Post date: Mar 26, 2017 7:27:45 PM
Reading the Collected Letters of a Renaissance Feminist, I honestly have no idea what to do with her. There was so much new smashed against so much old that I really want to give up but I have to write an epost so here I go. So let's break Cereta down:
Letter/Epistle Style
I mean, it's in the name...Collected LETTERS. Petrarch loved writing letters and was most likely a huge influence on her. Although content wise, I think her content reminded me more of Cicero's letters. She had the style of here's some problems and there are ways to fix it (mostly through women's education). It creates a connection to other humanist writers which she would need because she was not always on the same page as them, same book but definitely a different chapter.
Content
She got opinionated. The only letters/writings I can really remember from other humanists right now is one's describing books or Petrarch listing off his epiphany on the mountain or his arguments he created with long dead writers. There were all ideas with no real practical application. Cereta is taking this humanistic letter form and turning it into her own creation to push for some female equality. Although her writing also reminded me of Simone de Beauvoir who was a feminist writer in the 20th century and pushed women to become more than what their male counterparts would allow them to be.
The All Important Ambrose Question = Why Should We Care?
Well first, given that she reminds me of de Beauvoir (since I read de Beauvoir first) I feel like her work is going to be rediscovered at some pivotal point in history to inspire women. However, this really doesn't connect to the time period we're in now. I can only give my opinion for why I would write this so here it goes. You have all of these men writing about self-fulfillment and focusing on the self but not necessarily giving an opinion on the female self. By focusing on the female self, Cereta naturally expands this to include all females as the struggles of one female usually connect to the struggles of others. Although men do not always share this worldview. I believe she is also being inspired by civic humanism or adding to the concept of it as she is simultaneously taking the focus off the individual with also highlighting the individual. Overall, I did not necessarily enjoy her work but I can see why it would be important.