The Renaissance was the time period between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries that led to the beginning of many new ideas and developments. It was a time period of prosperity for many European countries especially Italy. Economic and intellectual changes occurred and it also gave the opportunity for many new doors to open to new directions in art, social, scientific, and political beliefs. Although during this time of great reform women had minimal amounts of influence. It is argued, that because of this lack of power, the term Renaissance does not necessarily apply to omen, and it was a title that was given to them afterwards.
Women were excluded from the opportunity to take part in the rebirth of classical ideas due to lack of education, stereotypical beliefs about women, and because many women married young making it very challenging to pursue further education. Women were denied opportunities to participate in the Renaissance due to the lack of education the majority of women during this time received. However, as in many cases there is an exception to this statement. An example of this very rare exception during this time erred is a letter from Angelo Boliviano to an upper class maiden Cassandra Fiddle.
Angelo observes that she is one of the few educated women of her age. (DOC 1 One should approach this document with caution because the source is a humanist letter to a wealthy upper class woman. On the other hand John Knox once observed that it would be awful if women ever reigned supreme over men. (DOC . ) John Knox in some ways was correct and in some ways was incorrect. John Knox was correct if he was commenting on the overall intellectual ability of most women at the time. However, urine this time there were a few women who were well educated and some who even reigned over men.
Women during the Renaissance carried around a large amount of stereotypes. Many of which were very critical about the way women should act, the way they should be nothing more than a house keeper, and how women were not able to become well educated enough to do anything worthwhile in their life’s. Francesco Barbara observed that women should never speak in public unless spoken to. (Doc. ) However, one should take count of the point of view of the source because Francesco was Presbyterian. Presbyterian at this time listened very closely to anything that the founder of their religion said.
In which case Presbyterian did anything John Knox said or did. John Knox highly disliked the Queen of Scotland Mary because she was not a Presbyterian. John Nook’s teachings brought along many stereotypes women would have to burden during this time. The most major reason women of this time weren’t able to pursue further education is because of the age at which they would become married. When these women would become married many of them would not even be considered a legal adult by today’s standards. According to (Doc. The majority of women would get married at the age of 17 or 18.
However, one should be able to see that this source doesn’t account for women that were forced to marry at a younger age then they would’ve preferred. This source does show that this would more than likely not allow women to pursue a higher education unless the family could afford a private tutor. Which were only possible if the woman was from a very wealthy upper class family. It is argued that many women during this time period wished not to be women. (Doc. ) Shows that Siesta Angola once wrote that she wondered why she was born a women when here were already some many in the world.
Women were excluded from the chance to take part in the rebirth of classical ideas due to lack of education, stereotypical beliefs about women, and because many women married young making it very difficult to pursue further schooling. Women did not experience a renaissance because the view on women were very critical and primarily demanded women were only made to reproduce and house keep. During this time period many women around the world experienced this kind of treatment from men. With the exceptions off few places like Japan.