The Renaissance time period that lasted from the 14th century through the 16th century in Italy was known as an age of cultural rebirth and gave way to the introduction to humanist thinking while Medieval Europe transformed to Early Modern Europe. Humanism beliefs were the values that emphasized the agency of a human and stressed rationalism over faith. Humanists of the Renaissance tended to have great power in society and were highly scrutinized for being too ambiguous in their beliefs by later historians. One of whom, Joan Kelly, hypothesized that women were not given fair opportunities to grow intellectually while men experienced revival and did not prosper. The famed life of renaissance woman, Beatrice d’Este disproves Kelly’s controversial theory. D’Este was born in 1475 into the House of Este, who had control of Ferrara, Italy from the 13th to the 16th century. D’Este’s life demonstrated that the education, wealth, and marriage to a powerful man that she had access to resulted in a period of personal growth as a patron and political figure similar to her renowned sister, Isabella d’Este, and male counterparts, such as her husband, Ludovico Sforza. While her political and social achievements in the Renaissance world give cause to refute Joan Kelly’s arguments, there were limitations to her triumphs; the accomplishments and powers of her family and husband provided constrained how she lived her life.
The House of Este’s dynasty began in the 13th century when Obizzo II became a lord to Ferrara. He overcame differences with the papacy and gained power, managed to keep leadership within the House and eventually, his ancestors expanded their control over the papacy by way of Pope Paul II. Beatrice d’Este’s father, Ercole...
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...with bias towards women. There are primary sources in the form of letters to and from Beatrice d’Este and family members.
Patterson Meyer, Edith. First lady of the Renaissance : a biography of Isabella d'Este. Boston: Little, Brown, 1970.
A biography of Isabella d’Este, Beatrice’s older sister. Her interactions with the Pope are described in detail. Also, Beatrice is described as vivacious, and her relationship with Isabella is described as a political entity that would serve both cities well. I will use that claim as support that family was second and politics were first as it was the family name that was most important. Also will help with my argument that the d’Este parents focused more on Isabella than Beatrice because Beatrice’s future was described as “troublesome” while Isabella’s was “happy”. Includes primary sources as letters, to Ludovico Sforza.
James, Edward, Janet James, and Paul Boyer. Notable American Women, 1607-1950. Volume III: P-Z. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971. Print.
MARY D. GARRARD, “Artemisia Gentileschi: The Image of the Female Hero in Italian Baroque Art”, Princeton, Princeton, University Press, 1989.
Beatrice met Ida of Nivelles at La Remee, a woman who assisted Beatrice in developing her own spiritual life (Straeten 2001). Around Christmas 1216, Ida announced she had received a message from the holy spirit that Beatrice would be lifted up by the Lord and chosen as his faithful spouse (Straeten 2001). However even though she waited, it didn’t happen. Instead it was later in January 1217 t...
...eristics of feminism but did not fully grasp them. They act as a perfect representation of women in the Middle Ages to Scholasticism period that went through social suppression by enlightening readers of the men’s misconduct against them. These two women started a movement that changed the course of history for humankind, even for being fictional and nonfictional pieces.
Isabella d’Este left behind not only the great works of art that she collected and commissioned during her lifetime but a treasure trove “amounting to upwards of two thousand letters, which have fortunately been preserved.” Through these letters, scholars learn what kind of woman Isabella was, and what she expected from her patronage. One such example of Isabella’s correspondence is the “chronicles of [her] efforts between 1496 and 1505 to obtain the Battle Between Virtue and Vice from Pietro Perugino.” The Marchesa undoubtly, one of the great art patrons of her time, she lived among the masters of Renaissance art.
The Renaissance has not ceased to be an age of discussion and debate among historians throughout the recent centuries. The vibrant nature of the era marks it as a most fascinating period of history. The Renaissance can be described as an age carrying the essence of “self-discovery and fulfillment, of recognition of human worth, and a dynamic outpouring of artistic activity.” This new world flourishing with art and creative optimism was also steeped in a spirit of “revolt of the Medievalists.” In an effort of “rebirth,” the previous culture of the Middle Ages was rejected, and even scorned. Foundational principles in all fields were overstepped, and old cultural norms were practically obsolete. It was an era whose humanistic philosophy greatly impacted the lens through which man viewed himself and the world.
