An Introduction to Christine de Pizan (New Perspectives on Medieval Literature: Authors and Traditions)

"An impressive book by an authoritative interpreter of Christine de Pizan, written with brilliance and wry humor."--Lori J. Walters, Harry F. Williams Professor of French, Florida State University

"An impressive piece of a nuanced and erudite account of Christine’s complete literary corpus skillfully set within its relevant textual, cultural, social, historical, political, and religious contexts. Margolis’s landmark contribution should become standard reading."--Susan J. Dudash, Fordham University

Christine de Pizan (1364/5-1430?) was, arguably, the first woman to support herself and her family as a professional writer and public intellectual. In recent decades, recognition of her importance for women’s studies, political thought, art history, and literary criticism has prompted a boom in "Christine studies." Despite this proliferation of scholarly output, no manageable introduction to this important figure has appeared in more than a generation.

Designed as an introduction for students as well as a convenient, one-volume resource for medievalists and specialists in related fields, this authoritative work is both concise and comprehensive. It includes a complete account of Christine de Pizan’s life and times, summaries and commentary on all of her many works, and analyses of her sources and influences. This exhaustive yet accessible book is an essential reference for anyone interested in Christine studies, women’s history, and late-medieval France.


Nadia Margolis , visiting professor in French and medieval studies at Mount Holyoke College, is coeditor of Women in the Middle Ages .

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