[S]ince you are angry at me without reason, you attack me…
![“[S]ince you are angry at me without reason, you attack me harshly with, "Oh outrageous presumption! Oh excessively foolish pride! Oh opinion uttered too quickly and thoughtlessly by the mouth of a woman! A woman who condemns a man of high understanding and dedicated study, a man who, by great…” quote by Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/bfc/christine-de-pizan-13257_accusations_s-ince-you-are-angry-at-me-without-reaso_2269658.png)
““[S]ince you are angry at me without reason, you attack me harshly with, "Oh outrageous presumption! Oh excessively foolish pride! Oh opinion uttered too quickly and thoughtlessly by the mouth of a woman! A woman who condemns a man of high understanding and dedicated study, a man who, by great labour and mature deliberation, has made the very noble book of the Rose , which surpasses all others that were ever written in French. When you have read this book a hundred times, provided you have understood the greater part of it, you will discover that you could never have put your time and intellect to better use!" My answer: Oh man deceived by willful opinion! I could assuredly answer but I prefer not to do it with insult, although, groundlessly, you yourself slander me with ugly accusations. Oh darkened understanding! Oh perverted knowledge ... A simple little housewife sustained by the doctrine of Holy Church could criticise your error!””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A woman rebukes a man for attacking her with unfounded accusations, defending her intellect and moral standing against gendered insults.
In simple terms: She defends herself against baseless attacks.
Key Takeaway
Stand firm, respond with reason, not insult.
Themes
gender bias
defense
intellect
honor
Mood
defiant
assertive
Type
philosophical
defensive
When to use this quote
- courtly debate
- personal argument
- public discourse
Key Concepts
feminist critique
rhetoric
social hierarchy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain dignity when faced with gendered slurs?
- What strategies protect intellectual integrity under attack?
A Different Perspective
Her defense may be dismissed due to prevailing patriarchal attitudes.