The Mistreatment Of Women In The Courtier By Christine De Pizan
The Renaissance was a period in Europe when citizens became interested in the classical learning and ethics of ancient Greece and Rome. There were many accomplishments, such as the creation of new technologies, the discovery and exploration of new continents around the world, and the study of philosophy, literature, and art. However, there was one aspect of the Renaissance that some objected to, and that was the mistreatment of women in all classes. One person whom spoke out against the exploitation of women was Christine de Pizan. Through her books, she conveyed how women are much more than property, but in one book in particular, she focused more on how women can successfully manage their husbands. The basic concepts in the book were how
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Women were forbidden from casting their opinions in topics, were looked down upon by men, and weren’t allowed to be independent. Women were also declined from all political rights and were legally labeled as property to their husbands. Every wife, no matter what class she was in, was expected to perform all duties designated to a housewife as well. The wives of shop owners or merchants usually assisted their husbands’ businesses, while women in higher classes were forced to partake in household jobs like cooking, sewing, and entertainment. The idea of how women should be treated stemmed from the novel, “The Courtier” by Castiglione. Castiglione explained that women should acquire education, have a proper, charismatic attitude, and remain faithful and submissive towards their husbands, even when they pursued relations outside their marriage. Another popular advocator of this idea was the church because in the Bible, Eve was the one to trigger the original sin and man’s Fall, thus sentencing every woman to the pain of childbirth and the labor of motherhood. Eve was viewed as a weak, voluptuary, and untrustworthy woman, which reflected as a stereotype among all women and caused them to become insignificant and subservient to men. Humanist scholar, Marsilio Ficino, agreed with label, implying that women should be used like “chamber pots,” hidden away once a man has “pissed in
Women were forbidden from casting their opinions in topics, were looked down upon by men, and weren’t allowed to be independent. Women were also declined from all political rights and were legally labeled as property to their husbands. Every wife, no matter what class she was in, was expected to perform all duties designated to a housewife as well. The wives of shop owners or merchants usually assisted their husbands’ businesses, while women in higher classes were forced to partake in household jobs like cooking, sewing, and entertainment. The idea of how women should be treated stemmed from the novel, “The Courtier” by Castiglione. Castiglione explained that women should acquire education, have a proper, charismatic attitude, and remain faithful and submissive towards their husbands, even when they pursued relations outside their marriage. Another popular advocator of this idea was the church because in the Bible, Eve was the one to trigger the original sin and man’s Fall, thus sentencing every woman to the pain of childbirth and the labor of motherhood. Eve was viewed as a weak, voluptuary, and untrustworthy woman, which reflected as a stereotype among all women and caused them to become insignificant and subservient to men. Humanist scholar, Marsilio Ficino, agreed with label, implying that women should be used like “chamber pots,” hidden away once a man has “pissed in