This essay will provide an insight into the lives of women in Italian society during the Renaissance
by giving a summary of the subject couple--Giovanni and Lusanna, the cultural environment of this p
eriod and what impact this world had on women as well as the role women made in shaping their social
status. Giovanni di Ser Lodovico della Casa:(1420-1480) was one of the sons from the Della Casa--an
upper echelon family of Florentine society. All of the family members were engaged in international
trade and banking (referred to by the Church and those subjected to it as usury) and associated wit
h the Medici, the richest and most powerful in Florence. Lusanna Benedetto di Girolamo(1420-?) was t
he daughter of a successful immigrant tailor from Dalmatia (now the former Yugoslavia) first married
the son of a baker, Andrea Nucci, himself another guildsman involved with the linen-cloth trade. Lu
sanna's father was above the artisan average regarding the success of his business so he was able to
present Lusanna (his only daughter from his first marriage) with a dowry--this was the property tha
t a bride brought with her to marriage. A substantial dowry enhanced her attractiveness as a spouse,
strengthened interfamily ties, and served as a financial base for the newlyweds. During the Florent
ine Renaissance, the husband managed his wife's dowry but did not own it outright (women had a degr
ee of protection under the law).
The story of Giovanni and Lusanna focuses on Lusanna's bold attemp
t at bringing to the Florentine courts a suit against Giovanni for marrying another woman. Lusanna b
elieved she was legally married to Giovanni(albeit) secretly. Lusanna was married to an artisan line
n maker Andrea Nucci at the time Giovanni pursued her relentlessly eventually creating a love affair
/romance. He even allegedly promised to marry Lusanna should her husband die ( this perhaps was said
initially to keep the romance on-going). Her husband, Andrea, soon died a questionable death and it
was suggested by some that he may have been poisoned. Giovanni semi-reneged on his promise by marry
ing Lusanna secretly -- a public wedding of someone of his social status and rank to women of the wo
rking class in Florence was socially incorrect. Besides Lusanna's love affair with Giovanni while sh
e was still married, there abounded inferences that she had other lovers as well. (Giovanni was away
on business much of the time). Her husband, Andrea Nucci, was accused of being a cuckold--a man mar
ried to an unfaithful wife, but perhaps his latent homosexuality and the fact that Lusanna was barre
n initiated a period of celibate relations with the "look-men-in- the-eye-Lusanna" pursuing her need
s elsewhere. In today's society this would have been a common reason for her to seek such affection
outside of marriage (men, especially of social rank, were less hindered in their affairs). However,
in the court proceedings these notions were presented to discredit her.
Though Giovanni did marry a
nother, (most likely in-part due to Lusanna's bareness) he still did care for her as is portrayed in
his visiting after his marriage to Marrieta and trying to find her another spouse. However, it is p
ossible that this may have been done to appease Lusanna and to prevent the potential legal battle th
at eventually transpired. Lusanna was better off financially and socially than much of the female po
pulation during the Italian Renaissance. Most women never attended schools and only the well-off cou
ld afford to give their daughters a formal education at home. Most families wanted sons, not daughte
rs--infanticide and child abandonment were not uncommon for female dependants (and ther was that dow
ry issue). Respectable girls and women left the house only to go to church (and then veiled and unde
r escort). Few adult roles were open to women. They were generally expected to marry or to become nu
ns or servants. The problem of girls becoming nuns because their fathers could not afford to dower t
hem started to become serious in the 15th century. Approximately 12 percent of the Florentine women
were nuns coming predominantly from the poorer families. A dowry fund was set-up in 1425 to off-set
this problem. Some women were of course, forced to marry men they wished not to be with. But women
were beginning to have more say in this matter or rebelled by leaving the coummunity or entering a c
onvent. It seems likely that opportunities for women were greater in Renaissance Italy, especially i
n Florence, than in other parts of Europe due to a growing secularized society based in part on Roma
n and pre-Roman (Greek) classical history. This caused some Italians to argue that women were equal
or even superior to men (over 40 treatises all written by men during the 14th c. promoted this view)
. Florentine life became more visibly secular with woman adorning themselves (bleaching hair blonde
was common-blondes sill have more fun today) and flaunting their sexuality. The Renaissance woman of
the upper classes raised her sex out of the Middle-Ages and its monastic contempt to be perhaps be
almost the equal of man. The educated women of the Renaissance further liberated themselves by their
intelligence and character and by the heightened sensitivity of men to their perceivable and imperc
eptible charms. In this way the Italian Renaissance can be thought of as unisexual because women mov
ed more freely into every sphere of life while men reduced their coarseness and took on finer manner
s and speech. Grace and refinement were manifest as had not been known in Italian society for a thou
sand years. Renaissance thought still portrayed women as dangerous and disorderly--(as seen in the a
ttempts to defame Lusanna by Giovanni's procurators). Urban institutions followed the Classical patt
ern of associating men with politics and women with the household. Typically viewed, female initiati
ve was channeled into religious vocation, social promotion through marriage, or family interests. So
me upper-class women enjoyed unusual opportunities because of their status, education and particular
ly the wealth and prestige of family--But these women had to be supported by influential power throu
gh their social-class network in order to survive a court ordeal like Lusanna's. Peasant and lower-c
lass women worked with and for their families in agriculture, crafts, and households with little cha
nce for support in such situations except from the local church (Lusanna's case was lost when Giovan
ni's contacts in Rome influenced the pope to invalidate the marriage). Custom and secular law normal
ly favored women's inheritance or dowry rights, but formal institutions favored male dominance and t
he power they could wield. The Renaissance did not reverse the general erosion of women's position t
hat resulted from the growing importance of commerce and centralized states. The individualistic, se
cular culture that might have invited female as well as male participation self-consciously defined
itself as the male mind triumphing over (female) nature. Lusanna made an admirably bold attempt in f
orwarding sexual equality. In today's Western societies she would have had an excellent chance at be
coming a winning plaintiff in her suit against Giovanni. Over five centuries later, we still find th
at money and particularly, power, with it's predilection for the status quo, is what conveys the fin
al result regardless of gender.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
A History Of Their Own: Women in Europe-From Prehi
story To The Present, Volume I, copyright© 1988, by Bonnie S. Anderson and Judith P. Zinsser, Harper
" Row, Publishers, New York.
