The Book of the City of Ladies

Informationen zum Autor Christine de Pizan (c.1364-1430) was France's first professional woman of letters and the author of The Book of the City of Ladies . Klappentext A fascinating insight into the debates and controversies about the position of women in medieval culture, written by France's first professional woman of letters The pioneering Book of the City of Ladies begins when, feeling frustrated and miserable after reading a male writer's tirade against women, Christine de Pizan 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 Book of the City of Ladies provides positive images of women, ranging from warriors and inventors, scholars to prophetesses, and artists to saints. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. Zusammenfassung A fascinating insight into the debates and controversies about the position of women in medieval culture! written by France's first professional woman of letters The pioneering Book of the City of Ladies begins when! feeling frustrated and miserable after reading a male writer's tirade against women! Christine de Pizan has a dreamlike vision where three virtuesReason! Rectitude and Justiceappear 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 Book of the City of Ladies provides positive images of women! ranging from warriors and inventors! scholars to prophetesses! and artists to saints. For more than seventy years! Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1!700 titles! Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors! as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. Inhaltsverzeichnis Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Rosalind Brown-Grant Acknowledgments Introduction Translator's Note THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES Part One 1. Here begins the Book of the City of Ladies , the first chapter of which explains why and for what purpose the book was written. 2. Christine tells how three ladies appeared to her, and how the first of them spoke to her and comforted her in her distress. 3. Christine recounts how the lady who had spoken to her told her who she was, what her function and purpose was, and how she prophesied that Christine would bui...

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Christine de Pizan (c.1364-1430) was France's first professional woman of letters and the author of The Book of the City of Ladies.

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A fascinating insight into the debates and controversies about the position of women in medieval culture, written by France's first professional woman of letters

The pioneering Book of the City of Ladies begins when, feeling frustrated and miserable after reading a male writer's tirade against women, Christine de Pizan 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 Book of the City of Ladies provides positive images of women, ranging from warriors and inventors, scholars to prophetesses, and artists to saints.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Contenu
Translated with an Introduction and Notes by Rosalind Brown-Grant Acknowledgments
Introduction
Translator's Note
THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIESPart One

1. Here begins the Book of the City of Ladies, the first chapter of which explains why and for what purpose the book was written. 2. Christine tells how three ladies appeared to her, and how the first of them spoke to her and comforted her in her distress.3. Christine recounts how the lady who had spoken to her told her who she was, what her function and purpose was, and how she prophesied that Christine would build a city with the help of the three ladies.4. How, before the lady revealed her name, she spoke at greater length about the city which Christine was destined to build, and explained that she was entrusted with the task of helping her to construct the enclosure and external walls.5. Christine tells how the second lady gave her name, explained what her role was, and revealed how she would help Christine to lay out the buildings of the City of Ladies.6. Christine tells how the third lady revealed her name and outlined what her role was, then explained that she would help to finish off the high turrets of the towers and palaces and would bring Christine a queen for her city accompanied by a host of noble ladies.7. Christine tells how she replied to the three ladies.8. Christine explains how Reason instructed her and helped her to begin digging up the ground in order to lay the foundations.9. How Christine dug over the earth: in other words, the questions which she put to Reason and the answers she received from her.10. More questions and answers on this subject.11. Christine asks Reason why women aren't allowed in courts of law, and Reason's reply.12. About the Empress Nicaula.13. About a queen of France called Fredegunde, and other French queens and princesses.14. More discussion and debate between Christine and Reason.15. About Queen Semiramis.16. About the Amazons.17. About the Amazon queen, Thamiris.18. How the mighty Hercules and his companion Theseus came from Greece to attack the Amazons with a great army and fleet of ships, and how the two maidens Menalippe and Hippolyta brought them down, horses and all, in a big heap.19. About Queen Penthesilea and how she went to the rescue of the city of Troy.20. About Zenobia, Queen of Palmyria.21. About the noble Queen Artemisia.22. About …