Analysis of the Writings of a Disillusioned Princess Elisabeth Charlotte was a German Princess of the state Palatine forced into a marriage with the King of France Louis XIV’s brother. She was required to leave all she had known, change her religious beliefs, tolerate a husband with homosexual tendencies, watch her children become pawns in martial amusements, and endure silently while her home country was at war with France. Elisabeth Charlotte’s letters to relatives in the Palatinate evidently shows her discontent at being in France, opens a window into the private life of a royal at the court of King Louis XIV, and describes roughly the early modern life had during this time period. There are a total of nine partial letters present in ‘The Princess Palatine on Royal Court’. Through the last 7 letters, which provide an outlook on Elisabeth Charlotte’s life from April 20th 1676 to January 10th 1692, the overall theme present is sadness. She states, “All of this would be delightful and most entertaining if one came to this apartment with a happy heart…” (74) From the years 1676 to 1692 she watched her oldest child …show more content…
Right from the start her letters state that she was constantly busy with entertaining others due to her Duchess position, even if she didn’t want to. Her dislike of her new status can be seen written, “So, Your Grace can imagine how much time I have had to myself. But henceforth I shall be more assiduous.” (72) From her perspective court was an amazing sight to see with so much going on but it also had its downside. Court was infuriating due to events such as marital games involving children, gossip among the women, men trying to constantly influence the King, and endless gatherings to show off ones status. The personal and court life of a public royal figure was not as glorious as one may
Steven Ozment examines the marriage between a sixteenth century German merchant and his wife. The publication illustrates the adversities of a long distance marriage, the Black Plague that passed through Germany, the passing of little Balthasar, their only child, as well as the trade of business that assists the binding of the two and their union together. Magdalena and Balthasar write letters back and forth to one another in an attempt to keep each other sane. The disposition of their marriage held a robust love for one another. Their letters were exchanged during the time of Balthasar's business travels. The numerous amount of diverse emotions, misfortunes, and affection that Magdalena and Balthasar exuded within their relationship embodied who they were as a couple.
The achievements and expertise of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Hildegard of Bingen were similar in that both contributed to literature. Although Eleanor of Aquitaine was often up to her knees in political affairs, nevertheless found time to cultivate the arts and patronize literature (Lindenmuth, 2005, p.1). At the royal court at Poitiers, she dedicated much of her money toward the patronage of all kinds of rising artists in all areas, but she’s best known for promoting the troubadours and romance writers (Lindenmuth, 2005, p.1). Eleanor herself greatly contributed to the rules of courtly love (Au, p.1), whose key features became humility, courtesy, and adultery (Delahoyde, Courtly Love, p.1), but her main contributions to literature were indirect.
Gluckel of Hamlin, was not just a regular housewife, thought to be like other women in the 17th century, but she was also a business women, who showed that not only men controlled the economy. She was born in to a Jewish family in Hamburg, Germany in 1646. Due to religious persecution her family moved to Hamlin, Germany. She was betrothed at age twelve to Hayyim Hamel and was married at age 14. Gluckel gave birth to fourteen children, two of whom, a two-week old infant son and a three-year old daughter, died prematurely. Gluckel was an active partner in her husband’s business, which consisted of trading jewelry and stones and giving out loans and t...
Janet Lewis, the author of The Wife of Martin Guerre, illustrates what family dynamics were like in the sixteenth century, “…for the extend of his father’s lifetime Martin would legally remain a minor” whereas, women’s identity and importance were only known through their husbands. However, within this novel Bertrande de Rols, wife of Martin Guerre, is known as herself; this is to express that the novel was written according to her experience as the wife of Martin Guerre. Even though, it wasn’t acceptable for women to go forward with such accusations, Bertrande de Rols did the right thing pursuing Arnaud as an impostor because she knew he was not her husband despite what everyone else said. After all, she knew Martin best.
The reading depicted the surprising visit of King Louis XIV, together with six hundred nobles and thousands of court servants at Chantilly in 1671. The host Prince de Condé and his most trusted headwaiter Francois Vatel was given fifteen days to be prepared for the arrival of the gigantic royal party. A spontaneous event of mis-arrangements during the preparation has gradually built up the stresses on Vatel which ultimately broke down his stress threshold and led to his tragic ending. Madame de Sévigné who was a talented letter writer in 17th century decided wrote down the tragic story of a courtier in her letter, even though she was never there to see it in person.
Naivety as well as the longing to fit into society with a loving man and stable, well-to-do peasant family deceived an honorable woman. Bertrande de Rols’ young marriage had difficulties from the start. With the guidance from family, the Catholic Church and Basque customs, Bertrande attempted to follow the sixteenth-century expectations for women, but was misled by her own fear, loneliness and catastrophic past.
