In "Federigo's Falcon," the female protagonist Monna Giovanna was widowed by her husband who suddenly fell ill and passed away. Her husband was a very wealthy man, and together they had a son who become the sole beneficiary of his father's estate. From the beginning of the story, female's roles in the Middle Ages become apparent. The story writes, "...he made his son, who was growing up, his heir, and, since he had loved Monna Giovanna very much, he made his/her heir should his son die without a legitimate heir..." Instead of the wife and mother becoming the beneficiary of her husband's finances, it is the male son, who is still not old enough to take care of himself yet, that inherits all of his father's fortune. The wife inherits the money only if the son dies before she does. This notion however, is very reflective of the given time period. In today's world, the wife is always the beneficiary.
Unlike the Middle Ages, women had a little bit more leeway during the Renaissance period. They were able to express themselves more freely, although not to the extent to which they express themselves today. Women were beginning to realize that they were not being seen as equal beings, and some women spoke...
In the "Females Orations" the author portrays the different views that women have pertaining their perceived inequality. This is also very reflective of the Renaissance period. There were those women who saw themselves as being superior to men, but knew that they were being treated as complete subordinates to them, "...they possess all the ease, rest, pleasure, wealth, power, and fame; whereas women are restless with labor, easeless with pain, melancholy for want of pleasures, helpless for want of power, and die in oblivion, for want of fame." Most of the women in today's time period think and speak as the aforementioned character does. However, a more realistic approach during the Renaissance era would be from the upcoming character, "...we have no reason to speak against men, who are our admirers and lovers; they are our protectors, defenders, and maintainers..." The latter statement is a much better representation of how the majority of women expressed themselves toward men during this era. Although it was clear that women were not seen as being equal, they instead attempted to focus on what they had and what the men provided them with. It is however, a much better improvement over…
