The Book of the City of Ladies Essay Questions

Is the text an example of early feminist writing?

The text may be viewed as an early example of feminist writing based on the themes that are featured in the narrative. The novel, despite having been written during the 1400s, tackles forward-thinking and controversial themes for the era: a woman’s value, equality vis-a-vis the right to rule, and access to education. A central theme in the novel is an outcry for equality stating that women are equally capable of holding positions of leadership. The author is also a staunch supporter of female leadership as being equal in effectiveness to male rule, citing historical queens that have ruled and widows who have done well despite the lack of male leadership. She also alludes to the fact that the women of her day were expected to run their households effectively, and this serves as her compelling thesis that women were more than adequately suited to lead a nation.

What is the significance of the book's title?

The title of the book is a direct reference to the goal of the central character, that is, to create a city that is for ladies. The word “ladies” is used in the context of “women of noble character and carriage” and not just women in general. This distinction is made as the book was written during a time when strong class distinctions were integral to society. Christine de Pizan, coming from the socio-economic upper echelon of medieval France, writes from the perspective of a woman who wishes to see virtue rewarded and protected.

What do the Amazonian women symbolize in the text?

The mythical all-female warrior civilization is used by the author as a model for the all-female city that she creates. This is unsurprising as she alludes to the Amazons in the beginning of the novel, with no small sense of awe, stating how they were able to convene together and lead their society successfully without any male presence. She even mentions how they were so committed to the objective of nation-building that they were willing to mutilate themselves to achieve their vision: Amazon warriors surgically removed and cauterized their left breast so they could carry a shield more effectively. The removal of a single breast is a symbolic act of commitment to a cause, effectively saying that they were willing to sacrifice a piece of their own body in the defense of their way of life. In that regard the Amazons symbolize a profound dedication to the goal of female power and female unity.

Why do most critics interpret the text as a response to La Roman de la Rose?

The Book of the City of Ladies is often considered Christine de Pizan's formal response to Jean de Meun's La Roman de la Rose, a chivalric poem in old French that also uses allegory to convey its dream vision of society. The text (translated as The Romance of the Rose) attempts to explain the art of courtly love. However, it was – even in its own time – criticized for forwarding misogynistic ideas and for its controversial use of sensual imagery. Because of the poem's popularity, many see The Book of the City of Ladies as a literary refutation of some of the more problematic ideas expressed in the poem, which often portrays women as weak and duplicitous.

Why does de Pizan include herself as the narrator of the text?

It might be surprising to see that Christine de Pizan makes herself the narrator of what was then a radical argument for women's rights. But it is important to note the capacity in which de Pizan appears: at the beginning of the book, de Pizan is beside herself with grief after reading from Matholeus's Lamentations, where she learns that women are evil and superficial. That Christine is then "educated" by the Ladies Reason, Rectitude, and Justice is significant because it places the argument for women's worth in the mouths of Christian virtues rather than in that of the author herself. In many ways, de Pizan portrays herself as an innocent interlocutor and vehicle through which this proto-feminist message can be heard.