Towards the end of the book, Pizan contradicts herself when explaining building women and tearing down men. This is because in the first topic she believes that men and women belong to a similar sphere. In some sections, she purports women should tolerate their husbands while in other sections she encourages women to leave their wicked husbands. As a Christian, she should have tried to reconcile women with their husbands.
One thought on “Pizan’s Book of the City of Ladies : A piece of work for equality, but yet contradicting?”
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I think by tearing down the men she means that women have to take charge of their own fate and actions. No women should try to reconcile or tolerate an abusive relationship and life full of misery, especially in her that was a ritual and women as inferior creatures to the society and men. Her whole attempt was to encourage women in different ways, and the referencing man was about pointing out how they depict women wrongfully and should change their perspective.