Most modern feminist scholars date the beginning of the modern feminist movement to the works of Christine de Pizan although they dispute whether her L'Epistre au Dieu d'amours [Letter to the God of Love, 1399], Le dit de la Rose [The Tale of the Rose, 1402], Epistres du debat sur le Roman de la Rose (Letters on the Debate of The Romance of the Rose, 1401-1403), or Le Livre de la Cite des Dames [The Book of the City of the Ladies, 1405] sparked the discussion of the querelle des femmes, the woman question. All four works expanded on and amplified the ideas in their predecessors.

      Letters to the God of Love sparked the debate about the misogynistic The Romance of the Rose which lead directly to Pizan's 2 entries in the debate, the poetical, The Tale of the Rose, and the verse, Letters on the Debat of the Rose wherein de Pizan attacked Jean de Meung's popular The Romance of the Rose as immoral and misogynistic. Continuing the themes developed in her Debate on the Romance of the Rose, a few years later in City of Ladies, de Pizan presents a dream-vision of a utopian city for women inhabited by powerful, educated, and influential women both of antiquity and of her own time. She wrote 2 other overtly feminist works in her lifetime: Livre de Trois Vertus or Le Tresor de la Cite des Dames [The Book of Three Virtues or The Book of the Treasury of Ladies, 1405] sequel to The Book of the City of Ladies, a "detailed classification of women's roles in contemporary society"¹ and Le Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc [Song in Honor of Joan of Arc, 1429],² a celebration of Joan of Arc's (1412-1431) victory at Orlean and the coronation of Charles VII at Reims³ in verse.

      Her father was Tommaso di Benvenuto da Pizzano (Pizzano was a small village in the foothills to the southeast of the Emilian capital)⁴, a lecturer in astrology at the University of Bologna (1348) and later physician. Bologna and Paris were leading education centers of the time. ⁵Tomasso left Bologna for Venice in 1357⁶ where Christine was born in 1365. Shortly after Christine's birth, he became court astrologer to Charles V, moving his family to Paris to be with him in 1368⁷ .

      Exactly how Christine was educated and managed to become a professional writer is unclear. We know that her husband was a royal secretary, a position occupied by the intellectual elite of the time and often the first step in an illustrious political career. Christine remarked that her father had been well regarded at court and some historians speculate that he was an adviser to the court librarian on scientific books. Charles V's library was if not the best, then one of the best, in Europe. Such a position would explain her father's reputation, Christine's access to books, Christine's knowledge of both the printing trade and the best craftsmen in the trade, and Christine's entree into the circles of the rich and powerful⁸ . Unfortunately Charles V died in 1380 when his son and successor, the future Charles VI, was only 12 years of age. Although Charles V had created a regency staffed by his best servants, his powerful brothers did not honor his wishes and many of his servants, including Christine's father, fell on hard times.⁹

      We do know these facts about Christine de Pizan. Educated by her father in spite of her mother's objections, Christine was happily married at age 15 to Étienne du Castel, royal secretary, who encouraged her to continue her studies.¹⁰ Widowed at age 25 and left with three children, a niece, and her own widowed mother to support,¹¹ only now did de Pizan seriously embark on a program of self education. Her father had died impoverished and her husband's estate took 14 years and numerous lawsuits to close.¹²

      De Pizan was France's, and possibly Europe's, first woman known to have earned her living by the pen. Since she was commissioned to writes some of her works, some scholars consider her Europe's first professional writer. While establishing her reputation as a writer, she earned her living by copying and illustrating other people's works.¹³ Her works included all genres: biography, autobiography, poetry, history, novels, short stories, feminist polemics, books on advice and morality, military techniques, religion, politics, and literary commentary. A list of only her major publications shows how prolific she was as a writer, the range of subjects which she addressed, and only some of the writing styles that she used.

