The first political treatise written by a woman.
Christine de Pizan’s
The Book of the
Body Politic
is the first political treatise written by a woman. It not only advises the prince, but nobles, knights, and common people as well. It promotes the ideals of interdependence and social responsibility. Rooted in the mindset of medieval Christendom,
The Book of the Body Politic
heralds the humanism of the Renaissance, highlighting classical culture and Roman civic virtues. This new edition and translation offers a faithful rendering of Christine de Pizan’s writing, as well as a thorough contextualization of her career as a political writer at the end of the Middle Ages in France.
resounds to this day, urging for the need for probity in public life and the importance of responsibilities and rights.