1. Women During the Renaissance
Thesis #5
Evaluate the changes and continuities in women’s roles during the Renaissance.

2. What were the middle ages like for women?
Medieval
Women had a place in economics
Local Cottage industries
Family Businesses
Economic shift during renaissance
Production quicker
Result: less need for women workers
Women unemployed, paid less
Options: nun, work (difficult) or marry

3. Women and Work Identity: marriage and domestic virtues Work:
Economic activity
centered around the family
Work:
Worked in a variety of businesses
Wealthy Women
Excluded from public activity/work

4. Culture and Sexuality DECLINE RAPE DOUBLE STANDARD
Status in love, romance and sex
RAPE
Punishment was very light
DOUBLE STANDARD
Women were to be faithful, men need not be

5. Is that a Renaissance way of thinking?
Humanist Schools
Few female students..
studied the classics
some history
dance, sing, play the lute, and appreciate poetry.
NO math
It was thought that religion and morals should be foremost in the education of “Christian ladies,”
Why?
good mothers and wives.
Is that a Renaissance way of thinking?
Does humanism include women?

6. The Renaissance figures as an era of declining status for women.
Wealthy?
Women were inactive and enclosed
woman’s role in business disappeared
Why?
Change in financial structure of family
Increase in industry
Italy more restrictive
Greater economic change (rich and poor, no middle)

7. Read Excerpt (PAGE 325) The Treasure of the City of Ladies
Woman’s survival manual
Gives advice to the wives of artisans
How does Christine de Pisan’s image of husband and wife compare with other medieval views?
What would the church say?
Does her high social standing influence her advice?
Would the advice be the same for her own social class?

8. 3 Views of a women The “Lady” The Evil Temptress Wife
noble, spiritual, above corruption, ennobles the man.
The Evil Temptress
dangerous, a creature of the flesh, can corrupt the man as much as the lady can ennoble him.
Wife
runs the household and bears children. Essentially sexless except for reproduction.