All throughout history, women often were held to a different set of expectations from that of their male counterparts. This is something that is seen all over the world, during various time periods and in different societies. Renaissance Florence, is no different in this social aspect, because women were expected to do and act a certain way, so that they could hold their distinct place in society. There are three areas that are really important to a woman’s sphere during the Renaissance time period: The first being, her family’s status in society, to her her ability to bare children, and finally her chastity leading up to and during her future marriage. These are all aspects of a woman’s scope that are portrayed in the court case of Giovanni …show more content…
A family’s prestige and honor were very important during the early Italian republics. Certain classes of these societies were arranged to marry each other in hopes of building family alliances and raising a family’s reputation. This procedure takes place during the Renaissance period was nothing more than an arranged marital contract that was designed to interlock family ties and ensure social hierarchy. It was often looked down upon to marry outside of your class, which is one reason Lusanna contested that Giovanni was indeed married to her and not to Marietta (a woman from his same social prestige). Once her husband Andrea died, she needed someone else to take care of her. If not, she would have to return to one of her male relative’s house, as was the custom of women during this era. This means that aristocrats were expected to marry fellow aristocrats, merchants to merchants, artisans to artisans, and so on and so forth. This is seen very clearly throughout the court case of Giovanni and Lusanna. Giovanni della Casa came from a well to do family; which had many aristocratic ties. On the other hand, Lusanna’s family came from an artisan background, which was lower on the totem pole than Giovanni’s. Lusanna also needed her brother Antonio to plead her case to the pope in Rome and had to represent her in the court of …show more content…
This condition is expected of a woman as soon as she is wedded. The fact that Lusanna was barren made it very difficult for her to find a suitable husband during this time period. Hence why she tried to trap Giovanni into promising to wed her, if her husband passed away. During the trial it is noted that while she was married to Andrea, her first husband, she bore him no children. Perhaps this explains why Lusanna so desperately contested the collective ideals of her society and challenged that her marriage with Giovanni recognized by the court. Although she had other suitors interested in her, she was aging and needed someone to rely on to care for her in later life. Women during this time period lived at home with their families because they were not allowed to own property. Without the ability to have children, Lusanna’s place in the world would have taken a turn for the worse. A woman’s ability to have children and provide a man with male heirs is an ideal that this persistent all throughout history. Could it not be concluded that since she was barren and saw no hope for her future except in her marriage to Giovanni that she would want to appeal to the court that the marriage of Marietta and Giovanni was indeed invalid? This goes to show that Lusanna undeniably needed to press the issue that she and Giovanni were legally
In the book, Giovanni and Lusanna, by Gene Bucker, he discusses the scandalous actions of a Florentine woman taking a wealthy high status man to court over the legality of their marriage. Published in 1988, the book explains the legal action taken for and against Lusanna and Giovanni, the social affects placed on both persons throughout their trial, and the roles of both men and women during the time. From the long and complicated trial, it can be inferred that women’s places within Florentine society were limited compared to their male counterparts and that women’s affairs should remain in the home. In this paper, I will examine the legal and societal place of women in Florentine society during the Renaissance. Here, I will argue that women were the “merchandise” of humanity and their main objective was to produce sons.
Giovanni then refused to marry her in a public wedding because his social status would be greatly hurt to marry some one in the working class of Florence. This is another example of why today¹s society is so much different from how it was when they lived. Another strange thing about their society is the open humiliation that people were subjected to. It was said that Lusanna first husband was called a ³cuckold ³ to his face. People who were said to earn money in a dirty fashion often had blood or paint thrown on their steps.
Although it can be said that seeing as women had no rights during the time period, why not have them serve their husbands as a primary goal. Women usually were less educated, had restrictions on trades that they may practice and limited job opportunities. (S.V. Rosser, 2008 p23) They also were considered to be too young at the time of marriage to know what is best for them so their parents chose their suitor. In fact, one could say if the girl is too young to know what is best for he, should she marry at that age in the first place? Although work was not always strenuous for wives of wealthy suitors, they should have their own lives within the marriage like their husband and not have to constantly please them and have their own lives dictated to...
But in that time, all that mattered was who a person was and their connections. Giovanni was a young man from a family with much respect and power. Because of his family, Giovanni was held at upper class and had money, which meant he could have had any women he chose. Giovanni also had lots of connections to many people within the society. He believed that the upper classes will always the power no matter where or when a person lives. Lusanna, on the other hand had no power compared to Giovanni. Lusanna came from a not so wealthy family. Her father was am artisan, and worked very hard to have them survive. She was very beautiful and had many lovers before was arranged to a marriage. She married Andrea who later
In the traditional political history of Italy the people outside of the ruling class of the society were rarely studied. Only with the use of social history did the issues of class and gender begin to be debated by scholars. Numerous recent articles have done a great job of analysing particularly men of high status. In this paper I will look at the lower classes of Renaissance Florence. More specifically, I will center my focus on the lives of women during this era, how they were treated and viewed by people of other classes and how women were viewed and treated by men.
