9781649591166
Distributed for Iter Press
The Boke of the Cyte of Ladyes
Brian Anslay’s Translation of 1521 in Modernized English
An early Tudor translation of the Cité des dames, a crucial argument written by Christine de Pizan on the importance of women.
Christine de Pizan's defense of women against centuries of misogyny, Cité des dames, was the only work of literature translated into English by Brian Anslay, an administrator in the household of King Henry VII. While numerous manuscripts were held in royal and aristocratic libraries, Anslay’s printed translation enabled a broader range of readers to appreciate the arguments for female rule crucial to the reigns of Mary I and Elizabeth I. Anslay’s translation also played a key role in the late-nineteenth-century revival of interest in Christine. This modernization of Anslay’s Tudor English makes his translation accessible to contemporary readers while preserving the rhythms of early Tudor prose. It includes an extensive introduction and notes highlighting both the history of the language and the cultural references embodied in the text.
Christine de Pizan's defense of women against centuries of misogyny, Cité des dames, was the only work of literature translated into English by Brian Anslay, an administrator in the household of King Henry VII. While numerous manuscripts were held in royal and aristocratic libraries, Anslay’s printed translation enabled a broader range of readers to appreciate the arguments for female rule crucial to the reigns of Mary I and Elizabeth I. Anslay’s translation also played a key role in the late-nineteenth-century revival of interest in Christine. This modernization of Anslay’s Tudor English makes his translation accessible to contemporary readers while preserving the rhythms of early Tudor prose. It includes an extensive introduction and notes highlighting both the history of the language and the cultural references embodied in the text.
344 pages | 19 color plates and 1 halftone | 6 x 9 | © 2024
The Other Voice in Early Modern Europe: The Toronto Series
History: European History
Literature and Literary Criticism: British and Irish Literature
Reviews
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Illustrations
Abbreviations
INTRODUCTION
The Other Voice
Life and Works of Christine de Pizan
Christine de Pizan’s City of Ladies
Brian Anslay, Henry Pepwell, and Richard Grey, Third Earl of Kent
Brian Anslay’s Translation
Editorial Principles and Practices
THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES
Opening Rubric
Table of Contents, First Part
Prologue of the Printer
The First Part
Table of Contents, Second Part
The Second Part
Table of Contents, Third Part
The Third Part
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
Illustrations
Abbreviations
INTRODUCTION
The Other Voice
Life and Works of Christine de Pizan
Christine de Pizan’s City of Ladies
Brian Anslay, Henry Pepwell, and Richard Grey, Third Earl of Kent
Brian Anslay’s Translation
Editorial Principles and Practices
THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES
Opening Rubric
Table of Contents, First Part
Prologue of the Printer
The First Part
Table of Contents, Second Part
The Second Part
Table of Contents, Third Part
The Third Part
Glossary
Bibliography
Index