Define christine de pizan bio

Christine de Pizan (also seen as de Pisan) (1364 – 1430) was a writer and analyst of the Medieval era, who strongly challenged the clerical misogyny and stereotypes that were prevalent in the male-dominated realm of the arts. Certain scholars have argued that she should be seen as an early feminist who efficiently used language to convey that women could play an important role within society. This characterization has been challenged by other critics who claim either that it is an anachronistic use of the word, or that her beliefs were not progressive enough to merit such a designation (Richards 1-2). Despite the criticisms of her work, Christine de Pisan awakened her readers to the equality of all peoples through her rhythmic poems and prose delineating the need for personal maturity and making a contribution to society.

De Pizan completed forty-one pieces during her thirty-year career (1399–1429). She earned her accolade as Europe’s first professional woman writer (Redfern 74). Her success stems from a wide range of innovative writing and rhetorical techniques that critically challenged renowned male writers such as Jean de Meun who, to Pizan’s dismay, incorporated misogynist beliefs within their literary works. In recent decades, de Pizan's work has been returned to prominence by the efforts of scholars such as Charity Cannon Willard and Earl Jeffrey Richards.

Life

Christine de Pisan was born in Venice. She was the daughter of Tommaso di Benvenuto da Pizzano (Thomas de Pizan), a physician, professor of astrology, and Councilor of the Republic of Venice. Following her birth, Thomas de Pizan accepted an appointment to the court of Charles V of France, as the King’s astrologer, alchemist, and physician. In this atmosphere, she was able to pursue her intellectual interests. She successfully educated herself by immersing herself in languages, the rediscovered classics, and humanism of the early Renaissance

Italian-born French author (1364 – c. 1430)

In this medieval Italian name, the name de Pizan is an indicator of birthplace, not a family name.

Christine de Pizan or Pisan (French:[kʁistindəpizɑ̃], Middle French:[krisˈtinədəpiˈzã]; born Cristina da Pizzano; September 1364 – c. 1430), was an Italian-born French court writer for King Charles VI of France and several French royal dukes, in both prose and poetry.

Christine de Pizan served as a court writer in medieval France after the death of her husband. Christine's patrons included dukes Louis I of Orleans, Philip the Bold of Burgundy, and his son John the Fearless. Considered to be some of the earliest feminist writings, her work includes novels, poetry, and biography, and she also penned literary, historical, philosophical, political, and religious reviews and analyses. Her best known works are The Book of the City of Ladies and The Treasure of the City of Ladies, both prose works written when she worked for John the Fearless of Burgundy. Her books of advice to princesses, princes, and knights remained in print until the 16th century.

Life

Early life and family (1364–1389)

Christine de Pizan was born in 1364 in the Republic of Venice, Italy. She was the daughter of Tommaso di Benvenuto da Pizzano. Her father became known as Thomas de Pizan, named for the family's origins in the village of Pizzano (currently part of the municipality of Monterenzio), southeast of Bologna. Her father worked as a physician, court astrologer and Councillor

Christine de Pizan was a French Renaissance writer who wrote some of the very first feminist pieces of literature. During the Renaissance, Christine de Pizan broke with the traditional roles assigned to women in several ways during a time when women had no legal rights and were considered a man's property. Because she was one of the few women of the time period that were educated, she was able to write. When she was unexpectedly left to support herself and her family on her own, she became the first woman in Europe to successfully make a living through writing. She wrote in many different genres and styles depending on her subject and patron. Eventually, she began to address the debate about women that was happening during her life through works like Letters to the God of Love (1399), The Take of the Rose (1402), and Letters on the Debate of the Romance of the Rose (1401-1403). Her writing finally culminated in her most famous book, The Book of the City of Ladies (1404-05) and its sequel Book of the Treasury of Ladies (1405).

Christine de Pizan's early life left her well prepared for the challenges that she would later face. Born in Italy, she moved to France at a young age when her father, Thomas de Pizan, became the astrologer of King Charles V. Her father assured it that she had the best education possible. She was married at the age of fifteen to Etienne de Castel. Though an arranged marriage, they were very happy together. Etienne was a nobleman and a scholar who encouraged Christine to continue her studies while they were married.

Soon after their marriage, tragedy struck Christine 's life. When Charles V died in 1380, her father lost his position at the court. he became ill and eventually died in 1385. She and her husband assumed the care for her family after this. Then, in 1389, Etienne suddenly took ill while he was abroad with Charles VI. Christine was left alone to support her mother and her three small children.

Despite wishing for

By Student Deanna Rodriguez

Biography

Christine de Pizan was the first professional woman writer in France. She was born in Venice around 1364. Shortly after her birth, in 1368, her family moved to Paris. Because of this, she’s often described as being a woman of two worlds. [1] She grew up surrounded by the French culture, but retained her Italian heritage through her familial ties. She was fluent in French, Italian, as well as some Latin, which she learned while her husband, Etienne de Castel, was the royal secretary to the court. [2] She was widowed at the age of 25, and left to fend for herself, her two children, daughter Marie, son Jean and an son who remains unnamed in records (as he likely died very early on) and her widowed mother and a niece. Almost all of her male family had left France and Christine had no relatives in Paris she could turn to him her time of distress.[3]

It was through her literacy and writing that she was able to turn her luck around and provide for her family. Her first literary contacts were “in the frivolous court, where writing poetry was one of the principle social accomplishments.”[4] Christine explained that her change of fortune after her husband’s death obligated her to “become a man” and take on a man’s responsibility. She explores this further in The Book of the Three Virtues by saying that widows must “be constant, strong, and wise… not crouching like a foolish woman in tears and sobs without any defense, like a poor dog who cowers in a corner when all others attack him.” [5] Pizan’s way of staying strong was through her writing, and it was because of her literary circles, where her poetry was being read and appreciated, that she met a noble Englishman, the Earl of Salisbury, who offered to take her son Jean into his household in England as a companion for his own son, securing his future as the earl was especially favored by Richard II’s court. Her daughter was given the opportunity to enter the royal Dom