L'Epistre au Dieu d'Amours¹⁴ [Letter of the God of Love also known as Cupid's Letter, 1399]: a defense of women written to counter the courtly love attitudes (verse)

Le Debat Deux Amants¹⁵ [The Debate of Two Lovers, 1400]: a debate between two lovers, one satisfied and one unsatisfied (verse)

Le Livre des Trois Jugemens¹⁶ [The Book of Three Judgments]: a discussion of three love situations which are submitted to the Seneschal de Hainault for arbitration (verse)

Le Livre du Dit de Poissy [The Tale of Poissy, 1400] describes a visit Christine paid to her daughter at the Dominican convent of Saint Louis in Poissy (verse)

Enseignemens Moraux [Moral Teachings]¹⁷ and Proverbes Moraux [Moral Proverbs, 1400]¹⁸ written for her son Jean Castel. (verse)

Cent Ballades d'Amant et de Dame, Virelyas, Rondeaux¹⁹ [One Hundred Ballades of a Lover and His Lady, 1402]²⁰ : a collection of miscellaneous poems

Le Dit de la Rose [The Tale of the Rose, 1402]: Debate over The Romance of the Rose (1402) ²¹ (verse)

Livre du Chemin de Long Estude²² [The Book of the Road of Long Learning, 1403]: long, allegorical poem in the style of Dante's Divine Comedy where, in a dream vision, the sibyl, Cumae, leads Christine to a more perfect world²³ . (verse)

Le Livre de la Mutacion de Fortune²⁴ [The Mutation of Fortune, 1403]: another long allegorical poem, this one about universal history, the role of fortune in human destiny, and her necessity to change from a woman into a man to "steer the ship of the family's fortunes."²⁵ Probably de Pizan's most important work in verse²⁶. (verse)

Le Livre du Duc des Vrais Amants [The Book of the Duke of True Lovers, 1405]: delightful tale of a clandestine love affair between a young knight, the Duke, and a married noblewoman.

Le Ditie de Jehanne d'Arc [Song in Honor of Joan of Arc, 1429]:²⁷ a celebration of Joan of Arc's (1412-1431) victory at Orlean and the coronation of Charles VII at Reims²⁸ (verse)

Epitre d'Othea [Othea's Letter or Epistle of Othea to Hector, c. 1400]: one of the few extant works where the author supervised the illumination of his or her work is written in the style of a letter from the Goddess of Wisdom to a knight. The letter explains proper knightly behavior²⁹. (letter)

Epistres du Debat su le Roman de la Rose [Letters on the Debate Concerning the Romance of the Rose, 1401-1403]: In these letters to various leading humanists of her time, De Pizan attacks the work as immoral and misogynistic,³⁰ establishes herself as a spokeswoman for the dignity of all women, and initiated the three-century long debate on the status of women known as the Querelle des femmes³¹. (prose)

Livre des Fais et Bonnes Meurs du Sage Roy Charles V [The Book of the Deeds and Good Customs of the Wise King Charles V, 1404]: Biography of King Charles V of France³².

Le Livre de la Cite des Dames [The Book of the City of Ladies, 1405]: de Pizan's impassioned defense of women against misogynistic attacks by men which uses reason and logic and includes accounts of famous, important, and historic women.³³

Livre de Trois Vertus or Le Tresor de la Cite des Dames [The Book of Three Virtues or The Book of the Treasury of Ladies, 1405] sequel to The Book of the City of Ladies is a "detailed classification of women's roles in contemporary society."³⁴

Avision-Christine also L'Avision [Christine's Vision, 1405] her autobiography

Livre du Corps de Policie [The Book of the Body Politic, 1407]: companion volume for men of Livre de trois vertus written for the duke of Guienne³⁵

Sept Psaumes Allegorises³⁶ [Seven Allegorized Psalms, 1410]: seven penitential psalms followed by a prose meditation

Le Livre des Fais d'Armes et de Chevalerie [The Book of the Deeds of Arms and Chivalry, 1410]: simplification of Vegetius and Frontius on Roman military art³⁷

Livre de la Paix [The Book of Peace, 1414]: a book exhorting the dauphin, Louis, Duke of Guyenne to prudence³⁸

La Lamentation sur les Maux de la France [Lamentations on the Troubles of France]³⁹

L'Epitre de la Prison de Vie Humanie [The Epistle of the Prison of Human Life]:⁴⁰ a work designed to help solace women who lost husbands, sons, fathers, brothers and other kin at the Battle of Agincourt.

