Humanities I, Application Project I
Samantha Baker Matthews
Hum 2123: General Humanities II

Online

Dr. Andrew Vassar

Christine de Pisan: Building the City of Ladies
Christine de Pisan was a pioneer in feminist literature. As the first feminist writer, she used her courtly influence to create a platform against female oppression. To comprehend the motivation behind Christine‘s provocative allegory “Le livre de la cite des dames” (The Book of the City of Ladies) one must consider the context of Christine‘s environment. My goal is to develop a concise representation of the factors that lead to Christine’s literary success. By examining her familial and courtly relationships as well as the influences of other literary forces, I will correlate the events of Christine’s life with the atmosphere that inspired her to pursue writing.

Christine de Pisan was born Italian; however at the age of five, her family relocated to France. Christine's father, Thomas de Pisan, was appointed astrologer and secretary to King Charles V (Delamarre 1908). As a result, her youth was spent in the French court where she placed her civil loyalties with France. Growing up in the French courts, Christine was educated in the classics. In her mid-teens she married French Nobleman Etienne du Castel. They had three children together and her husband died after they had been married for ten years. At the time of her husband's death, Christine was only twenty-five. During this time period social class and gender dictated much of everyday life. While Christine is known for her contributions to feminism, she was very accepting of the social hierarchy in place during her time. In fact, she defended this social hierarchy. Arguably, Christine believed, as many other of her time, that "social order was divinely ordained" (Nowacka 2002). This was a time of social reform: the end of feudalism, weakening of church authority, and hostility brought forth by peasants. Amidst this uncertainty of social order, Christine viewed "that a strong monarch was preferable to uncertain democratic rule in order to prevent further decline into social anarchy" (Nowacka). Thus, as a widow of her particular social class, she was basically afforded two options: remarriage or the cloister. Christine neglected these options and chose another route that allowed her to maintain her social ties with the French court: writing.

Christine de Pisan wrote out of necessity. This necessity grasped nearly every aspect of her life. As a widow she was severely limited, she was forced to provide for her family. Many women of this time were turning to labor; however, turning to a trade would have forced Christine into a lower social class. Instead she decided to employ her education and maintain her ties to royals and nobles. Christine wrote incessantly. She wrote poems, allegories, political and historical insights. As her writing continued she gained renowned fame writing for such patrons as John of Berry, Louis of Orleans, and Phillip of Burgundy (Dufresne 2001). Her fame reached beyond France and gained the attention of such figures as Henry IV of England, who invited her to join him in his court (Nowacka). Most notably, Christine created platform to counter the misogyny displayed in so much of the literature of that time. Unlike other literary proponents of the time, Christine wrote from a woman’s perspective. Christine's writings focused a great deal on the defense of woman. Christine and other writers of this time wrote political advises that were often read aloud in homes. This prompted much debate and in effect greatly influenced public opinions (Adams 2009). On one such occasion, Christine wrote a letter encouraging the regency of Queen Isabeau. Later that month, an ordinance was passed allowing the queen to mediate; promoting Christine's ideals that women play a competent and crucial role in society (Adams). Christine continued to use her literary influence to disprove the ideas of women as inconsistent and inferior. She promoted the education of women and in essence “tutored her female readers” (McCormick 2003). In 1405, Christine wrote one of her most influential pieces, “The Book of the City of Ladies”. This city served as a “feminine utopia” (Dufresne). In her city, anti-feminist ideas were removed and replaced with virtuous women. The city created a space for dialogue praising women and their accomplishments. Furthermore, it enhanced the female image and employed a new fashion of reading: reading as a female. “Not surprisingly, one of the central accusations leveled against Christine by her opponents in 'querelle de la Rose” was the charge that, because of her gender, she was misreading, and thus misinterpreting, Jean de Meun's true intentions in the Roman de la Rose” (McCormick). However, Christine argued that she was not misreading, she was simply reading from a female perspective allowing her to receive a different interpretation than her male counterparts. Through the creation of the city, Christine redesigned the reading experience for the medieval audience. Christine urged women to retrain their minds and to read from the context of a female. “She wants her female reader first to remember and then to reject the anti-feminist tradition” (McCormick). In conclusion, Christine's success is warranted by her prudent approach to radicalism. She promoted female education and regency, but did not question monarchical authority. She instead created an equal space for women that did not completely usurp gender notions of the time. Christine's writings affirmed that women have a specific place in society that is different from men; however, this difference is not meant to be oppressive. Like other writer's of the time, she used literature to influence politics. While she was met with controversy, she was also widely accepted by many. She used her acceptance to articulate and propel the defense of women. Christine creates her own perpetual existence through her writing. In this way, she ensures that her reader will continue to hold her rhetoric their minds.

Works Cited

McCormick, Betsy. “Building the Ideal City: Female Memorial Praxis in Christine de Pizan’s “Cite Des Dames..” Studies in the Literary Imagination 36, no. 1 (Spring 2003): 149-171.

Adams, Tracy. “Christine de Pizan, Isabeau of Bavaria, and Female Regency.” French Historical Studies 32, no. 1 (Winter 2009): 1-32

Nowacka, Keiko. “Reflections on Christine de Pizan’s ‘Feminism’.” Australia Feminist Studies 17, no. 37 (March 2002): 81-97

Delany, Sheila. “THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES (Book Review).” Women’s Studies 10, no. 3 (January 1984): 339. EBSCO Host (accessed September 26, 2012).

Dufresne, Laura Rinaldi. “Women Warriors: A Special Case from the Fifteenth Century: The City of Ladies.” Women’s Studies 23, no. 2 (March 1994): 111. EBSCO Host (accessed September 26, 2012).

Delamarre, Louis. “Christine de Pisan” The Catholic Encyclopedia no. 3 (November 1908): http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03723a.htm (accessed September 26, 2012).