By: Alexa Mondelo
Primary Sources (limited because some do not have direct translations from French to English). Most translated works are from Apology for the Woman Writing.
de, Gournay, Marie le Jars. Apology for the Woman Writing and Other Works, University of Chicago Press, 2002. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rochester/detail.action?docID=408185. “The Promenade of Monsieur de Montaigne- for Himself.
This is a fictional work done my Marie de Gouray that talks about Alinda, beautiful princess, that is going through an arranged marriage during ancient Persia. Throughout the story Alinda faces through many obstacles specifically due to her potential marriage. She does not believe that this man that she has been “given” to is worthy of her great mind and believes that it isn’t right she has to go through this. She goes back and forth with her emotions, forcing herself to fall in love with him but this ultimately leads to her despising him. One drastic event mentioned is that Leontin, the man she is supposed to marry, is a lustful man and has an affair with someone else. Eventually this tale ends with the suicides of Alinda and Leontin. This passage shows ideas that are not very common for woman to have, especially during this time period. It shows that marriage is not always happy and peaceful but rather can cause great doubt and distress and thereshore women should NOT be pressured to partake in.
Gournay, Marie Le Jars de. Apology for the Woman Writing and Other Works, ed. and trans. Richard Hillman and Colette Quesnel (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002).
In this paper, Gournay defends herself against the attacks placed against her for being an independent unmarried woman who wants to get an education She primarily points out that when men right poorly they do not get blamed but when a woman does every woman gets blamed. Her ideas of equality of minds is expressed throughout the reading, and insistst that it is the exclusion of woman in education is due to custom. In this paper she shows great courage and exemplifies the strengths of being a woman.
Gournay, Marie Le Jars de. Preface to the Essays of Montaigne, ed. and trans. Richard Hollman and Colette Quesnel (Tempe, AZ: Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 1998).
In this piece, Marie de Gournay defends the work of Montaigne. This piece of work played a vital part in Montaigne’s legacy. She established his literary genius and challenged misogyny which is highly prevalent during this time period. She uses his essays to convey the idea that the holy law of the father is one that pertains to all humans not just men. She specifically praises Montaine’s literary works by comparing it to past works, and implies there is nothing like it. He sheds on light on many problems that many have underlooked. She highly believes that her and Montained are linked due to their ideas which will later contribute to her argument style in later books. she conveys Montaine’s novel ideas but also uses them fight for her ideas of equality for men and women.
De Gournay, Marie (1594): Le Proumenoir de Monsiuer de Montaigne, Paris: Abel L’Anglier
De Gournay, Marie (1608): Bienvenue de Monseigneur le duc d^Anjou, Paris: Fleury Bourriquant.
De Gournay, Marie (1608) Adieu de l’Ame du Roy de France et de Navarre Henry le Grand, avec la Defense des Peres Jesuites Paris: Fleury Bourriquant
De Gournay, Marie (1610): Grief des Dames
De Gournay (1619): Versions de quelques pieces de Virgile, Tacite, Salluste, avec L’Institution de Monseigneur, frere unique du Roy
De Gournay, Marie (1620): Eschantillons de Virgile, Paris
De Gournay, Marie (1620): deux poemes dans Les Mueses en deuil
De Gournay, Marie (1621): Traductions. Partie du Quatriesme de l’Eneide, avec una orison de Tacite, et une de Salluste, Paris.
De Gournay, Marie (1622): Egalité des Hommes et des Femmes
De Gournay Marie (1624): Remerciement au Roy, Paris
De Gournay, Marie (1634): Les Afvis ou les Presens
Secondary Sources + Annotation!
Lewis, Douglas. “Marie de Gournay and the Engendering of Equality,”
In this paper, this author argues that Gournay’s work should’ve received more attention that it received. He talks about her argumentative styles which clearly convey her ideas to get women to break the habit of following a man’s opinion. Also she uses many philosophical works to get her point across as well as reasoned arguments which help to get her point across. She goes across philosophical, religious, historical, and practical evidence for women’s equality. He argues that because of her great argumentative skills she should have more recognition in histories of philosophies and feminist thought.
Cholakian, Patricia Francis. “The Economics of Friendship: Gournay’s Apologie pour celle qui escrit,” Journal of Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 25 (1995): 407-17.
This essay contests Gournay’s view on friendship with more idealized perspectives of Montaine. Gournay refers to her friendships in a socially constrained manner, and speaks about false friendships which have occured in her life, while Montaigne writes about unlimited trust and love that comes with good relationships and the ideal views of relationships. For both, personal experiences seem to be the main causes of their views. This paper helps to establish Gournay as an independent thinker and greatlt differs from Montaine.This paper also establishes that the idea of friendship, is an aspect that contributes greatly to contesting of power and exclusion.
Ilsely, Marjorie H. A Daughter of the Renaissance: Marie le Jars de Gournay, Her Life and Works. The Hague, the Netherlands: Mouton, 1963. Pp 317
In this paper, Marjorie Ilsley writes about Marie de Gournay throughout the reigns of five French kings. In this book Ilsley presents this woman freed from past prejudices and finds light by finding recent scholarship. This book talks about Marie de Gournay living her life as a professional writer and gives reasons as to why Marie de Gournay receives more credit for the development she caused for education today. Ilsley specifically focuses on her works like Le Promenoir de Monsieur de Montaigne, as one of the most outstanding psychological works and credits is as leaving an unforgettable critical mark on the French language.