Key Facts
full title ·
The Book of the City of Ladies
author · Christine de Pizan
type of work · Philosophical dialogue
genre · Feminist allegory
language · French
time and place written · France, 1405
date of first publication · 1405
publisher · Unknown
narrators · Christine de Pizan, Reason, Justice, and Rectitude
point of view · Christine addresses the three allegorical figures in the first person.
Reason, Justice, and Rectitude often use the first person, but mostly relate
their stories of the lives of women in the third person. They objectively relate
the incidents that make up their narratives but often interject their strong
opinions regarding the proceedings.
tone · Christine adopts a tone to reflect her meekness, disbelief, and
uncertainty about the status of women. The three allegorical figures are more
passionate and emotional in their defense of their sex.
tense · Past
setting (time) · The early 1400s
setting (place) · The site of the future City of Ladies
protagonist · Christine de Pizan
major conflict · The major conflict occurs before the book begins. Christine is
responding to the claims of numerous authors, and one in particular, that women
are immoral and unvirtuous.
rising action · The three Virtues help Christine to construct her symbolic sanctuary
for women, the City of Ladies, but instead of employing bricks, the community is
built using stories and examples of the deeds and lives of virtuous
women.
climax · The city is completed and populated with notable women from the past
and present as well as from literature, the Bible, and mythology.
falling action · Christine addresses the residents of the city, encouraging them to stay
steadfast in defending their honor and virtue.
themes · Misrepresentation vs. truth; physical vs. spiritual; writing as
repossession; the universality of human experience
motifs · Allegory; philosophical dialogue; storytelling
symbols · Justice's vessel of gold; Reason's mirror; Rectitude's
ruler
foreshadowing · Reason's tale of Dido foreshadows Rectitude's tale relating the
lovesick queen's tragic end. Similarly, Reason discusses Medea's ability to
enchant and to cast spells. Later, Rectitude shows how these abilities made her
vulnerable to the manipulations of Jason.
