Dr. W. Turner
History of European Women
Fall 2009: Women in Early Modern Europe
Introduction:
Throughout most of European history, women have had few basic options open to them as paths for their lives. These paths affect the way in which women approach family, religion, culture, politics, clothing, and society. Attitudes have changed in recent history, but still the ‘traditional' roles continue in the minds of both men and women as the avenues most women will choose for their lives: wife, mother, teacher, protector of family history and culture, unmarried saint, unmarried sinner, or spinster. In every case, these categories are upheld or impeded by either or both the religious and cultural community and the social or political one. These options, the reaction women have to these options, and the relationship of these options to European society as a whole will be the study of this class.
I have limited our focus to about 1200 to 1700, concentrating on the years that lead into what will become ‘modern Western society.' In this period, women own businesses, are forced into or out of certain industries, and they must make decisions that will affect the course of all lives of women down through the years to you and me.
Women, as a gender, are an important segment of the population of Europe (duh!); it is, therefore, curious that they became oppressed and suppressed by mix-gender societies everywhere. We will look at the possible reasons of why and how this came about, and how women combated and defied that over the centuries. In particular, we will look at the works of some of those women from our late-medieval and early-modern time period that challenged the traditional roles of women, and some that found their way within traditional society. When possibly, we will look at the interconnection of oppression generally to that of women of color, class, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.Objectives:
At the end of this course you should:
· understand more about the history of women in
Europe.
· be better acquainted with gender relationships.
· know the history of marriage.
· better understand the relationship between culture
and politics.
· be able to write a research paper.
· be able to communicate your ideas verbally to
an audience.
Requirements:
This course is designed to be a worthwhile learning experience for all students. I believe education should be enjoyable; we should be able to laugh, discuss, argue, and listen within our own classroom. In order to facilitate an atmosphere of congeniality, please leave all prejudices, pre-judgments, etc. at the door. Please be respectful of the people around you as well as respecting the men and women we will study.
This syllabus constitutes our contract. The rules are simple: Do all the assignments come to class, participate in discussion, be respectful, do not cheat, and you will pass. That is it. Seems simple enough; see me if you have problems.
Assignments:
Attendance and Participation – Is mandatory. Please come, discuss, and learn.
100 points
Oral Report – You will present the ideas from your research paper in class. You will have 20 min (approx.) with 10 mins. for questions. Teaching is the highest form of learning. See me if you have difficulty with such assignments; I will be happy to find you an alternative assignment.
100 points.
Research paper – Please research a topic within our time period and write a 10-15 page paper. There will be a list of topics to choose from; one person per topic. Your papers must have one-inch margins, no spaces between paragraphs, numbered footnotes or endnotes, and be double-spaced. Your paper must be your own work. You should have a cover sheet with your name, my name, the course (“Medieval Europe”) and title of the paper. If I find that you have copied any part (even one phrase) from a published work, you will receive a failing grade. You can, of course, quote and site to your heart's content, just give the author credit with a citation. You must include a bibliography and notes for each paper using Chicago Manual of Style, Turabian (same), or British standard. Copies of Kate Turabian's manual are available in any bookstore. Except for the first paper, you must include at least 2 books and 1 scholarly article for each assignment that is not part of our course materials. You are encouraged to as many sources as you need beyond these.
100 points.
Quizzes – There will be 3 quizzes. They will be essay questions.
100 points each = 300 points
Total points in class = 600 points
Cissie Fairchilds. Women in Early Modern Europe, 1500-1700. Pearson, 2007.
Judith Bennett. Ale, Beer, and Brewsters: Women’s Work in a Changing World. Oxford: 1996.
Gene Brucker. Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence. Berkeley, Los Angeles: 1986.
Martha Howell. Marriage Exchange
Martha Howell. Women, Production, and Patriarchy in Late Medieval Cities. Chicago: 1986.
Suggested other readings (which I will add to as the term commences):
Karras, Ruth Mazo. Common Women: Prostitution and Sexuality in Medieval England. Oxford: 1998.
Laqueur, Thomas. Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud. Harvard: 1990.
August
18 – Intro; overview
20 – Growing up Female; Fairchilds, 1-53
25 – Girls in Late Medieval and Early Modern Europe
27 – Choices; Fairchilds, 55-78, 191-235
September
1 –Wife and Mother, 79-122
3 – Retirement and Grandparenting
8 – School is Closed
10 – Quiz; Motherhood
15 – Discussion: Marriage Exchange
17 – Marriage and Housework; Fairchilds, 123-142
22 – Women and work; 143-165
24 – "Female" Occupations
29 – Discussion: Ale, Beer, and Brewsters
October
1 – Crafts; Fairchilds,167-190
6 – Women and No Choice
8 – Quiz; Discussion: Women, Production, and Patriarchy
13 – The model of a Patriarchal Society
15 – Guilds
20 – No Class
22 – No Class
27 – Witches; Fairchilds, 237-258
29 – Queens ; Fairchilds, 259-277
November
3 – Warriors; Fairchilds, 279-326
5 – Daily Life
10 – Discussion: Giovanni & Lusanna
12 – Quiz; Oral Reports
17 – Oral Reports
19 – Oral Reports
24 – No Class
26 – No School (Thanksgiving)
December
1 – Oral Reports
3 – Oral Reports / Research paper due