The Treasure of the City of Ladies: Or the Book of the Three Virtues (Penguin Classics) - Softcover

De Pizan, Christine

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140449507 ISBN 13: 9780140449501

Publisher: Penguin Classics, 2003

Synopsis

Written by Europe’s first professional woman writer, The Treasure of the City of Ladies offers advice and guidance to women of all ages and from all levels of medieval society, from royal courtiers to prostitutes. It paints an intricate picture of daily life in the courts and streets of fifteenth-century France and gives a fascinating glimpse into the practical considerations of running a household, dressing appropriately and maintaining a reputation in all circumstances. Christine de Pizan’s book provides a valuable counterbalance to male accounts of life in the middle ages and demonstrates, often with dry humour, how a woman’s position in society could be made less precarious by following the correct etiquette.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Christine de Pisan's writing is a valuable counterbalance to most of the rest of our evidence of medieval life which was written by men. She addresses all women, from those at the royal court to prostitutes, painting a vivid picture of their lives in fine detail-and often in a dryly amusing way. Her tone is moral, but also down to earth. A woman's position, as Christine herself knew, was hardly secure.

About the Author:

Christine de Pizan was Europe's first professional female writer.
Sarah Lawson is a renowned translator.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0140449507
• ISBN 13: 9780140449501
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240
• Editor: Lawson Sarah