Scan barcode
syrmiana's review against another edition
3.0
Slightly surprising to read. I read in this in class, and though it shouldn’t be considered a feminist text, it’s definitely a step in its direction (and an eye-opener to those who constantly calumniated the female)
buud_w0rm's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
This was a great look at early, early, eaaarly feminist literature. Christine’s goal is to refute the popular and rampant misogynistic ideas of women at the time and also give hope to her female audience through the stories of iconic women in history. I enjoyed many of the stories, my fave probably being the Amazon’s. However towards the middle and end it got very repetitive and ladled with religious superiority. A person can only take so many torture stories and glorification of virginal martyrs.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Misogyny
Moderate: Rape, Religious bigotry, and Torture
Minor: Racism, Antisemitism, and Child death
cluttered_bookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
*3,5 stars.
It's very interesting to read a feminist work from the 15th Century. Feminism sure has come a long way, but that doesn't make this work any less interesting or important.
It's very interesting to read a feminist work from the 15th Century. Feminism sure has come a long way, but that doesn't make this work any less interesting or important.
readingatthemuseum's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
ninamanon's review against another edition
It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy this book; it just got really repetitive after a while, so much so that it felt like I was reading an outdated encyclopedia. But it was very interesting to read about women in history from the perspective of a medieval woman, and I’m glad I did read a part of this book.
rebcamuse's review against another edition
4.0
Christine de Pizan, writing in the year 1405, writes a treatise on feminist equality by way of a dialogue with personifications of Reason, Rectitude and Justice. These three "sisters" help Christine to edify and fortify her "City of Ladies" wherein women are able to celebrate their full potential, unhindered by the malevolent misogyny so prevalent to the time.
While Reason, Rectitude and Justice rattle off a laundry list of historical female exemplars, the real value of the treatise lies with Christine herself. While the Christine in the book plays the part of the virtuous, but naive, young woman, the subtext makes clear that Christine de Pizan is an intellectual force with which to be reckoned. She demonstrates a knowledge of literature, philosophy, and rhetoric that was inaccessible to many women of the time. If her argument fails in any sense, it is only in that she fails to address how women might rise above their station.
And while Christine focuses on negating the misogynistic assertions of other writers, her own feminist thought has its limits. She admits, through [b:the voice of Reason|1978|The Voice of Reason Essays in Objectivist Thought (The Ayn Rand Library, Vol V)|Ayn Rand|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1159410932s/1978.jpg|6056], that it would "not be right for [women:] to abandon their customary modesty and to go about bringing cases before a court." It is, however, necessary for Christine to abandon her own modesty, which she does in several instances, particularly through self-referencing her earlier related works. The dialogue style enables her to do this without too much self-aggrandizement.
While none of the ideas contained within The City of Ladies will shock the 21st century western mind, the larger lesson on the power of the word is invaluable.
While Reason, Rectitude and Justice rattle off a laundry list of historical female exemplars, the real value of the treatise lies with Christine herself. While the Christine in the book plays the part of the virtuous, but naive, young woman, the subtext makes clear that Christine de Pizan is an intellectual force with which to be reckoned. She demonstrates a knowledge of literature, philosophy, and rhetoric that was inaccessible to many women of the time. If her argument fails in any sense, it is only in that she fails to address how women might rise above their station.
And while Christine focuses on negating the misogynistic assertions of other writers, her own feminist thought has its limits. She admits, through [b:the voice of Reason|1978|The Voice of Reason Essays in Objectivist Thought (The Ayn Rand Library, Vol V)|Ayn Rand|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1159410932s/1978.jpg|6056], that it would "not be right for [women:] to abandon their customary modesty and to go about bringing cases before a court." It is, however, necessary for Christine to abandon her own modesty, which she does in several instances, particularly through self-referencing her earlier related works. The dialogue style enables her to do this without too much self-aggrandizement.
While none of the ideas contained within The City of Ladies will shock the 21st century western mind, the larger lesson on the power of the word is invaluable.
abarbaramf's review against another edition
3.0
3,5. mulheres fizeram coisas, e nem todas foram devassas. moralidade, moralidade. interessante pela data de publicação.
dee9401's review
3.0
An interesting read that I was turned on to by a BBC 4 In Our Time podcast, which showed that there were strong woman’s voices present in the literature in the early 15th century. Why I never heard of Christine de Pizan before is a personal and structural embarrassment. Perhaps because there was a little proto-feminism in her writing, although tempered by the times social and religious strictures? Regardless, a work worth reading and keeping on your shelf for future reference. And, I must add, a great introduction and translation from Middle French by Rosalind Brown-Grant.
While laden with christian arrogance and some antisemitism, the book highlights many women throughout history, mythology and fiction who stand in stark contrast to the dominant male views of woman as weak, unintelligent, subversive, evil, cunning, shallow, etc. This book will serve as a great reference when encountering women in myth, fiction and history to see a different point of view of them. You will come across the Greek gods, Penelope and Odysseus, Achilles, Hektor, Dido, Aeneas, Ovid, Sappho (though sanitized and hetero-normalized), and many others.
While laden with christian arrogance and some antisemitism, the book highlights many women throughout history, mythology and fiction who stand in stark contrast to the dominant male views of woman as weak, unintelligent, subversive, evil, cunning, shallow, etc. This book will serve as a great reference when encountering women in myth, fiction and history to see a different point of view of them. You will come across the Greek gods, Penelope and Odysseus, Achilles, Hektor, Dido, Aeneas, Ovid, Sappho (though sanitized and hetero-normalized), and many others.