Moderata Fonte: Women and Life in Sixteenth-Century VenicePaola Malpezzi Price
About the Author:
Paola Malpezzi Price holds a Ph.D. in Romance Languages from the University of Oregon. She has published several articles and book chapters on Christine de Pizan, Isabella di Morra, Chiara Matraini, and Fausta Cialente. She currently teaches at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.
This volume explores the role of Venetian women in sixteenth-century culture as well as the contribution of the writer Moderata Fonte to the centuries-old "war of the sexes." The overview of the political, economic, cultural, and spiritual components of life in Venice during this time focuses on the impact that women had on their society's activities. This analysis suggests that women played an ambiguous role in the Venetian society of the time: although present everywhere, they were not publicly acknowledged or appreciated. Women of the lower class worked in some of the most important Venetian industries of the time, while noblewomen and female citizens were catalysts in the foundation and maintenance of hospices, which assured the welfare of hundreds of unfortunate people. Moreover, the public image of Venice as a fun-loving and brilliant place depended greatly on women who lent their beauty, charm, elegance, and sex appeal to honor the city. Yet the patriarchal oligarchy governing Venice denied any political rights to their women and relegated them to the private confines of their homes and neighborhoods. Moderata Fonte is a remarkable writer both for the content and the form of her works. She chose to write in the epic and dialogic genres, which, at the time, were dominated by male writers. The subversive nature of Fonte's message about women's social role and her criticism of Venice's alleged freedom and justice are disguised under layers of rhetoric and conventional themes. While it is difficult to quantify Fonte's influence on later women writers or on the struggle for women's emancipation, it is undeniable that she belongs to a select group of women who are the true forerunners of modern feminism.ISBN 0-8386-3998-4, Price $39.50
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