In Christine de Pizan's time, many male writers accused women of being superficial and totally incapable of love. Does that sound familiar? Maybe shades of Nice Guy Syndrome?
Luckily Christine de Pizan is able to refute this claim in The Book of the City of Ladies, with a few (well, okay, a lot of) examples from Lady Reason, Lady Rectitude, and Lady Justice.
Whether it's a love for one's husband or one's God, love is something that women are more than capable of, states de Pizan. History and literature show women's ability to love, and Christine proves once and for all that Nice Guys—not to be confused with nice guys—finish last.
Questions About Love
- What's more important for Christine de Pizan, a love for one's husband or for God? Why?
- Why is Christine de Pizan so sure that God loves women just as much as men? How does the story of Eve play into this argument?
- What is Christine de Pizan's greatest love in this book? Why? Support your answer with evidence from the book.
Chew on This
In The Book of the City of Ladies, we learn that criticism of women usually comes from bitter men whose love has been rejected by women.
In The Book of the City of Ladies, we find that the reason women aren't loving is because they live in a society that keeps telling them they can't do things as well as men.