Heures de Contemplacion sur la Passion de Nostre Segneur [Hours of Contemplation of the Passion of Our Lord]⁴¹

La Livre de la Prod'hommie [The Book of Man's Integrity]⁴² Le Songe du Verger [The Dream of the Orchard]⁴³

      Many influential women of the next generation owned and read copies of de Pizan's work including Marguerite of Austria and Mary of Hungary, two future governors of the Netherlands of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V; Louise of Savoy, regent of France during the minority of Francis I; Anne of Brittany, twice queen of France, and Queen Leorna of Portugal⁴⁴

      The Book of the City of Ladies is an allegorical tale that was intended to address points raised in Boccaccio's De mulieribus claris [On Famous Women], the first book in western literature to talk about virtuous women. Unfortunately, Boccaccio only lists famous virtuous women of antiquity so that he can hold them up as abnormal specimens of womanhood. According to him, by following their religious principles, women of the Christian era act in ways contrary to nature and therefore disqualify themselves as true exemplars of womanhood.

      For the first time, womankind had a strong defender. Never again would all voices in defense of womankind be silent. Sometimes only a few voices would be heard but, even in the depths of the witch craze, womankind would have her defenders. De Pizan spoke about issues that resonate even today: lack of access to education for women, the disappointment women sometimes feel at the birth of a daughter, the accusation that women invite rape, the idea that women can be pretty and enjoy fine clothes without forfeiting their title to chastity, violence in marriage, drunken beatings, and spendthrift husbands. She explores the sources of women's oppression by discussing the reasons for men's misogyny with Lady Reason. She responds with reason and logic, using her devotion to Christianity as the basis of her feminism.

      Writing in the vernacular (a revolutionary act in itself), in Part 1, Christine and Lady Reason begin by discussing motives behind men's misogyny. Reason sets out to prove that many women have made important contributions to civilization by listing many famous women, mythological women, women of antiquity, and contemporary women, in the domains of law and governance, science, and philosophy. "A pattern is established here that will be repeated in following chapters where parallels are drawn between classical models and more recent examples of comparable virtues, for Christine is clearly unwilling to have feminine virtue relegated to a mythological past.⁴⁵"

      The foundation having been laid, in Part 2, Lady Rectitude takes over and cites many instances of women who had high morals such as filial piety, wifely devotion, integrity, and generosity. Using only the best building materials, Rectitude constructs the city, streets, shops, and other public and private spaces.⁴⁶

      The city now completed, Lady Justice now steps in to populate the city with the best of women, beginning with the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalean, and a long list of female saints and martyrs. After wearying of such a long list of deserving women, Justice breaks off and Christine finishes, rejoicing in the many fine women of history and warning women of men's snares.⁴⁷

      Male commentators on de Pizan claim that she merely rearranged what Boccaccio wrote. Read the opening section below to judge for yourself if her work was truly feminist and revolutionary in content.