Calixta was not happy with her marriage. During the 19th century, marriage was more like a duty that must be done by all women. Women grew up
Women had a role in the forming of our country that many historians overlook. In the years leading to the revolution and after women were political activists. During the war, women took care of the home front. Some poor women followed the army and assisted to the troops. They acted as cooks, laundresses and nurses. There were even soldiers and spies that were women. After the revolution, women advocated for higher education. In the early 1800’s women aided in the increase of factories, and the changing of American society. Women in America were an important and active part of achieving independence and the framing of American life over the years.
Men saw marriage as a way to get rich; love didn’t even enter the equation. Padua is a rich area and therefore many suitors fled there in the hope of becoming wealthy. “I come to wive it wealthily in Padua,” says Petruchio. He asks outright, “Then tell me – if I get your daughter’s love, what dowry shall I have with her to wife?” (Page 37, act 2 scene 1, line 119-120) The husbands were given a dowry by the father of the daughter when they became married. Women didn’t have any say in who they chose to marry; instead the decision was given to the father. If a daughter was not married then they were looked shoddily upon within the society. In this era every woman was to be married otherwise they were frowned upon within the community. Further more without Katherina getting married, Bianca would also never marry. Within a family the eldest daughter must be married off first and in this play turned out to be a bonus. “Her father keeps from all access of suitors and will not promise her to any man until her elder sister first be wed.” This is the main an...
Often historical events leading up to the twentieth century are dominated by men and the role of women is seemingly non-existent outside of reproduction. When one thinks of notable and memorable names and events of the Revolution, men are the first to be mentioned. The American Revolution was mainly dominated by men including George Washington, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. There is no denying that men were vitally important to the American Revolution, but what were the women doing? Often overlooked, the women of the Revolution played a key role in the outcome of the nation. The women of the American Revolution, although not always recognized, were an influential society that assumed risky jobs like soldiers, as well as involvement
Women during the medieval period had certain role with their husbands, depending on his social status. The wives were placed into a class according to their husband’s line of work or social status (Time Traveler’s 54). This social status may be favorable, but not all wives were able to make it into the elite social status. Once the woman was committed, and married to her husband, she was totally controlled by her husband. Even though the wife was able to maintain the same social status of the husband, she lost a lot of rights after she married. Women during the medieval period not only lost a lot of their rights, but also became somewhat of a slave to the husband in many ways.
Throughout most of recorded history, women generally have endured significantly fewer career opportunities and choices, and even less legal rights, than that of men. The “weaker sex,” women were long considered naturally, both physically and mentally, inferior to men. Delicate and feeble minded, women were unable to perform any task that required muscular or intellectual development. This idea of women being inherently weaker, coupled with their natural biological role of the child bearer, resulted in the stereotype that “a woman’s place is in the home.” Therefore, wife and mother were the major social roles and significant professions assigned to women, and were the ways in which women identified and expressed themselves. However, women’s history has also seen many instances in which these ideas were challenged-where women (and some men) fought for, and to a large degree accomplished, a re-evaluation of traditional views of their role in society.
Nothing simply begins. Everything needs something else in order to develop and live continuously. Fire needs wood to burn, water needs heat to boil, and the women’s right movement needed abolition to begin the real fight. The women’s rights movement of the nineteenth century emerged out of abolition activism because it was not until after abolitionist groups formed and began fighting slavery that women began to realize they had no rights themselves and began their own fight.
Society in the early 17th century was very different from ours today; then, women were far below men in stature and respect - they had no rights, and husbands and other male family members treated them more like possessions than human beings. While most women accepted this, there were, as always, those who rebelled - the Duchess is one such rebel. She refuses to accept the rules of society, instead choosing her own path to follow?an unpredictable and dangerous path, as is eventually seen with her capture, torture and death at the hands of her own brothers. For example, in Act I, Scene II, no sooner have Ferdinand and the Cardinal warned her against remarrying, than she and Antonio are arranging to be married - a perfect example of her headstrong attitude. She is also remarkably open towards Antonio about the whole affair; indeed, it is her who moves their relationship onwards from light-hearted ?irting to marriage itself, when she gives her wedding ring to Antonio, saying:
Women in Ancient Rome did not have equal legal status as their husbands, fathers, or any other male figures in the society. Women are not allowed to make legal transactions without her husband’s or father’s consent. This showed how men were superior and controlled the money in the family. A woman was permanently attached to her birth family and her husband’s family, if she got married.
Throughout the 19th century, feminism played a huge role in society and women’s everyday lifestyle. Women had been living in a very restrictive society, and soon became tired of being told how they could and couldn’t live their lives. Soon, they all realized that they didn’t have to take it anymore, and as a whole they had enough power to make a change. That is when feminism started to change women’s roles in society. Before, women had little to no rights, while men, on the other hand, had all the rights. The feminist movement helped earn women the right to vote, but even then it wasn’t enough to get accepted into the workforce. They were given the strength to fight by the journey for equality and social justice. There has been known to be