Who Was Chrsitine de Pisan?

Christine de Pisan was not only an admirer of Joan of Arc, according to Biography.com Christine de Pisan is considered a pioneering feminist writer and one of the most notable women writers of medieval times. Her father, Tommaso di Benvenuto da Pizzano, was the court astrologer for France's King Charles V.  She grew up in the French Court, gaining access to education that most women at that time could not. Around the age of 15, de Pisan married Etienne du Castel, He was very supportive of her interest in writing and other intellectual pursuits (Bio.com). The couple had three children together before his death in 1389 (Bio.com).  She started to write after his death to support her family. One of her most recognized work is the "Book of the city of ladies". In regards to our class, de Pisan wrote her last literature work praising Joan of Arc in 1429.

I specifically like this part of the poem where she quotes,

” A girl of only sixteen years

(Does this not outdo Nature's skill?)

Who lightly heavy weapons bears,

Of strong and hard food takes her fill,

And thus is like it. And God's foes

Before her swiftly fleeing run,

She did this in the public eye.

There tarried not a single one.

 XXXVI”

She expresses her admiration for Joan, because she made the female sex look strong, especially  coming from a young peasant girl. And of course she was able to do this in the public eye such as everyone in France who was either counting on her or betting against her. As well as the enemies who may have heard about her. 

Above is an image of de Pisan, dressed in blue and presenting her book which is something we often associate her with.

Sources:

 http://www.biography.com/people/christine-de-pisan-9247589

http://www.jehannedarc.org/song.html

"Sexy" Joan

In the spirit of Halloween, I got curious about any Joan of Arc costumes and what it would consist of. It shouldn't be surprising that the theme of Halloween for women's costumes spread to Joan and sexualized her, like the poster of an opera of Joan of Arc naked on a horse that Dr. Wolbrink showed in class. Some are better than others at portraying what has been described in the previous readings.

Obviously the costume on the right would not be able to protect Joan in battle. Most of her body is showing in this costume which no virgin saint would have worn.


This costume of Joan at least has the red bottom and has the body covered... even though we know she wore men's clothes so the skirt would have been out of the question.

My favorite Joan of Arc costume is probably this last photo. It is in male clothing and has chainmail (or what looks like it). It covers the entire body and is a simple color. If it wasn't for the bright red lipstick, the costume may fool someone into thinking it is a feminine-faced man dressed as a knight instead of a virgin saint.





What do you think? What would be the best way to portray Joan of Arc as a costume for Halloween?

A follow-up to Beth's Question: No!

Kidzworld.com tells us that medieval women were forced to wear chastity belts. Cracked.com reports it as an act of “medieval crotch warfare.” And don’t get me started on Mel Brooks (see Beth's review below on this blog). But were chastity belts medieval devices used to control women and preserve virginity? Virginity was highly prized in the Middle Ages, but no female was walking around with a chain and lock on her privy parts! Consider how this popular notion of the Middle Ages shapes our ideas of the medieval past . . . yet this idea is wholly invented.  Even though Pope Joan and chivalric King Arthur are also invented ideas, at least they had the decency to emerge pre-1400.

Actual devices apparently were worn in the nineteenth century, though I am no expert. Voltaire wrote The Padlock in 1724, and encyclopedias contained entries on the chastity belt, linking them to medieval barbarism, of course. French literature idealized stories about jealous husbands who had duplicate keys made as a baudy romp through the ridiculous. In a show of misogyny, Johann Zedler, writing in the 1700s tells us that even though husbands required chastity belts, their wives could escape them by “changing their posture” (not sure how that works!). Museums have taken some of those more modern devices and put them on display in Nuremberg, Cluny, and other locations, as if they were medieval devices. If you go to Venice, visit the chastity belt at the Doge's palace. But this is invented history, and more respectable museums have recently removed some of them, although “Torture Museums” hot on the tourist trail wave them as happy flags of enticement to pay an extortionist admission (as you can imagine, profits are much higher with so-called medieval chastity belts). The useful link below asks us to consider how museums not only records and preserve artifacts but also sometimes invent history.

But there is some truth too. The idea of a rope, or girdle of chastity did feature in medieval theological treatises. Alcuin of York in the 800s wrote:  “Divest me of my past sins, protect me from presently imminent ones, fortify me against future ones. Provide me with due abstinence from food and drink, a chastity belt, purity of heart and lips, grant me patience, forbearance, good will, modesty, spiritual joy and total contempt of the world"; however, these are used as ideological symbolism, rather than actual artifacts. The earliest visual image of a chastity belt dates to 1405, and resides in Florence, Italy. Evidently Florentines were linked to the chastity belt in early modern references. Sketched into a book that Kondrad Keyser authored about medieval weapons, he includes the chastity belt as another weapon. Since it is roughly drawn and includes ironic comments, it has been viewed by historians as a kind of gag in the middle of a serious book.  Other images include woodcuts from Germany during the Reformation era when commentary about women was often quite negative. It's possible some were gag gifts as well; we simply don't have examples to date to the period we are studying. Definitely leave this class knowing that one’s virginity was important; that even men might ask to have wear the rope of chastity in their fight against demons, desire, and women; and that the idea may have emerged in literature and art in a commentary on women’s sexuality, but there were not actual locks, keys, and iron that a medieval woman wore under her clothing. So don't spend too much time burdening yourself with medieval torture devices especially designed for women, but on the other hand why is it that only women wear engagement rings?

