Abstract

This thesis will posit that a query of the medieval trope, Fortune, can be read as a query into femininity. Fortune is depicted with many quintessentially medieval feminine traits, and women in texts that discuss Fortune often have Fortune's traits. While texts that link Fortune and femininity usually do so to censure women, some writers turned the trope to their advantage for just the opposite purpose. Both Chaucer in the "Monk's Tale" and Christine de Pizan personify Fortune to subtly point out the flaws in antifeminist medieval view of women. This thesis explores the ways in which these writers cleverly took advantage of genre and characterization to use Fortune to defend women and womanhood.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; English

Rights

http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2005-06-11

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd848

Keywords

Chaucer, Christine de Pizan, medieval literature, feminism, antifeminism, sermon, autobiography, women's writing, Fortune, Fortuna, fourteenth century, fifteenth century, Middle Ages, medieval period

Language

English

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