Medieval feminism in terms of man. Agrippa of Nettesheim

He studied various professions: lawyer, alchemist, astrologer, military, philosopher and even doctor (some said that he hadn’t diploma, some insisted that he did: in any case,he really studied medicine). And I don’t even speak about his interest in occultism.

Agrippa of Nettesheim

When he was 12, he enrolled at Cologne University (than he continued his education in Paris). But the thing is he was before the child-secretary to Maximilian I. By the way, this fact is debatable: some thinking that his father was the secretary (because, he had as the same as his son’s name). In any case, become a student in twelve, can you imagine? Definitely, this person became interesting to me!

As I understood from his biography (1486-1535), he had many friends, but as many enemies, who was made by his wit manifests.Torquemada (died in 1498) was already died but inquisition still exist. How can Agrippa avoid the burning on the inquisition’s fire – fascinating! His theological lectures (and he read them on the public) was mixed with mordant satire to the church, so that was the reason he was accused in heresy. In this case to him not helped even royal patronage. Escape from the city not helped either: he’s trapped into prison. But the friends of his get him out of jail (I wish I have such friends!). There is information that he was member of Order of the Rosicrucians, there were legends about their capabilities.

I had no time to read all of his writings, but one of it I putted on the first place to read. It’s called: “Speech on the dignity and superiority of the female sex”. Pleasant, of course, such a masterpiece made by man who wrote this in time when women were not consider as human at all. Even was burned as a witches. By the way, as the lawyer, he saved one poor peasant woman from flames of the inquisition. For this he only achieved hatred of the church.

This tractate, despite some historical inaccuracies, (as was said by researchers)nevertheless it is very reasoned.Despite it was dedicated to Margarita of Austria - the actual ruler (stadhorn) of the Spanish Netherlands, and variegated with references to the Bible itself, church accused author in heresy and forced him getaways immediately. But this did not save him from anathema.

Arguments of the Old Testament and not only that

And what is the point of tractate? When I read it - that was like balm per capita. (Yes, yes, guilty – I felt some vainglory). It started on parsing of names. On that moment, Agrippa studied Yiddish and spent a lot of time studied Kabbala too. Adam means "fashioned out of the ground", but Eve – "life" or "giving life". Life,from his words, concept is so comprehensive that including ground too. God gave names according to the essence of the called so he cannot be mistaken ‘cos he is omniscient. And if you go into the subtleties of etymologythen, from the point of view of the author, the name of Eve is very similar to the unspeakable name of God – tetragrammaton –
IHVH. And Eve in Hebrew is pronounced like Havah. She was created at the very end, and therefore she is the crown of creation. After all, at first God created more primitive beings, gradually increasing their complexity by the end of the Act of the Creation.

From what sources he drew the following information is difficult for me to say, but from his words the woman was created in paradise with angels, but the man from the dust of the earth. Adam was moved to heaven only so that God could take his rib to complete the creation of Eve. I suppose, proceeding from the context, this was done to balance the material component of the woman, so that she was closer to Adam. Especially if you remember the legend of Lilith, then it makes sense, because Eva was more appeasable.

Very interesting is the interpretation of temptation. According to the author, eating the forbidden fruit was forbidden to Adam, but not to Eve. Eve was not accused of what she tasted, but of persuadingAdam that he was not allowed to. But she did it not intentionally, since she herself was deceived by the Serpent. The man was aware of the ban. So, he quite consciously went on the offense. But the church considers the fault of woman, but fortunatelly not all of them. Saint Bernard: "Having seen the amazing beauty of a woman and remembering her in all superiority, when she was enjoying conversations with God in the divine light before the whole of the angels, the devil turned all his envy to her."

And then the sons of God were kindled with love for the daughters of men, and they took them as wives. I wonder if there were daughters of God? If so, the sons of men somehow did not interest them, which is also a plus for women))) (no offense)

Further, Agrippa gives many examples of female wisdom. For example, Abigai - wife of the biblical worthless Nabal - by her discretion saved both the life and property of the stupid husband from the angry David, who was subdued by the voice and face of her the aforementioned. I hope that with her wise speeches too.
And God commanded Abraham: "In everything that Sarah tells you, listen to her voice." How quickly the commandments are forgotten, however.
As it is written in the book of Judges, the people of Israel had a woman as judge. Her name was Deborah. She was even at the head of the army for the period of the war, when a certain Vark refused this honor. And the army won.

Arguments of the New Testament

Following the author's logic, Jesus Christ purposely became the son of a woman, having received his flesh from her, since the man was not present in this case. In the torture, humiliation and execution of the Savior, only men were guilty. Even the wife of Pontius Pilate tried to save him. After the death on the cross, the male half of the disciples of Christ nearly lost faith, but not female half. About the abdication of Peter, I generally keep quiet. And after the resurrection, the first people to whom Christ appeared were women. Yes, and about Mary Magdalene it is worth remembering: she was perhaps the most beloved among his students and the only one he kissed.
Here I will make a small digression, since I started talking about Mary Magdalene. For some reason, very many believe that she, before meeting with Jesus Christ, was a prostitute. Remember the picture of Titian "Penitent Mary Magdalene":

Penitent St Mary Magdalene. Titian, 1565

How one must hate the females, so that even one of the apostles, whom she was, should be written to the fallen woman?! And the church modestly lowers their eyes. Only when they are asked: is it so? They became surprise and answer that the church does not say such a thing, and in the Gospel written not a word about this. And therefore, personally from me, I wanna "give" to Agrippa Nettesheim great respect for trying to extol woman!

A lot of historical moments of female superiority were remembered by the author. For example, it was women who stopped the Coriolanus army when he was already near Rome, for which the Senate dedicated a whole temple to Fortune (which is also of a feminine gender). In addition, women were given the most honorable places on the roads, men were obliged to give way to the ladies (that's how the rules of etiquette grew). Women received the right of inheritance and the right to solemn funeral.

Lycurgus and Plato believed that the female gender is in no way inferior to the men's one: not by the strength of the spirit, nor by physical strength, nor by any other virtues. And therefore they are equal in their rights and opportunities.
In the case of the Celts, when difficulties arose in any matter, they often urged women to judge.

About how many unworthy cases of men the author has listed, I would rather keep silent, especially since women, at times, do not concede to them in that.
And I will conclude, perhaps, with the thoughts belongs to Christine of Pisa, who lived not long before the birth of Agrippa of Nettesheim, and the first, if I may say so, feminist. Although, no: the first was Lilith. However, it does not matter. So, a medieval writer believed that a woman is not inferior to a man, and bad marriages happen because of the human vices on both sides.

Christine de Pisan. Cathedra

It seems that Agrippa Nettesheim does not agree with her: "... wicked wives only happen to bad husbands, and if bad husbands had good wives, they often become bad because of the vices of their husbands."