      Here is an excerpt of her work, the Opening Sections I.1.1 - I.1.2

      "One day as I was sitting alone in my study surrounded by books on all kinds of subjects, devoting myself to literary studies, my usual habit, my mind dwelt at length on the weighty opinions of various authors whom I had studied for a long time. I looked up from my book, having decided to leave such subtle questions in peace and to relax by reading some small book. By chance a strange volume came into my hands, not one of my own, but one which had been given to me along with some others. When I held it open and saw its title page that it was by Matheolus, I smiled, for though I had never seen it before, I had often heard that like books it discussed respect for women. I thought I would browse through it to amuse myself. I had not been reading for very long when my good mother called me to refresh myself with some supper, for it was evening. Intending to look at it the next day, I put it down. The next morning, again seated in my study as was my habit, I remembered wanting to examine this book by Matheolus. I started to read it and went on for a little while. Because the subject seemed to me not very pleasant for people who do not enjoy lies, and of no use in developing virtue or manners, given its lack of integrity in diction and theme, and after browsing here and there and reading the end, I put it down in order to turn my attention to more elevated and useful study. But just the sight of this book, even though it was of no authority, made me wonder how it happened that so many different men - and learned men among them - have been and are so inclined to express both in speaking and in their treatises and writings so many wicked insults about women and their behavior. Not only one or two and not even just this Matheolus (for this book had a bad name anyways and was intended as a satire) but, more generally, from the treatises of all philosophers and poets and from all the orators - it would take too long to mention their names - it seems that they all speak from one and the same mouth. Thinking deeply about these matters, I began to examine my character and conduct as a natural woman and, similarly, I considered other women whose company I frequently kept, princesses, great ladies, women of the middle and lower classes, who had graciously told me of their most private and intimate thoughts, hoping that I could judge impartially and in good conscience whether the testimony of so many notable men could be true. To the best of my knowledge, no matter how long I confronted or dissected the problem, I could not see or realize how their claims could be true when compared to the natural behavior and character of women. Yet I still argued vehemently against women, saying that it would be impossible that so many famous men - such solemn scholars, possessed of such deep and great understanding, so clear-sighted in all things, as it seemed - could have spoken falsely on so many occasions that I could hardly find a book on morals where, even before I had read it in its entirety, I did not find several chapters or certain sections attacking women, no matter who the author was. This reason alone, in short, made me conclude that, although my intellect did not perceive my own great faults and, likewise, those of other women because of its simpleness and ignorance, it was however truly fitting that such was the case. And so I relied more on the judgment of others than on what I myself felt and knew. I was so transfixed in this line of thinking for such a long time that it seemed as if I were in a stupor. Like a gushing fountain, a series of authorities, whom I recalled one after another, came to mind, along with their opinions on this topic. And I finally decided that God formed a vile creature when He made woman, and I wondered how such a worthy artisan could have designed to make such an abominable work which, from what they say, is the vessel as well as the refuge and abode of every evil and vice. As I was thinking this, a great unhappiness and sadness welled up in my heart, for I detested myself and the entire feminine sex, as though we were monstrosities in nature and in my lament I spoke these words:
      "Oh, God, how can this be? For unless I stray from my faith, I must never doubt that your infinite wisdom and most perfect goodness ever created anything which was not good. Did You yourself not create woman in a very special way and since that time did You not give her all those inclinations which it please You for her to have? And how could it be that You could go wrong in anything? Yet look at all these accusations which have been judged, decided, and concluded against women. I do not know how to understand this repugnance. If it is so, fair Lord God, that in fact so many abominations abound in the female sex, for You Yourself say that the testimony of two or three witnesses lends credence, why shall I not doubt that this is true? Alas, God, why did You not let me be born in the world as a man, so that all my inclinations would be to serve You better, and so that I would not stray in anything and would be as perfect as a man is said to be? But since Your kindness has not been extended to me, then forgive my negligence in Your service, most fair Lord God, and may it not displease You, for the servant who receives fewer gifts from his lord is less obliged in his service.' I spoke these words to God in my lament and a great deal more for a very long time in sad reflections, and in my folly considered myself most unfortunate because God had made me inhabit a female body in this world." pp 3 - 5

      In Section I.3.3, Lady Reason addresses Christine's doubts:

