Lucrezia Marinella
Lucrezia Marinella (1571-1653) was a poet, author, philosopher, polemicist, and women's rights advocate from the Republic of Venice.
[2] Lucrezia Marinella was the daughter of a physician and natural philosopher, Giovanni Marinelli, who wrote novels, some of which were on women’s well-being, hygiene and beauty.
[5] Her father might have been the vital link between her private studies and the writing and the wider world of Venetian literary circles, including the Accademia de’ Desiosi.
She was supported by her peers and influential in the formation of the 'new' Venetian academy because of her powerful writing style and insight into women's rights.
[8] Marinella helped other female writers to continue publishing their writings, which was very rare for women in this period because of countless restrictions.
Unlike other academies, women were allowed to criticize and negate prejudice about female inferiority, but also had institutional support from some male professors and fellow peers.
But, at the same time the Roman Catholic Church maintained rigid theories of gender and expectations of women’s place and nature.
She did not travel, except to local shrines, there is no evidence she gathered with other authors for discussions, and there is no record of her even attending meetings held in academies outside.
In the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance era in Italy, women were largely wives and mothers.
[citation needed] Marinella talks in her writings about the tradition of female inequality that has persisted throughout Western culture and is rooted in Hebrew, Greek, Roman, and Christian ideals.
[13] Although Marinella was one of the best recognized female writers of the time, which included Moderata Fonte, Arcangela Tarabotti and Veronica Franco.
In La nobiltà et l'eccellenza delle donne co' diffetti et mancamenti de gli uomini, she notes the root of anti-feminist thoughts potentially being attributed to the influence of Aristotle.
Marinella argued with their belief that women's cold humoral temperaments are inherently different, making them inferior to men.
[12] Marinella embraced pastoral writings because it permitted her to describe a society that redefines the relationships between men and women.
Pastoral forms provided the perfect sanctuary for Marinella to encode details of her personal life into her writings, like in Arcadia Felice.
Overwhelmed with feedback, Passi eventually stated that he believes he was misinterpreted and gradually moves away from spreading his extremist views about women.
[8] Marinella took the first part of her own title from the Italian translation of a supposedly anonymous French tract, "Della nobilita et eccellenza delle donne,"[17] printed in Venice in 1549.
It is thought that La nobilita, et l’eccellenza delle donne was published so quickly due to the connections Marinella had with the Venetian Academy.
[20] In Enrico, Marinella chose to write in one of the highest literary genres of her time, that was for cultural reasons out of favor in Venice.
Marinella’s warrior women in Enrico wear masculine armor with grace and dignity; they were written as respectable in deed and thought, and as chaste virgins (Querelle des femmes).
[25] On seclusion, Lucrezia wrote: "I also stated this in my book entitled The Nobility and Excellence of Women, but now considering the issue in a more mature fashion, I am of the view that it is not the result of conscious manipulation nor the action of an angry soul, but the will and providence of nature and God.
"[26] Despite her efforts and strong beliefs, her later writings seemed more affected by societal pressures and she seemed less convinced that women would ever fully be accepted as equals to men.
–––, 1645a, Essortationi alle donne et a gli altri se a loro saranno a grado di Lucretia Marinella.
[1] Francesco Agostino della Chiesa described her as " a woman of wondrous eloquence and learning" and asserted "it would be impossible to surpass her.
"[27] Cristofero Bronzino, pronounced her exceptional in writing prose and poetry, most accomplished in sacred compositions, and a supreme expert in moral and natural philosophy."
[2] Marinella dedicated The Nobility and Excellence of Women to another doctor and friend of her father Lucio Scarano who took a particular interest in her literary formation.
[29] Marinella dedicated her poem Amoro Innamorato et Impazzato to a female reader: Caterina de' Medici, Duchess of Mantua.
