Podcast Summary

Podcast: Le Cours de l'histoire
Episode: Le Moyen Âge y a déjà pensé : Écrire contre le patriarcat… au XVe siècle
Host: France Culture
Date: December 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the roots of feminist thought and resistance to patriarchy, tracing them back to the late Middle Ages. Contrary to popular belief, the struggle against misogynist narratives and discourse did not begin in modern times. The host discusses the literary and intellectual ferment surrounding Le Roman de la Rose in medieval France, focusing particularly on Christine de Pizan, a pioneering woman writer who boldly contested patriarchal ideas and created La Cité des Dames—a powerful early manifesto for the dignity and rights of women.

Key Discussion Points

The Notion that Debates on Patriarchy Are Not New

• [00:00]
  The host immediately challenges the idea that discussions around patriarchy are a modern phenomenon:

  "Pensez-vous que les débats sur le patriarcat soient nouveaux ? Pas du tout ! Au XVe siècle, on s'écharpe déjà à coups de pamphlets et de romans." (A, 00:00)

The Literary Background: Le Roman de la Rose

• [00:12]
  Le Roman de la Rose is introduced as a major medieval bestseller, central to the cultural context of the debate. It presents an allegory of courtly love, with women represented as objects of male desire.
  • Begun around 1230 by Guillaume de Lorris, celebrated for its depiction of love.
  • Completed about 40 years later by Jean de Meun, who introduces strong misogynistic themes:

    "Les femmes y sont dépeintes comme volages, rusées, trompeuses. C'est mordant, cynique et misogyne." (A, 00:26)

  • Despite (or because of) its provocative content, the work becomes hugely popular and controversial.

The First Literary Feminist Response: Christine de Pizan

• Christine de Pizan emerges as the first professional female writer in Europe (b. 1364, Venice).
• After becoming a widow at 25 with three children, she supports her family "parvient à vivre de sa plume" (A, 00:35).
• In 1401, Christine publicly challenges the misogyny of Le Roman de la Rose in letters to learned men of the kingdom:
  • Writes to leading intellectuals, provoking a literary and philosophical dispute, the Querelle du Roman de la Rose (1401–1405).
  • Responses come from royal secretaries and theologians, notably Jean de Gerson.
  • Their correspondence, preserved in eight known manuscripts, stands as "la première grande querelle littéraire en France." (A, 01:34)

Building a Fortress: La Cité des Dames

• [01:48]
  Christine’s most well-known work, La Cité des Dames (The Book of the City of Ladies), is written between 1404 and 1407:

  • Sets herself as the protagonist, questioning why misogyny is so pervasive.

  • Visited by three allegorical crowned ladies—Reason, Rectitude, and Justice—who guide her in building a symbolic city as a safe haven for women.

  • The project involves:

    • Clearing away misogynistic theories (A, 01:59)
    • Constructing a city "pierre après pierre", filled with exemplary women: rulers, scientists, enchantresses, poets, saints, even amazons.
    • At its symbolic apex: the Virgin Mary.

  • La Cité des Dames stands as "une histoire des femmes, écrite par une femme, cinq siècles avant Simone de Beauvoir." (A, 02:17)

Notable Quote:

• Christine’s powerful dedication:

  « Voici notre cité bâtie et parachevée. Ce sera pour vous toutes non seulement un refuge, mais un rempart pour vous défendre des attaques de vos ennemis. »
  (Christine de Pizan, citée par A, 02:29)

Legacy and Contemporary Resonance

• [03:09]
  The host recognizes the continued struggle, linking Christine’s work to modern feminist efforts:

  "Aujourd'hui, d'autres femmes écrivent encore avec la même encre la révolte contre le patriarcat. Leurs œuvres sont les tours nouvelles de cette cité des dames..."

• The metaphor of the "Cité des Dames" lives on:

  • Modern feminist writing seen as new towers and defenses, continuing the work begun in the Middle Ages.

• The host closes with a call to vigilance and remembrance of Christine’s legacy:

  "Alors, n'oublie pas Christine qui écrivait au 15e siècle, mesdames, soyez vigilantes pour vous défendre." (A, 03:26)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Pensez-vous que les débats sur le patriarcat soient nouveaux ? Pas du tout !"
  — Host (A), [00:00]

• "Les femmes y sont dépeintes comme volages, rusées, trompeuses. C'est mordant, cynique et misogyne."
  — Host (A), [00:26], on Le Roman de la Rose

• "C'est la première grande querelle littéraire en France, la Querelle du Roman de la Rose, qui durera jusqu'à 1405."
  — Host (A), [01:33]

• "Voici notre cité bâtie et parachevée. Ce sera pour vous toutes non seulement un refuge, mais un rempart pour vous défendre des attaques de vos ennemis."
  — Christine de Pizan, cited by Host (A), [02:29]

• "Leurs œuvres sont les tours nouvelles de cette cité des dames, des remparts d'idées protégeant une liberté conquise à travers les siècles."
  — Host (A), [03:16]

Timestamps of Key Segments

• 00:00 – 00:12: Introduction to the medieval origins of patriarchy debates
• 00:12 – 01:48: Background: Le Roman de la Rose and the roots of the controversy
• 01:48 – 03:09: Christine de Pizan, her “Querelle”, and the construction of La Cité des Dames
• 03:09 – 03:37: Contemporary resonance and continuity of feminist writing

Tone and Style

The host maintains a narrative and engaging style, rich with historical detail and striking metaphors. The episode weaves together scholarly analysis and accessible storytelling, making the medieval “querelle” feel vividly relevant to present-day listeners.

Conclusion

This episode of Le Cours de l'histoire offers a compelling reminder that the challenge to patriarchy and the advocacy for women’s rights have deep historical roots. Through the figure of Christine de Pizan and her literary battles, listeners are invited to reconsider the Middle Ages as a vibrant period of feminist consciousness and intellectual ferment.