Je Christine
A Medieval Woman in Her Own Words
CHRISTINE DE PIZAN (1364 – c. 1430) was born in Venice. Her father was summoned by King Charles V of France to act as his medical and astrological advisor. Christine was five years old when the family moved to Paris. She was encouraged in her love of learning by her father and had access to the royal library. Widowed at the age of twenty-five and with a family to support, Christine achieved notice by writing poems for the nobility. When she publicly entered into a famous literary debate concerning a controversial book, The Romance of the Rose, her position as an important scholarly voice was secured.
During a time of war, plague, and political upheaval, Christine's written counsel became increasingly valued by the royal family. She employed scribes, illuminators, and book-binders in the publications of her exquisite manuscripts. Her works cover a range of styles and topics: love poetry, allegory, biography, educational treatises, public correspondence, spiritual writings, and a heroic poem dedicated to Joan of Arc, who was Christine's contemporary. The City of Ladies and The Book of the Three Virtues stood in defense of women's worth five centuries before feminism became a recognized cause. The Book of Deeds of Arms and Chivalry, a manual on preparation for battle and on the laws and philosophy of war, was one of the first big sellers after the invention of the printing press and is still referenced at military academies
SUZANNE SAVOY is an educator and a veteran of stage and screen. Go to IMDb at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0767929/
to learn more about her extensive onscreen and voice-over work. She plays Kristen McCusker in Steven Soderbergh's Full Circle on HBO MAX, DNC Chairwoman Patricia Whittaker on House of Cards, Victoria Robertson in The Knick, and Charlotte in the feature film The Upside.
Past projects with students have included creation, design, and production of shows based on classical literature: The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Labors of Herakles, Areito (tales from the Taino tradition), and The Adventures of Lancelot. Suzanne spent ten years designing for the acclaimed NYC touring company The Shakespeare Project and created and ran their education program. Her popular online library program through the Lewes Public Library, Lunchtime Short Story Readings for Adults, has brought together a vibrant community of readers and listeners for over five years.
Savoy is currently preparing a translation of Christine de Pizan's Le Livre du Dit de Poissy for publication and voice recording. It was first performed live for the 58th International Congress on Medieval Studies at Kalamazoo, MI, with accompaniment on lute by Gaven Dianda. Click on the Dit de Poissy menu item, above, for more info and to book a reading.
Puppets created by Suzanne Savoy for The Shakespeare Project's production of Venus and Adonis.