Daily Life In Renaissance Italy, Copyright© 1975, by Charles L. Mee,
Jr., American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., New York.
Italian Renaissance, Copyright© 1981, edited
by J.R.Hale,Thames and Hudson Ltd., London.
Renaissance, Copyright© 1965, by John R. Hale, Time In
corporated, New York.
The Renaissance : A History of Civilization in Italy from 1304-1576 A.D., cop
yright© 1953, by Will Durant, Simon and Schuster, New York.
Urban Life in the Renaissance, Copyrigh
t© 1989, by Susan Zimmerman and Ronald F.E. Weissman, Associated University Presses, Inc.
this essa
y will provide insight into lives women italian society during renaissance giving summary subject co
uple giovanni lusanna cultural environment this period what impact this world women well role women
made shaping their social status giovanni lodovico della casa sons from della casa upper echelon fam
ily florentine society family members were engaged international trade banking referred church those
subjected usury associated with medici richest most powerful florence lusanna benedetto girolamo da
ughter successful immigrant tailor from dalmatia former yugoslavia first married baker andrea nucci
himself another guildsman involved with linen cloth trade lusanna father above artisan average regar
ding success business able present only daughter from first marriage with dowry property that bride
brought marriage substantial dowry enhanced attractiveness spouse strengthened interfamily ties serv
ed financial base newlyweds during florentine renaissance husband managed wife dowry outright degree
protection under story giovanni focuses bold attempt bringing florentine courts suit against marryi
ng another woman believed legally married albeit secretly married artisan linen maker andrea nucci t
ime pursued relentlessly eventually creating love affair romance even allegedly promised marry shoul
d husband perhaps said initially keep romance going husband andrea soon died questionable death sugg
ested some that have been poisoned semi reneged promise marrying secretly public wedding someone soc
ial status rank working class florence socially incorrect besides love affair while still there abou
nded inferences that other lovers well away business much time nucci accused being cuckold unfaithfu
l wife perhaps latent homosexuality fact barren initiated period celibate relations look pursuing ne
eds elsewhere today society would have been common reason seek such affection outside marriage espec
ially social rank were less hindered their affairs however court proceedings these notions were pres
ented discredit though marry another most likely part bareness still care portrayed visiting after m
arrieta trying find spouse however possible have been done appease prevent potential legal battle ev
entually transpired better financially socially than much female population during italian renaissan
ce most never attended schools only well could afford give their daughters formal education home fam
ilies wanted sons daughters infanticide child abandonment uncommon female dependants ther issue resp
ectable girls left house only church then veiled under escort adult roles open they generally expect
ed marry become nuns servants problem girls becoming nuns because fathers could afford dower them st
arted become serious century approximately percent nuns coming predominantly poorer families fund pr
oblem some course forced they wished beginning more matter rebelled leaving coummunity entering conv
ent seems likely opportunities greater italy especially florence than other parts europe growing sec
ularized based part roman roman greek classical history caused some italians argue equal even superi
or over treatises written promoted view life became more visibly secular woman adorning themselves b
leaching hair blonde common blondes sill more today flaunting sexuality woman upper classes raised m
iddle ages monastic contempt perhaps almost equal educated further liberated themselves intelligence
character heightened sensitivity perceivable imperceptible charms italian thought unisexual because
moved freely into every sphere life while reduced coarseness took finer manners speech grace refine
ment manifest known thousand years thought still portrayed dangerous disorderly seen attempts defame
procurators urban institutions followed classical pattern associating politics household typically
viewed female initiative channeled into religious vocation promotion through family interests upper
class enjoyed unusual opportunities because status education particularly wealth prestige these supp
orted influential power through class network order survive court ordeal like peasant lower worked f
amilies agriculture crafts households little chance support such situations except local church case
lost when contacts rome influenced pope invalidate custom secular normally favored inheritance righ
ts formal institutions favored male dominance power they could wield reverse general erosion positio
n resulted growing importance commerce centralized states individualistic secular culture might invi
ted male participation self consciously defined itself male mind triumphing over nature made admirab
ly bold attempt forwarding sexual equality today western societies would excellent chance becoming w
inning plaintiff suit against over five centuries later find money particularly power predilection w
hat conveys final result regardless gender bibliography history europe prehistory present volume cop
yright bonnie anderson judith zinsser harper publishers york daily life italy copyright charles amer
ican heritage publishing york copyright edited hale thames hudson london john hale time incorporated
york history civilization italy will durant simon schuster urban susan zimmerman ronald weissman as
sociated university pressesEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book repor
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