      "There is another greater and even more special reason for our coming which you will learn from our speeches: in fact we have come to vanquish from the world the same error into which you had fallen, so that from now on, ladies and all valiant women may have a refuge and defense against the various assailants, those ladies who have been abandoned for so long, exposed like a field without a surrounding hedge, without finding a champion to afford them an adequate defense, notwithstanding those noble men who are required by order of law to protect them, who by negligence and apathy have allowed them to be mistreated. It is no wonder then that their jealous enemies, those outrageous villains who have assailed them with various weapons, have been victorious in a war in which women have had no defense. Where is there a city so strong which could not be taken immediately if no resistance were forthcoming, or the law case, no matter how unjust, which was not won through the obstinance of someone pleading without opposition? And the simple, noble ladies, following the example of suffering god commands, have cheerfully suffered the great attacks which, both in the spoken and the written word, have been wrongfully and sinfully perpetrated against women by men who all the while appealed to God for the right to do so. Now it is time for their just cause to be taken from Pharaoh's hands, and for this reason, we three ladies who you see here, moved by pity, have come to you to announce a particular edifice built like a city wall, strongly constructed and well founded, which has been predestined and established by our aid and counsel for you to build, where no one will reside except all ladies of fame and women worthy of praise, for the walls of the city will be closed to those women who lack virtue." pp. 10-11

      Sometimes, Ladies, I think feminists will win the battle of the sexes not only because men can not hear, they can not read. On the other hand, we can both hear and read. You see, we read their works and respond to them: they ignore our works and are left as babes in the woods when faced by our logic, logic developed by the finest feminist minds for centuries.

Footnotes:

1. Richards, p. xxv
2. Encarta, Christine de Pizan
3. Wilson, Med p. 339
4. Willard, p. 17
5. Willard p. 17
6. Willard, p. 18
7. Willard, p. 20
8. Willard, p. 30
9. Willard, p. 38
10. Lerner, Fem Con, p. 143
11. Lerner, Fem con, p. 143
12. Willard, p. 39 or not as good, Lerner, Fem Con, p. 143
13. Lerner, Fem con p. 143
14. Richards, p. xxii
15. Richards p., xxiii
16. Richards, p. xxiii
17. Wilson, Med p. 338
18. Wilson, Med p. 338
19. Richards, p. xxii, leave the words Virelyas and Rondeaux off of the title unless I can get more info on them These words may refer to a separate work.
20. Wilson, Med p. 336
21. Wilson, Med. p. 336, also also Richards xxii
22. Wilson, Med p. 337, discussion from Richards p. xxiii
23. discussion from Richards p. xxiii
24. Wilson, Med p. 337
25. Wilson, Med p. 337
26. Richards p. xxiv
27. Encarta, Christine de Pizan
28. Wilson, Med p. 339
29. Wilson, Med p. 336
30. Richards, p. xxiv
31. Lerner, Fem Con p. 144
32. Wilson, Med p. 338, different works spell fais as faites. I don't know which is correct
33. Willard in Wilson, Medieval . . . p. 336
34. Richards, p. xxv
35. Wilson, Med p. 338
36. Richards, p. xxvi
37. Wilson, Med p. 338-339, also Richards p. xxvi
38. Wilson, Med p. 339
39. Willard, p. 187
40. Wilson, Med p. 339
41. Wilson, Med p. 339
42. Willard p., 199
43. Willard, p. 124
44. Wilson, Med p. 340
45. Willard, p. 139
46. Willard, p. 140-141
47. Willard, p. 144-145
48. Richards, p. 6

References:

      The Creation of Feminist Consciousness: From the Middle Ages to Eighteen-seventy, Gerda Lerner, [Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1993]

      Book of the City of Ladies by Christine de Pizan, translated by Earl Jeffrey Richards, foreword by Marian Warner, Persea Press, 1994

      Christine de Pizan: Her Life and Works, A Biography by Charity Cannon Willard, Charity Cannon Willard [New York, Persea Press, 1984]

      Medieval Women Writers, Katharina M. Wilson [Athens, Ga., U. of Georgia Press, 1984]

More excerpts of some of her works

Christine de Pizan Society

Return to Women's History Month 1999 Table of Contents

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