For more info, see this book Albrecht Classen's The Medieval Chastity Belt: A Myth Making Process

From 1405. The first image of a chastity belt. 

An early modern woodcut; note the man is holding the key.

An example of a European franchise; of course, most of the objects are "medieval devices"

Inside the museum: what tourists see inside museums and then post on websites as an outrageous medieval custom!

Robin Hood: Men In Tights--Hilariously Inaccurate of the Middle Ages

           

Anyone desiring a movie filled with laughs and raunchy humor should turn to the work of Mel Brooks in the film Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993). Complete with musical numbers and tie-ins between the Medieval world and the modern world, this movie presents a new outlook on the tale of Robin Hood. Having a Robin Hood with an actual British accent, although the only one in the film and somewhat of historically accurate scenery and attire, this film brings together modern elements with the Medieval to produce a humorous film guaranteed to make anyone laugh. Robin Hood: Men In Tights is a humorous film filled with fight scenes and romance set in the Middle Ages; however, the film’s historical accuracy is lowered by the use of modern references. 

            The tale of Robin Hood has been told for years from Hollywood portrayals by Kevin Costner to a fox in the Disney animated version. Cary Elwes takes the character of Robin Hood to a new level with an actual British accent, raunchy humor, a go-with-the-flow attitude, and of course a love of archery.  As with any Robin Hood tale the central historical message of the film is justice. Robin returns from the Crusades to find his home in England filled with injustice done by Prince John and the Sheriff of Rottingham. Vowing to save the poor from the injustice and tyranny at the hands of Prince John, Robin sets out to recruit men to reclaim the land and along the way falls in love with Maid Marianne.

            In terms of being entirely historically accurate this film is far from it. Many modern tie-ins, such as tennis shoes, a Medieval Playboy magazine, automatic gate-clickers, neon exit signs, a jackhammer, photographs, automatic fires, clapper lights, and references to Jersey, Mark Twain, and the Mississippi River, are used throughout the movie to enhance the humor. While not historically accurate in any way, these modern touches are common throughout most of Mel Brooks’ films and are only added to increase the laughter of those in the audience. 

            Although the film is filled with modern tie-ins that lower the historical accuracy aspect of the film, certain weaponry, set designs, and costumes can be considered historically accurate. The opening scene of the film shows the use of longbows, which were in fact used by the English during the Middle Ages and catapults are also mentioned as being the “latest craze.” Stone castles are used, some implementing the curved tower design other the square-cornered look. Stained glass windows are implemented along with tapestries, cauldrons, Medieval bathtubs, and Medieval toilets. Standards are seen on the castles depicting the family’s crest that elevate the idea of the scene having occurred in the Middle Ages. Swords, daggers, spears, and lances are all used as well to further enhance the look of the Middle Ages. One weapon of particular interest is the gun-like mini-crossbow used by a hit man to try and kill Robin. Mel Brooks has balanced the use of medieval weaponry with some modern technology to enrich the comedy throughout the movie.

            Clothing is arguably one of the most historically accurate points of the film. Male characters are shown wearing tunics, armor or chainmail and helmets depending on their character’s particular status. The royalty of the film, Prince John and King Richard, are shown wearing red and gold complete with golden crowns. Women are shown in floor-length dresses with excess amounts of fabric and peasants are often shown wearing the colors of brown, black, and green. One element of clothing used is a chastity belt worn by Maid Marianne. Were these in fact common in the Middle Ages or has the chastity belt simply become a creation of the Hollywood film industry? The clothing is the main source of the some-what accurate portrayals of Medieval times. Clothing and the accessories along with it present a well-rounded idea of the way in which people may have dressed in the Middle Ages.

            Overall Robin Hood: Men In Tights is not a historically accurate film. Although it is filled with raunchy humor and hilarious one-liners, the overuse of modern tie-ins has lowered the chances of the film being considered “good history.” While the film cannot be considered “good history” it must be remembered that the goal of Mel Brooks’ work is to be funny and loosely based on history. In this sense the film is successful, as Brooks has created a film overflowing with humor that is loosely based on the historical legend of Robin Hood. After all is said and done, Robin Hood: Men In Tights is a hilarious movie guaranteed to make one laugh but is not an accurate portrayal of Medieval history.  

Works Cited

Robin Hood: Men In Tights. Directed by Mel Brooks. Released in 1993. 20^th Century Fox            Productions, 1993. DVD, 104 minutes.