I support Cusick's argument that Caccini was a proto-feminist who, through her works for the Medici court, supported the rights of women, specifically, through her first and most recognized opera, La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina. In this opera, which is recognized as the first opera composed by a woman, Caccini illustrates a feminist approach to her composition, and makes musical statements about gender that support and reflect the joint reign of Christine and her daughter-in-law, Archduchess Maria Magdalena of Austria. Not only are the characters in the opera portraying strong and capable women, but also the music composed for the characters demonstrates the differences between men and women through musical elements, such as the usage of sharps and flats. Because of works such as these, Caccini plays a major role for the female gender in the early seventeenth century.
Woodbridge, Linda. Women and the English Renaissance: Literature and the Nature of Womankind, 1540-1620. Urbana and Chicago: U of Illinois, 1986.
...eedom was found and cultural boundaries were not shattered, simply battered, the narrator’s path was much preferable to that of her sisters (those who conformed to cultural boundaries). Through this story we can see how oppression in certain cultures changes individuals differently, creates tension between those who do not wish to be subjugated and those doing the subjugating, and we see the integral opposition between the path of Catholicism and that of curandismo.
In William Shakespeare's short play Much Ado About Nothing, he focuses on the social standings and the roles of women in 16th Century Europe. The female protagonist of the play, Beatrice, understands the restrictions placed upon her by society and how these restrictions should limit her as a woman, but she inexorably escapes them by refusing to succumb to the unifying hand of marriage. Throughout the play, Shakespeare displays his profound respect for woman as independent individuals who are fully capable of making their own decisions and suffering their own consequences. Through the plot, he proposes the idea that women who deviate away from the passivity that society expects them to perform attain a more active role in the determination of their future. Contrary to the roles of women of the 16th Century, Shakespeare depiction of Beatrice's independence is symbolic of his stance on the progression and transformation of women's reputation in society.
Beatrice Joanna is a victim of her social structure with regards to her father Vermandero. This is because Beatrice Joanna has to marry Alonzo because was told by her father to do so. "How well were I now if there were none such name known as Piracquo, nor no such as the command of parents! I should be but too much blessed."(2.2.18-21). Beatrice had no choice in choosing her who she marries. Also even though she does not love Alonzo and does not want to marry him, she cannot say no. This is because as a daughter living under a patriarchal system, she must follow her father's wishes. Being the daughter of Vermandero restricts her from breaking free from the obligations and also the perceptions that go hand in hand with being the daughter of a high status man. Since fathers and children, husband and wives, and kings and subject modeled each other in the early modern system of patriarchal social hierarchy, Beatrice-Joanna's feigned obedience to her father positions her not only as an ideal daughter and wife but as an idea...
Italy, and specifically Florence, is said to have been the birthplace of humanistic thinking and the Renaissance for a variety of reasons. Geography, more ...
Cleough, James. The Medici: A Tale of Fifteen Generations. Robert Hale & Co., London, 1975.
"Famiglia De Medici: The Extraordinary Story Of The Family That Financed The Renaissance." Business Insider. 6 Dec. 2013. .
The Renaissance is the guidance of ideology for the Western European from the medieval society to the modern excessive cultural and ideological movements. Humanism is the core of thought. Humanism is a people-oriented rational thought, mainly concern about human and human nature. It includes human dignity, the value of the human being. The humanism was based on the ancient Greek and Roman literature study, advocate the basis of man’ dignity, think that a man can control his/her own destiny and confirm the value of human. As the rebirth of literature, scholars found out importance of thinking and the power of reason. Therefore, many significant literatures had written by scholars during the Renaissance. Pico della Mirandola and Niccolo Machiavelli were the two of the important humanists during the Renaissance. Pico della Mirandola wrote about the human dignity. His work “Oration On The Dignity Of Man” has brought a new view of belief and influenced the later scholars. Niccolo Machiavelli’s work “The Prince” pointed out the significant being as a king.