“The Buergermeister’s Daughter” is a book written by Steven Ozment about the life of a family that entered a path of public gossip and yearlong court hearings in the early 16th century in Hall, Germany. Anna Bueschler is the daughter of Hermann Bueschler, a powerful councilman and the city’s mayor. His family has invested in real estate and selling wine which made him the richest man in town and he owned the grandest house on the market square (Ozment, 8). Due to his success his family was viewed as a role model, someone to look up to. But often Anna did not act how she should have based on their family’s reputation. Witnesses thought Anna dressed immodesty and beyond what was proper. She liked fine jewelry and loved to call attention on her. People recalled a custom-made be...
She tried very hard to be perceived as courtly and dainty, something she was not. “To counterfeit a courtly kind of grace” (Chaucer, “Prologue” 143). Chaucer was quick to realize that everything the Nun did was an act to seem courtly. She was obsessed with the courteous world and romance. She spoke French to try to seem well-educated but the French she spoke was incorrect. “And she spoke daintily in French, extremely, / After the school of Stratford-atte-Bowe; /French in the Paris style she did not know. /” (Chaucer “Prologue” 128-30). She tries speaking French which is known to be one of the world’s most romantic languages at the time but, she ends up making a fool of herself because she is doing it incorrectly. Chaucer also describes her as having remarkable table manners but also makes sure to inform the reader that it is all self-taught because, she does not come from a courtly world. “Of table manners she had learnt it all,” (Chaucer “Prologue”127). Chaucer also leaves out a description of how she interacts with people on purpose instead shows how she interacts with
The tale of Sleeping Beauty is influenced by oral folklore and various written versions. Today fairytales are told as a domain for the entertainment and teachings of children. In traditional storytelling, peasants transmitted folklore orally around campfires to audiences of mixed ages. However, during the 17th century, peasant tales, such as Sleeping Beauty, were altered by writers like Charles Perrault’s, to appeal to the courts of aristocracy. Thus the characters of Sleeping Beauty adorned a courtly air to appeal to the crown, such as Louis XIV of France. Throughout history, various cultural influences transformed the tale of Sleeping Beauty through the manipulation of various social forces to achieve better entertainment purposes and reflect Christian beliefs and customs. In addition, the moral of the tale conveys a message that women remain passive in hope to marry her true lov...
During the Middle Ages, Courtly love was a code which prescribed the conduct between a lady and her lover (Britannica). The relationship of courtly love was very much like the feudal relationship between a knight and his liege. The lover serves his beloved, in the manner a servant would. He owes his devotion and allegiance to her, and she inspires him to perform noble acts of valor (Schwartz). Capellanus writes, in The Art of Courtly Love, “A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved”. The stories of Marie de France and Chrétien de Troyes illustrate the conventions of courtly love.
The story begins with the Marquise de Merteuil corresponding with Vicomte de Valmont regarding a luscious new act of ‘revenge’, as she describes it, against the Comte de Gercourt. The young Cecile de Volanges has just come home from the convent and her marriage to Gercourt has been arranged. However, before he can wed the innocent child, Merteuil proposes Valmont ‘educate’ her, thus spoiling Gercourt’s fancy for untarnished convent girls. Valmont is uninterested in such an easy seduction and is far more aroused by the thought of lulling The Presidente’ de Tourvel, the very epitome of virtue, into submission. And so the tale unfolds.
In the article, “Madame de Pompadour and the Theaters of Power,” author Thomas E. Kaiser examines how Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson rose to become Madame de Pompadour, a very influential mistress to the King of France. Her rise was seen in both positive and negative lights, with her acquisition of power being questioned from those within the royal family and the public1. The life of a mistress was never an easy one, but Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson rose to the daunting task and succeeded where most had failed. Thomas E. Kaiser goes on to explain how Madame de Pompadour was viewed in court and society, how she influenced the King, King Louis XV, and how she was able to succeed in her own right, advancing further than most thought possible for a woman during that time.
The Speaker in ‘My Last Duchess’ is conversing with the servant of a count whose daughter he is proposing to marry. He treats t...
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” is written in an entertaining and adventurous spirit, but serves a higher purpose by illustrating the century’s view of courtly love. Hundreds, if not thousands, of other pieces of literature written in the same century prevail to commemorate the coupling of breathtaking princesses with lionhearted knights after going through unimaginable adventures, but only a slight few examine the viability of such courtly love and the related dilemmas that always succeed. “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” shows that women desire most their husband’s love, Overall, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” shows that the meaning of true love does not stay consistent, whether between singular or separate communities and remains timeless as the depictions of love from this 14th century tale still hold true today.
Many women in this period would engage in “arranged” marriages which were widely accepted and indeed, one of the most practiced forms of marrying at this time. Usually a marriage of convenience rather...