Hanging Out with Penelope, Jeanette, and Christine

While reading Christine De Pizan, I could not help but think of other women who follow her moral code. Reaching as far back as Odysseus' Penelope all the way to Jeanette Rankin, women have been exemplifying these characteristics. Penelope, avoiding war and wickedness remained virtuous and loyal to her husband despite the gentlemen callers. Although not the same Christian God that Pizan harkens to, Penelope still remained pious to her religion at the time. It seems as though one of the first ways into rhetoric for women was through religion. By utilizing positions in charities, and other faithful organizations women were able to start being heard. This continued on to modern history, in looking at how women got a way into suffrage through the prohibition movement.

Women, not being able to participate in leadership positions as fully, had to be more creative. I found the language, "roll up her sleeves" (546) rather interesting as it is redefining the fact that women can mimic the body language and gestures typically associated with men. The princess that Christine De Pizan refers to has gained a voice within her rhetorical scene by utilizing rhetorical listening. She exerts her agency by choosing to listen. She works as a liaison in between the prince and their constituents as people come to her if they have offended the prince in order for her to "make peace for them" (546). These pacifistic values are reflected most obviously in Jeanette Rankin, the Montana politician who voted against entering both World War One and World War Two. By utilizing her peaceful nature she exuded her authority to not vote. It is interesting that for women by doing the opposite (inaction) was the only way to act. It sets up a contradictions between stereotypes and realities, which are being challenged by Pizan. It is important as we look back on feminist rhetoricians to look at the ways in which they are joining into the conversation, even if it is by inaction it reveals a lot of possibilities (or lack their of) that women were able to control at the time.