The Book of the City of Ladies (Penguin Classics)

Translated and with an introduction and notes by Rosalind Brown-Grant. Christine de Pizan (c.1364-1430) was France's first professional woman of letters. Her pioneering 'Book of the City of Ladies' begins when, feeling frustrated and miserable after reading a male writer's tirade against women, Christine has a dreamlike vision where three virtues - Reason, Rectitude and Justice - appear to correct this view. They instruct her to build an allegorical city in which womankind can be defended against slander, its walls and towers constructed from examples of female achievement both from her own day and the past: ranging from warriors, inventors and scholars to prophetesses, artists and saints. Christine de Pizan's spirited defence of her sex was unique for its direct confrontation of the misogyny of her day, and offers a telling insight into the position of women in medieval culture. 'philosophers, Poets And Orators Too Numerous To Mention ... All Seem To Speak With One Voice And Are Unanimous In Their View That Female Nature Is Wholly Given Up To Vice.' It Was This Misogynist Consensus That Christine De Pizan (c. 1364-1430), France's First Professional Woman Of Letters, Confronted Head-on In The City Of Ladies. Here, With The Help Of Reason, Rectitude And Justice, Christine Constructs An Allegorical City In Which To Defend Womankind, Using Examples Of Female Virtue And Achievement Both From The Past And Her Own Day As The Stones With Which To Build The City's Walls And Towers. A Key Text In The History Of Feminism, The City Of Ladies Not Only Provides Powerful Positive Images Of Women, Ranging From Warriors, Inventors And Scholars To Prophetesses, Artists And Saints, But Also Offers A Fascinating Insight Into The Debates And Controversies About The Position Of Women In Medieval Culture. In Her Introduction To This New Translation For Penguin Classics, Rosalind Brown-grant Sets The Work Within Its Historical And Intellectual Context.--jacket. Christine De Pizan ; Translated And With An Introduction And Notes By Rosalind Brown-grant. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 280-[284]). Christine De Pizan (c.1364-1430) Was France's First Professional Woman Of Letters. Her Pioneering Book Of The City Of Ladies Begins When, Feeling Frustrated And Miserable After Reading A Male Writer's Tirade Against Women, Christine Has A Dreamlike Vision Where Three Virtues - Reason, Rectitude And Justice - Appear To Correct This View. They Instruct Her To Build An Allegorical City In Which Womankind Can Be Defended Against Slander, Its Walls And Towers Constructed From Examples Of Female Achievement Both From Her Own Day And The Past: Ranging From Warriors, Inventors And Scholars To Prophetesses, Artists And Saints. Christine De Pizan's Spirited Defence Of Her Sex Was Unique For Its Direct Confrontation Of The Misogyny Of Her Day, And Offers A Telling Insight Into The Position Of Women In Medieval Culture. The City Of Ladies Provides Positive Images Of Women, Ranging From Warriors And Inventors, Scholars To Prophetesses, And Artists To Saints. The Book Also Offers A Fascinating Insight Into The Debates And Controversies About The Position Of Women In Medieval Culture. In The Book of the City of Ladies France's first professional woman of letters confronted head-on the misogyny of fourteenth-century Europe. Here, with the help of Reason, Rectitude, and Justice, Christine de Pizan constructs an allegoricaL city in which to defend womankind, using examples of female virtue and achievement both from the past and her own clay as the stones with which to build the city's walls and towers.This key text in the history of feminism not only provides powerful positive images of women -- ranging from warriors, inventors, and scholars to prophetesses, artists, and saints -- but also offers fascinating insight into the debates and controversies about the position of women in medieval culture, which viewed female nature as wholly given up to vice. This Penguin Classics edition also includes a superb Introduction that sets the work within its historical and intellectuaL context, annotations, a Glossary, and a Bibliography. Digitized multimedia presentation of the book entitled La ciudad de las damas. Contains a digitized version of the book, a bibliography, biography of the author, and criticism and interpretation of her work. Also includes a collection of digitized images of colored plates, accompanied by text. These plates are from two manuscripts held at the British Library in London. One day, I was sitting in my study surrounded by many books of different kinds, for it has long been my habit to engage in the pursuit of knowledge.