Christine de Pizan Biography Essay Example For Students

Christine de Pizan Biography Essay An unlikely candidate to dispute the unfair, misogynistic treatment of women by men and society, Christine de Pizan successfully challenged the accepted negative views that were being expressed about women by the all-male literary world of her era. Part of Christines uniqueness stems from the time in which she lived, the middle to late 1300s. The lack of a positive female role model to pattern herself after made Christine a true visionary in the fight for the equal rights of women. Her original ideas and insight provided a new and more intelligent way to view females. Pizans work, The Book of the City of Ladies, provided women much needed guidance in how to survive without the support of a man. Born in Venice around 1364, Christine was the first professional woman writer in Europe. Her father, Thomas of Pizan, was a famous astrologer and physician who took Christine as an infant to France. His fame as an astrologer allowed him to be appointed to the court of the French King Charles V Kosinski xi. Depending on her father for the majority of her education, Christines great love as a child was learning; however, Christines mother felt that educating Christine was inappropriate, which led to a premature halt in her instruction. Kosinski xi. Christines accomplishments and her mothers views that ladies should not be educated Kosinski xi show the contrast between mother and daughter. Although she is said to have described her education asnothing but picking up the crumbs of learning that fell from her fathers table Kosinski 299, Christines writing is filled with allusions toclassical authors, church fathers, poets, and historical writers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" -revealing intellect greater than table scraps Kosinski 299. At the age of fifteen, Christine married Etienne de Castel, a notary and secretary of the royal court Kosinski xi. Just as her writing reflected her uniqueness, so did her marriage which was evidently a love match, something remarkable in the medieval days of arranged marriages Kosinski xi. Christine spoke of a loving relationship by describing her marriage to Etienne as, a sweet thing and her husband as kind and considerate on their wedding night Kosinski xi . Christines family relied on the charity of Charles V for their livelihood; therefore, his death in 1380 proved detrimental to Christine and her family. The successor to the throne, King Charles VI, was not as generous toward the Pizan family, and both Christines father and husband lost most of their pay. Between 1384 and 1389, Thomas de Pizan died leaving little inheritance for his young daughter Kosinski xi. Christine was left to depend entirely on her husband for financial security. Christine and her husband would have three children together before his death due to a 1389 epidemic Leon 214. At the age of 25, Christine was a widow with three small children and her mother to support Kosinski xii. Christine describes this period of her life as a time when she was forced to become a man, as she began to seek out patrons for her writing Kosinski xii. Although Christine was obviously a brilliant and talented writer, necessity was her true inspiration, as she literally had to write in order to feed her family. Christines first literary endeavors were the highly demanded love poems of the 14th century, as well as devotional texts that emphasized her strong Christian faith Kosinski xii. However, it is Christines literary work The Book of the City of Ladies, that is most intriguing to contemporary readers. Christine was the first woman writer to possess the ability to identify and address the issues of misogyny in the literature of her time, as well as society Kosinski xii. This characteristic made her a champion of the feminist movement that was yet to come. The Rise of Gladiatorial Combat EssayThe fact that Pizan chose to use these three women to bring forth comfort and wisdom is symbolic of the importance of women. She could have had God speak directly to Christine in a masculine voice, like the voice that spoke to Moses and Abraham. However, Pizan uses the three wise and angelic women to strengthen her defense of women. Another strategy Pizan uses to emphasize the moral strengths of women is by alluding to powerful, mythological women throughout her text. She writes of Thisbes love for Pyramus in Ovids tale Metamorphoses,of Medeas love for Jason, and of Heros love for Leander. She cites these women as examples of faithful and undying love by women, therefore, refuting the statement made by men that, . . . so few women are faithful in their love lives de Pizan 186. By using these women as examples, women who have been immortalized by the writings of men, she again benefits from men,s contradictions. Men were saying how unfaithful and frivolous women were with their hearts, yet they depicted many women throughout literature who, . . . persevered in their love until death. . . de Pizan 188. Not only did Pizan allude to mythological women who were faithful in love, she also mentions a city governed by powerful queens, very noble ladies whom they elected themselves, who governed them will and maintained their dominion with great strength de Pizan 11. This example of powerful women portrays them in a masculine role à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"-as leaders and successful rulers. Pizan uses this example to foreshadow the building of the City of Ladies that Christine has bee n chosen by God to construct. By giving an example of a successful and strong dominion run by women, Pizan makes this idea of a city of women a more believable concept. Christine de Pizan was an extroidanary woman who has yet to be fully discovered. The wit and wisdom found within The Book of the City of Ladies eclipses some contemporary literature that defends the rights of women. Although Pizans writing was done for practical reasons, survival, her work revealed a vision that women are still striving to accomplish today -à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" equality in all things.