Christiane Klapisch-Zuber Books

Drawing on myriad sources - from the faint traces left by the rocking of a cradle at the site of an early medieval home to an antique illustration of Eve's fall from grace - this second volume in the series offers new perspectives on women of the past. Twelve historians from many countries examine the image of women in the masculine mind, their social condition, and their daily experience from the demise of the Roman Empire to the genesis of the Italian Renaissance.

Drawing on diverse sources—from traces of a cradle in an early medieval home to an illustration of Eve's fall—this volume offers fresh insights into the lives of women from the end of the Roman Empire to the Italian Renaissance. Twelve historians explore the masculine perception of women, their social conditions, and daily experiences during this era when men's control over women's lives was paramount. Women's sexuality was often viewed as dangerous, confining them to the home and cloister. The authors examine writings from bishops, moralists, and philosophers to reveal how men regulated women's lives through sumptuary laws, admonitions for silence and chastity, and misguided theories about women's physiology. While reverence for the Virgin Mary elevated motherhood by 1200, misogyny persisted in proverbs and clerical thought. The authors analyze legal, economic, and demographic factors affecting family life, highlighting rare moments when women gained autonomy. They challenge the notion that courtly love empowered feudal women. Artifacts like hearthstones and everyday tools illustrate the tasks that defined women's lives. Despite male fantasies in art, women began to express their own visions through tapestries and writing, marking the beginnings of a quiet revolution as a few women dared to document their thoughts.