From her publication of “Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum”, it is apparent that Aemilia Lanyer skilfully constructs her authority as an author in both her dedications to noblewomen and also her readers. Lanyer published “Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum” in 1611. This was a profound pursuit for a female in the early 17th century as eduaction and literary were largely male dominated with little emergence of female authored texts. She was the first Englishwoman to declare herself as a professional poet, which during this period was remarkable in itself. As Schnell states “the mere publication of the book “Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum” constitutes Lanyer as an exceptional women in the early 17th century” (26), this is supported by Barroll’s opinion that “her book …show more content…
Even just from glancing at “Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum”, there is an clear connotation of the large portion of poems and pages occupied by the dedications. In total there are 11 dedications, “nine of which are all directed at notable individual women and two that she addresses to “all virtuous Ladies” and to her “virtuous reader” (Stapleton). All of “Lanyer’s dedicatees occupied prominent and conspicuous roles of authority in Elizabethan and Jacobean England “(Tinkham 58). Her dedicatees were all noble born women, well-educated and wealthy. These characteristics entitled them to possess leadership and authority, perhaps something Lanyer herself longed for. Aemilia Lanyer lived in the margins of a social hierarchy that these Aristocratic noblewomen held high positions in .It seems “she was significantly as far from the nobility of the persons she invoked in her volume as from the moon” (Barroll 30), because as a female with a non-aristocratic social and educational backdrop Aemilia Lanyer posed little influence as a participant in the Royal Court. Lanyer was not a noblewoman nor was she titled or wealthy however she was educated and virtuous in her manner. She was the daughter of a family of Italian court musicians and was subsequently educated in the household of Kent. She lived a mediocre life and …show more content…
In the Elizabethan and Jacobean period the Royal Court was the centre and the stronghold of culture and power. These two concepts of authority were entwined in one another and oftentimes they were difficult to separate. Many poets and writers were courtiers and people wanted to be in position close to the centre of the court where power was consolidated. .More power lead to more patronage and more patronage led to greater recognition and fortune. Unfortunately for Lanyer, she was on the fringes of Queen Elizabeth’s court. At the time Lanyer was “competing in a very tough arena against accomplished male poets already privileged because of their gender with considerable political awareness and powerful sponsors” (Barroll 42). It is essential to distinguish that Lanyer’s nine dedications to noblewomen convey more than just an attempt to reconcile more power or patronage among her connections but rather a message of authority to highlight the necessity for female authorship. Just as Tinkham emphasizes “Lanyer argues not merely for monetary support of her artistic abilities but for public recognition of her authorial right to shape other women’s right to public speech “(53). It is known that at this time women’s omission from social considerations was presented in the “idealization of the feminine as passive, domestic and silent” (Tinkham 57). Women similar to
When Chaucer’s knight stands judgment for the rape of an innocent girl, it is the queen’s authority that decides his fate: “And yaf him to the queene, al at hir wille, / To chese wheither she wolde him save or spille” (903-904). Using her power to humiliate the knight even further, she metes out the most ironic of punishments: “I graunte thee lif if thou canst tellen me / What thing is it that wommen most desiren” (910-911). With the queen’s decree, a great importance is placed upon the understanding of a woman’s needs—for this knowledge is the only hope in saving a man’s
Throughout history, women have struggled with, and fought against oppression. They have been held back and weighed down by the sexist ideas of a male dominated society which has controlled cultural, economic and political ideas and structure. During the mid-1800’s to early 1900’s women became more vocal and rebuked sexism and the role that had been defined for them. Fighting with the powerful written word, women sought a voice, equality amongst men and an identity outside of their family. In many literary writings, especially by women, during the mid-1800’s to early 1900’s, we see symbols of oppression and the search for gender equality in society. Writing based on their own experiences, had it not been for the works of Susan Glaspell, Kate Chopin, and similar feminist authors of their time, we may not have seen a reform movement to improve gender roles in a culture in which women had been overshadowed by men.
In France’s “Lanval,” Marie de France emphasizes the ideal and pure body of Lanval’s Fairy Queen. France describes the Fairy Queen as “elegant, her hips slim, her neck whiter than snow on a branch, her eyes bright, her face white, a beautiful mouth…” (France, 109). The Fairy Queen is presented to the reader as the classic, ideal beauty that captures the attention and, unknowingly, the mind of her lover. After meeting the Fairy Queen, Lanval pledges his life to her. He states, “There is nothing you might command, within my power, that I would not do, whether foolish or wise. I shall obey your command…” (France, 108). ...
In all, the misogyny presented in these two poems is not restricted to the time period they were written. Just as in medieval literature, it is still common for today's woman to be recognized only for her physical attributes. I believe that in order to have equality of the sexes and to help overcome the objectifying of women, it is necessary for women not to use the misogynistic views placed against them to their advantage.
Published in 1696, the authorship of An Essay in Defence of the Female sex has been a subject of debate for a long time. Initially the work had been attributed to the contemporary author of Judith Drake, Mary Astell. However this controversy has been cleared with Judith Drake as the decided author of this work. The controversy perhaps emanated from the fact that no author had been indicated on the letter. It was only stated, ‘Written by a lady’. This has been interpreted by some literary analysts as a having been done deliberately by the author to emphasize her message of feminism, the key theme in the work. (Hannah, 2006).
