Western famous women

Author: Giovanni Boccaccio
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The Famous Women of the West is the pioneering work in Western biographical literature on women. Since its publication, it has been a subject of attention from the literary world and female readers for 600 years. World-renowned literary giants such as Shakespeare and Chaucer have used works from The Famous Women of the West as inspiration for their own creations. The world-famous Romeo and Juliet originated from the ninth story in The Famous Women of the West. In Western upper-class society, The Famous Women of the West became the essential textbook for teaching young girls at home. No female biography has had such a profound impact on later literature. Its influence extended to England, France, Germany, Spain, and even countries in Asia and Africa. From noble ladies to aristocratic daughters and wealthy wives, none failed to regard reading this book as an important part of their education. As a result, later generations bestowed upon The Famous Women of the West extraordinary praise, and it is well-deserved for the book to hold a significant place in the hall of world literature.
The great writer Giovanni Boccaccio sounded the trumpet for the beginning of the Italian Renaissance with The Decameron. Twenty years later, he presented another timeless masterpiece to the world—The Famous Women of the West. In this book, some well-known figures are revisited, brought to life by Boccaccio. Each person’s life and deeds are meticulously researched, revealing a more authentic image to the readers. For example, Venus, widely known for her beauty, is also the mother of Cupid in mythology. However, Boccaccio argued that she was actually the inventor and promoter of an extremely vulgar and corrupt place—the brothel. Another woman recorded by Boccaccio in this book—the Babylonian girl Tiberia—is likely to be unfamiliar to many. But when it comes to Shakespeare’s Juliet, the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet may come to mind for many. In fact, when Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet, he essentially borrowed the story of the Babylonian girl Tiberia from Boccaccio.
If someone mentions Neostрата, you might not know her. According to Boccaccio’s records, she was the daughter of the King of Arcadia. She once built the city of Palatine with her son, which later became the great ancient city of Rome. She also invented 16 letters and taught the locals how to combine them. These letters are the magical Latin alphabet that is still in use today.
Such stories abound in Boccaccio’s The Famous Women of the West, which is why this book became the essential reading for young girls in Western upper-class society from birth.