“Which speaks to women servants and chambermaids.” The fifth group of women de Pizan discusses is women servants and chambermaids—those that live to serve. These women, as de Pizan puts it, may have been prevented from learning about salvation and God (de Pizan). These women are “to be excused if they cannot do certain things on God’s behalf,” because of this (de Pizan). This is a major statement in this time because of how central religion was to their culture. She then goes on to correct herself in arguing that these women should make it a point on their own to go out and seek God for themselves by saying, “nevertheless, hardly anyone is so busy that if she really wants to arise early she will not have the time to hear a Mass on most days,
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Though de Pizan does feel inclined to consider them in her writings, she does not do so kindly. Often, she refers to them as “filth.” But even so, she gives them salvation, “…that the most worthy person, Jesus Christ, was not displeased to associate with whores while converting them, (de Pizan).” This line, yet redeeming, outlines that these prostitutes must be converted, or saved. She tries to persuade them to change their ways by calling them, “sinning, wretched women,” and telling them that they must renounce prostitution and in turn follow a life more suitable for nun. She warns that although they have displeased society, they can renew themselves in the name of God and become modest once again. But even if she does such, a woman of this group would still have to be very cautious of her actions so that she does not fall back into prostitution, “of course, she would have to be careful that they saw no trashiness or immorality in her behavior, nor any form of evil doing (de Pizan).” These women must find a new way of supporting themselves, which de Pizan makes out to be an easy task. Again, de Pizan warns that these women should not fall into a man that is so wicked with mal intentions, and that she must go to the law if such does occur. This is parallel to those of the unmarried class, and it is clear that, though they will never be pure like the maids, they can lead lives that are
Though de Pizan does feel inclined to consider them in her writings, she does not do so kindly. Often, she refers to them as “filth.” But even so, she gives them salvation, “…that the most worthy person, Jesus Christ, was not displeased to associate with whores while converting them, (de Pizan).” This line, yet redeeming, outlines that these prostitutes must be converted, or saved. She tries to persuade them to change their ways by calling them, “sinning, wretched women,” and telling them that they must renounce prostitution and in turn follow a life more suitable for nun. She warns that although they have displeased society, they can renew themselves in the name of God and become modest once again. But even if she does such, a woman of this group would still have to be very cautious of her actions so that she does not fall back into prostitution, “of course, she would have to be careful that they saw no trashiness or immorality in her behavior, nor any form of evil doing (de Pizan).” These women must find a new way of supporting themselves, which de Pizan makes out to be an easy task. Again, de Pizan warns that these women should not fall into a man that is so wicked with mal intentions, and that she must go to the law if such does occur. This is parallel to those of the unmarried class, and it is clear that, though they will never be pure like the maids, they can lead lives that are