Boulogne, or Matheoulus. There, he discusses the fundamentals marriage and claims that women make men’s lives miserable. Christine reads this and becomes upset as her existential crisis sets in and feels ashamed to be

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Dieu d’Amour was “the first time we see a woman take up her pen in defense of her sex”. Her most famous literary works were The Book of the City of Ladies and The Treasure of the City of Ladies. In The Book of the City of Ladies Pizan responded to misogynistic constructs of society during the time and portrayed important contributions women had made to history and society. She created a symbolic city in which society appreciates women and believes in the equality of the sexes. In her other book, The Treasure of the City of Ladies, she instructs women of all socioeconomic standings how to play a significant role in society.

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Christine De Pizan’s storied life laid the groundwork for her lasting works and strong opinions. Her father’s insistence on teaching her as much as his sons, although her mother objected to this, was a key factor in allowing Christine’s career to actually occur after her husband’s death. Her education pushed back against the norms of the time and allowed her to be extraordinary. Many of her works focus on wisdom and reason as a guiding source for not only Christine De Pizan the author, but also for Christine De Pizan the ‘character’. In Ancient Greece, they worshipped the goddess Athena, sometimes given the epithet Pallas, as the Goddess of Wisdom and War among other things.

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Overcoming Stereotypes Gender roles are the roles or behaviors learned by a person as appropriate to their gender, determined by the prevailing cultural norms. Macbeth was written in 1605-1606 which was the renaissance period. In the renaissance period, women were controlled by their parents until they were married, which then the control would be turned over to the husbands. Shakespeare had a way of challenging society 's view on things(“Gender Roles of Women in the Renaissance” cedarcrest.edu). In the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare uses Macbeth and Lady Macbeth to show that gender roles can be conquered.

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More than six hundred years later the same issues of inequality and misogyny are still present in our society. The movement to fight against anti-feminism is not new. Thus, it only proves that the discrimination of women is more than centuries old. Written in 1405, The City Of Ladies is an allegorical story in response to the attack of men against women. Christine De Pizan highlights how a women are capable of good and moral character despite to the contrary of what male philosopher claimed to believe.

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However, the quality of life for a noble man’s wife was certainly better and also less dangerous, and she was often thought skills in cooking or medicine. The code of chivalry in medieval texts raised women up as objects to be admired, cherished and protected, a venerated position similar to Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ and the romantic love between knights and their ladies was glorified. However, the reality was very different their lives were difficult and far from the ideal or romantic. These socialised beliefs also translated into literary texts. There are also very few examples of gender equality in medieval literature or history.

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