Using Caroline Bingley as a foil to Elizabeth, Austen critiques the aspirations and achievements that are traditionally considered to be of value to women. Caroline’s outlook regarding what makes women accomplished finds resonance with James Fordyce’s Sermons to Young Women (1766). These stereotypical regency-era ideals encourage ‘instruction in the fine arts’ (Fordyce, 127), including the study of embroidery, drawing, music and dance and completely discount the value of academic achievements. In contrast, Elizabeth is deeply interested in intellectual pursuits yet has not received a typical female education with ‘steady and regular instruction’ (Austen, 161) administered by a governess. Although Austen contrasts these two methods of education,
Traditional female characteristics and female unrest are underscored in literary works of the Middle Ages. Although patriarchal views were firmly established back then, traces of female contempt for such beliefs could be found in several popular literary works. Female characters’ opposition to societal norms serves to create humor and wish- fulfillment for female and male audiences to enjoy. “Lanval” by Marie De France and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” by Geoffrey Chaucer both show subversion of patriarchal attitudes by displaying the women in the text as superior or equal to the men. However, “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” also incorporates conventional societal ideas by including degradation of women and mistreatment of a wife by her husband.
`Plays and Poetry by early modern women are primarily concerned with negotiating a position from which women could speak. A concern for ideas of gender, language and silence is, therefore, central, though its expression is sometimes open, sometimes covert.' Discuss with reference to Aemilia Lanyer and / or Elizabeth Cary.
...took to writing. An author would certainly not be looked at as a respectable career, and yet those who achieved so did not care. Her social standing would fall, such did Elizabeth's. Regardless of her efforts the standards remained. A good, respectable woman married wisely, birthed children and acted as a proficient homemaker. Careers were mindfully left to the men in this time period.
Jonson was well documented as having aspirations to rise from lower rank to higher; to be part of and have influence on the court circle; to claim friendship with those of high birth and chronicle their virtues and above all to gain from his patrons' the authority to speak for his culture. This information can be paralled in what we know about Lanyer, they are almost exact contemporaries, intricately linked in literary study of the genre. Lanyer was one of the very few published women poets of the Renaissance. Her single volume of poems `Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum' was published in 1611 and contained a series of dedicatory poems to patronesses, praising them as a community of contemporary good women. The final poem of ten, `The d...
In an essay on feminist criticism, Linda Peterson of Yale University explains how literature can "reflect and shape the attitudes that have held women back" (330). From the viewpoint of a feminist critic, "The Lady of Shalott" provides its reader with an analysis of the Victorian woman's conflict between her place in the interior, domestic role of society and her desire to break into the exterior, public sphere which generally had been the domain of men. Read as a commentary on women's roles in Victorian society, "The Lady of Shalott" may be interpreted in different ways. Thus, the speaker's commentary is ambiguous: Does he seek to reinforce the institution of patriarchal society as he "punishes" the Lady with her death for her venture into the public world of men, or does he sympathize with her yearnings for a more colorful, active life? Close reading reveals more than one possible answer to this question, but the overriding theme seems sympathetic to the Lady. By applying "the feminist critique" (Peterson 333-334) to Tennyson's famous poem, one may begin to understand how "The Lady of Shalott" not only analyzes, but actually critiques the attitudes that held women back and, in the end, makes a hopeful, less patriarchal statement about the place of women in Victorian society.
As a man fascinated with the role of women during the 14th Century, or most commonly known as the Middle Ages, Chaucer makes conclusive evaluations and remarks concerning how women were viewed during this time period. Determined to show that women were not weak and humble because of the male dominance surrounding them, Chaucer sets out to prove that women were a powerful and strong-willed gender. In order to defend this argument, the following characters and their tales will be examined: Griselda from the Clerk's Tale, and the Wife of Bath, narrator to the Wife of Bath's Tale. Using the role of gender within the genres of the Canterbury Tales, exploring each woman's participation in the outcomes of their tales, and comparing and contrasting these two heroines, we will find out how Chaucer broke the mold on medievalist attitudes toward women.
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been hardly recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman of society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women character in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a
To place this assumption into retrospect, in Shakespeare time, from the 1558 to the 1600s, England society was ruled by Queen Elizabeth. Although a women took ownership of the country, in Elizabethan’s society married women and minor girls were entirely in the power of their husband and guardianship of their father. None the less, even after Elizabeth I took the throne, she was expected to wed and “have her rights to rule limited or completely take up by her husband” (Wagner, 21). Women living in a society built upon Renaissance beliefs were only m...
The discourse on the status of women and their struggle for liberation in the society and in literature, however, is not new. Women’s liberation movement, popularly known as ‘feminist’ movement, started with an aim of establishing and defending equal rights and opportunities for women. Until late eighteenth century, women, whether of Europe or non-Europe, did not raise any voice to claim their rights in the society. With the publication of the British feminist writer and advocate of women’s rights, Mary Wollstonecraft’s revolutionary work A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), there emerged a women’s...