Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Which of the three "books" in The City of Ladies do you find the most convincing? Why?
- What are the names of the three magical women who help Christine build the City of Ladies? Why do you think Christine chose these names? What do they add to her overall arguments?
- What is Christine doing in the opening lines of this book? What does it tell us about her?
- What kinds of strategies does Christine use to convince us of her arguments? Are they effective? Use examples from the text to support your answer.
- According to Christine, what are some examples of the accusations that men have made against women throughout history? Does she consider any of them valid?
- According to Lady Reason, why do many men criticize women so much? What personal baggage do they bring to the issue? Please support your answer with evidence from the text.
- Do you think the City of Ladies is a symbolic place in Christine's mind, or a physical place that she actually creates? Why?
- How is Christine able to "populate" her city with women from many different historical periods? What does it tell us about the "city" she's building?