Les découpages temporels à l’épreuve de l’histoire des femmes

Abstract

Published in 1977, Joan Kelly’s article “Did women have a Renaissance?” was intended not only to make room for women’s history within the larger historical narrative by revisiting existing sources, but also to challenge the conventional historical divide between the so-called Dark Ages and the enlightened Renaissance. Drawing on a corpus of works of courtly love literature and 16th century court treatises, the author argued that the Renaissance noblewoman had lost power and autonomy in relation to the medieval lady. Kelly’s argument drew its power and appeal from its revisiting of the myths of periodisation through the lens of women’s history. But her daring approach also lacked rigour and precision. The discussion of Kelly’s ideas in the ensuing decades has sparked lively historiographical debate.

Keywords

• literature
• gender
• Middle Ages
• Renaissance
• women’s history