From reading examples of classic literature, it is possible to learn a great deal about daily life and the way people lived. One subject that has fascinated me is reading classic literature  to learn how women lived at various times in history.

On this page, it is not my intention to cover the entire spectrum of women's roles and contributions to literature, that would necessitate a large volume. Instead, I am using selected examples, to show how women lived at various times in history. And since this is a language web site, I will also delve into the language in which each piece of work was originally written.

An example of a strong willed woman from the early Christian era is St. Thecla, a woman who rejected a forced marriage against her will and devoted her life to he work and teaching of St. Paul.

The Acts of Paul and Thecla is an early Christian text. originally written in Greek d. A copy of thuring the second century A.D.  Paul. A copy of the  work in English can be found at 

http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf08.vii.xxvi.html?highlight=acts,of,paul,and,thecla#highlight

A reference to the Paul and Thecla story was made by the early Christian writer Tertullian. Tertullian lived in the 2nd century A.D., and is considered the founder of Latin language Christianity, since he was the first major early Christian writer to write in Latin rather than Greek. He is also of interested because he wrote to works to his wife Ad Uxor, and these writings shed light on how Christian women lived in the 2nd century.  A web page devoted to his work can be found at http://www.tertullian.org.

The Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 6, which is a fragment of an ancient manuscript in Greek. It is a fragment of the Aprocryphal work The fragment is housed at Cambridge University Library.

Another women who lived in Medieval times and who was highly educated for a woman of that time period is Heloise, known for her love affair for Abelard. The story of Abelard and Heloise is a true Romeo and Juliette love affair from the 12th century.  Heloise (also known as Heloise of Argenteuil), was born in France approximately 1101 AD, and was raised by her uncle Fulbert of Notre Dame. Peter Abelard (born 1079 AD in La Pallet, France, a town located near Nantes) was a noted scholar who became her teacher. They fell in love and Heloise had a son they named Astrolabe. They experienced terrible opposition from Fulbert, who arranged for thugs to break into Abelard's room and castrate him. He then enterered a monastary and Heloise became a nun, however they continued to write to each other. Heloise loved Abelard her entire life and was buried next to Abelard in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris when she died. The tragic story of their lives is recounted in Abelard's Historiam Calamitam (The History of My Misfortunes). A biography can be read at http://www.britannica.com/biography/Heloise-French-nun 

 Abelard and Heloise's love letters can be read at  

 http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/aah/aah04.htm 

 The works of Abelard and Heloise can also be read in French at  

 http://www.pierre-abelard.com/table-traductions.htm 

 Abelard is also known for writing Sic Et Non (Yes and No), a book of theological questions, with arguments for and against each question.

Another example of an important work by a woman is The Book of the City of Ladies, completed in 1905 by Christine de Pizan. The book contains biogrphies of famous women of the time and is known for present the accomplishments of woman in a positive light. 

Christine de Pizan (1364 - 1430) is best known for the works City of Ladies (Le Livre de la Cite des Dames) and The Treasury of the City of Ladies. After reading a male author's negative remarks against women, she was inspired to write about woman of noble character, defending the character of women.