The Book of the City of Ladies begins
with de Pizan’s reflection on the misogyny present in most of the scholarly
texts that she encounters. Her reflection on these texts creates an internal
conflict between what de Pizan understands from personal experience and what
the scholars are telling her. However, de Pizan’s later interaction with Lady
Reason helps her solve this conflict. The dialogue between de Pizan and Lady Reason
results in her reevaluation of preexisting social constructs that creates an intentional
structure in which women are equal to men in society.
The
dialogue between de Pizan and Lady Reason begins by establishing the intentionality
of women through references to God. Lady Reason describes the slander of women
as an “opposition to [Nature]; for in this world there is no greater and
stronger bond than that of the great love that Nature, by the will of God, forged
between man and woman”(127). As explicitly stated, higher powers intend the
relationship between men and women to be corporative and thus, slander is directly
oppositional to the wishes of God. Further
developing this idea, Lady Reason offers an interpretation of the creation
story. She explains that since God formed woman from one of Adam’s ribs, “she
should be at his side as a companion and not at his feet like a slave, and also
that he should love her as his own flesh” (132). Once again, an interpretation of
divine intention reinforces the idea of woman as an equal in the eyes of God.
This provides justification for the perceived differences in the conditions of
men and women explored as the conversation continues.
As the
dialogue continues, Lady Reason builds on the previously established
intentionality of woman through explanations of these differences, describing
how the perceived shortcomings of women are intentionally complimentary to the
strengths of men. Explanations of the perceived weaknesses of women are in relation
to men and extended through examples of extraordinary women. For example, Lady
Reason says that “women have more delicate bodies than men, weaker and less
able to do various things, so they have minds that are more open and sharper in
the cases where they apply themselves” (136). The story of Conificia, who went
to school with her brother, supports this assertion (137). In this case, the physicality
of men compliments the intellectual strength of women, and both qualities are
equally valuable.
By
establishing the intentionality of woman and explaining their qualities in relation
to men, de Pizan justifies the role that women have in society without accepting
their inferiority. Instead, this interpretation of social roles shows women to
be equally important in society.
I like that Kyra brings up de Pizan's treatment of women's role in society. It reminds me of de Beauvoir's statements regarding the contrived nature of Woman and how society falsely defines feminine capabilities. When de Pizan says that "if it were the custom to send little girls to school...they would learn just as perfectly and would understand the subtleties of the arts and sciences as boys do" (136, she indicates that the reality of Woman is separate from society's expectations.
ReplyDeleteKyra, I like that you talk about how woman is addressed in relation to men and how their place in society is defended by Lady Reason. One thing that stood out to me was when Lady Reason said, "'That person, male or female, who possess more virtue is the higher; neither the eminence nor the lowliness of people lies in their bodies according to their sex, but in their perfection of morals and virtues'"(132). This idea that value of morals and virtue transcends sex emphasizes the equality of women to men in society. Lady Reason is saying that women and men should be compared through this idea of morality rather than by their physical sex.
ReplyDeleteI find Kyra's point upon the role of women from Lady Reason to be very interesting. Lady Reason begins to go through several of the cases that Christine questions and seeks to understand about why women have been injustly assumed as the lower being. Though Lady Reason tells us this happens becasue society or human beings have corrupted this good that God has created, not that women possess bad or evil things. In the conversation between Lady Reason and Lady Christine, Lady Reason says "those who blame women out of jealousy are those wicked men who have seen and percieved many women of greater intelligence and nobler conduct than they themselves posess, and thus they are full of sorrow and disdain..." (129). She makes clear that women are not lower becasue of the female characteristics, but that men have oppressed the women into believing that they are bad, when in fact they are lacking in something. Since they are missing something, they want to bring this misery upon others as well. Also, as Kyra points out, these feminine characteristics are part of the woman and are all good things from God because of the different values each has. Lady Reason analyzies and explains in length about the difference between men and women and shows that they are equal. Such as Kyra and Marlee point out, the part where Lady Reason talks about Eve and Adam and their actual virtue must be in question-since they are equal beings made in the Image of God.
ReplyDeleteRelating to Kyra's discussion of the creation narrative - In regards to the creation narrative, Christine De Pizan also includes how women are made in the image of God (131). In saying this, she gives definition to what the image of God means. Instead of the physical body, De Pizan tells us that we are made in the image of God's soul. Since men and women are both made in God's image, we know that the physical body should be irrelevant in comparing the goodness of the sexes, because their souls are equally good.
ReplyDelete