Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women
Boccaccio’s <em>De Mulieribus Claris</em> is the first biographical compendium of famous women in Western literature. Written in 1362, it inspired similar compilations, including Giuseppe Betussi’s 1539 Italian translation entitled <em>Libro delle Donne illustri</em>, in whic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | deu |
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Winchester University Press
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Royal Studies Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://rsj.winchester.ac.uk/articles/197 |
| _version_ | 1798006629533220864 |
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| author | Gabriella Scarlatta |
| author_facet | Gabriella Scarlatta |
| author_sort | Gabriella Scarlatta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Boccaccio’s <em>De Mulieribus Claris</em> is the first biographical compendium of famous women in Western literature. Written in 1362, it inspired similar compilations, including Giuseppe Betussi’s 1539 Italian translation entitled <em>Libro delle Donne illustri</em>, in which Betussi included his own addition of fifty illustrious women, and Brantôme’s French translation, <em>Dames illustres</em> (1665-1666). Betussi’s and Brantôme’s collections seem to approach the art of literary portraiture of royal women in analogous ways, namely from a cultural and political angle aimed at emphasizing qualities traditionally bestowed upon their gender, such as chastity, piety, charity, and generosity. However, a close reading shows that both Betussi and Brantôme created distinct texts that established a legacy that was well-rooted in the defense of women as they highly boasted about women’s sexual and political roles. By delving into the intersections of power, gender, and sexuality, this article investigates two women considered ‘illustrious’ by both authors: Marguerite de Navarre, Queen of Navarre and sister to French King François I, and Renée de France, Duchess of Ferrara, daughter of King Louis XII and Anne de Bretagne. Their portraits show that the authors debated over issues of gender roles and identities, and crafted portrayals in which marriage, sex, and motherhood were strictly linked to Marguerite’s and Renée’s roles and accomplishments as wives and mothers of the most important blood lines of their time. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:57:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf008f72431741e5b4ea887c190990e6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2057-6730 |
| language | deu |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:57:45Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | Winchester University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Studies Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf008f72431741e5b4ea887c190990e62022-12-22T04:23:02ZdeuWinchester University PressRoyal Studies Journal2057-67302019-12-016210.21039/rsj.197198Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious WomenGabriella Scarlatta0The University of Michigan-DearbornBoccaccio’s <em>De Mulieribus Claris</em> is the first biographical compendium of famous women in Western literature. Written in 1362, it inspired similar compilations, including Giuseppe Betussi’s 1539 Italian translation entitled <em>Libro delle Donne illustri</em>, in which Betussi included his own addition of fifty illustrious women, and Brantôme’s French translation, <em>Dames illustres</em> (1665-1666). Betussi’s and Brantôme’s collections seem to approach the art of literary portraiture of royal women in analogous ways, namely from a cultural and political angle aimed at emphasizing qualities traditionally bestowed upon their gender, such as chastity, piety, charity, and generosity. However, a close reading shows that both Betussi and Brantôme created distinct texts that established a legacy that was well-rooted in the defense of women as they highly boasted about women’s sexual and political roles. By delving into the intersections of power, gender, and sexuality, this article investigates two women considered ‘illustrious’ by both authors: Marguerite de Navarre, Queen of Navarre and sister to French King François I, and Renée de France, Duchess of Ferrara, daughter of King Louis XII and Anne de Bretagne. Their portraits show that the authors debated over issues of gender roles and identities, and crafted portrayals in which marriage, sex, and motherhood were strictly linked to Marguerite’s and Renée’s roles and accomplishments as wives and mothers of the most important blood lines of their time.https://rsj.winchester.ac.uk/articles/197genderpowersexualitybetussibrantômeencomiasticcatalog of women |
| spellingShingle | Gabriella Scarlatta Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women Royal Studies Journal gender power sexuality betussi brantôme encomiastic catalog of women |
| title | Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women |
| title_full | Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women |
| title_fullStr | Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women |
| title_full_unstemmed | Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women |
| title_short | Marguerite de Navarre and Renée de France: Gender, Power, and Sexuality in Betussi’s and Brantôme’s Illustrious Women |
| title_sort | marguerite de navarre and renee de france gender power and sexuality in betussi s and brantome s illustrious women |
| topic | gender power sexuality betussi brantôme encomiastic catalog of women |
| url | https://rsj.winchester.ac.uk/articles/197 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gabriellascarlatta margueritedenavarreandreneedefrancegenderpowerandsexualityinbetussisandbrantomesillustriouswomen |