Medieval Women Writers: The Works of Christine de Pizan In a time when the literary world was dominated by men, Christine de Pizan strutted into the medieval scene, metaphorical quill in hand, and essentially said, “Step aside, gentlemen.” A poet, philosopher, and one of the earliest recorded feminists, de Pizan carved a space for women…
The Courtly Love Tradition: Love, Chivalry, and Intrigue in Troubadour Poetry Ah, courtly love: the art of pining after someone you can’t have while composing flowery poetry about their hair, their eyes, and their general unattainability. It’s like every rom-com, but with more lute playing and fewer happy endings. The courtly love tradition dominated French…
Introduction When you think of French literature, your mind probably goes to existential philosophers, romantic poets, or 20th-century avant-garde authors. But let’s rewind to where it all began: medieval French epics. Specifically, La Chanson de Roland (or The Song of Roland), the granddaddy of French lit. This heroic tale is all about knights, loyalty, betrayal,…
