Collected Letters of a Renaissance Feminist

The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Chicago Series

by Laura Cereta, Diana Robin (Editor)

Renaissance writer Laura Cereta (1469–1499) presents feminist issues in a predominantly male venue—the humanist autobiography in the form of personal letters. Cereta's works circulated widely in Italy during the early modern era, but her complete letters have never before been published in English. In her public lectures and essays, Cereta explores the history of women's contributions to the intellectual and political life of Europe. She argues against the slavery of women in marriage and for the rights of women to higher education, the same issues that have occupied feminist thinkers of later centuries.

Yet these letters also furnish a detailed portrait of an early modern woman’s private experience, for Cereta addressed many letters to a close circle of family and friends, discussing highly personal concerns such as her difficult relationships with her mother and her husband. Taken together, these letters are a testament both to an individual woman and to enduring feminist concerns.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, History, Classics, Renaissance, Italy, Womens

244 pages, Paperback

First published June 8, 1997

About the author

Laura Cereta (1469–1499) was a Renaissance humanist and feminist. Most of her writing was in the form of letters to other intellectuals.

Reviews

[Noritaatje · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok

[Leone Mattheus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nee maar, ik hou van Laura Cereta en de INHOUD van haar brieven. Haar taalgebruik mocht voor mij iets gemakkelijker, maar ik begrijp uiteraard dat zij geen rekening kon houden met 6 eeuwen later zwetende studenten.
Ik vind het wel sneu voor haar dat ze nooit uit haar crisis is geraakt, ik had haar een gemeenschap net zoals Van Schurman gegund, cause she slayed.
Het feit dat ze brieven schrijft aan een compleet verzonnen vriendin negeer ik gewoon maar even, ze was misschien nog in rouw na de vroege dood van haar man - die stierf toen ze 15 was.
Also, hoezo schreef die vrouw op haar 14de al zulk schoon brieven?!

[Anisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of letters, as well as an informative look at the life of Laura Cereta.

[Dries]

Excerpts

[Hannah Goff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the collection, though I think it would not be completely correct to call Cereta a feminist. She was definitely for women's issues, but she really did not fight against the system of patriarchy in the sense that feminism does today.