As students of The Power of Women: Representations of and by Italian Women from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period, we have collected these digital resources for future students to utilize. This guide will be divided into both English and Italian sources. Digital resources are important to help frame the contact on the primary sources and historical context of your argument. This resource will aid students in secondary resource discovery, and inspire them in their endeavors to write their final paper. We have worked hard and long to gather these resources, and we hope they will be most useful to you.
Angelo Rella's 'Women in Machiavelli between stage perfection and moral degradation' confronts Machiavelli's misogynistic tendencies with his writing, while also acknowledging his understanding of the contradictions in his time. This article details Machiavelli's pursuit of a perfect woman, formed from the societal paradoxes that he observed, within the right measure and the right grace. Rella also provides a critical and gender study of Machiavelli's representation within his theatrical texts, demonstrates the paradoxes inherent into his works, and breaks down his idea of moral reason within the field of gender. The article addresses Machiavelli's reflections upon women within their public and private life, as well as the public perception of women as objects within 'the scenic perfection of life in society' and their escape from that role and its reliance on their own intelligence.
Ramie Targoff's writings detail the life of prominent renaissance writer, Vittoria Colonna with unique focus paid to her connections to the more popular renaissance figures that we often associate with the literature and culture from that time period. Amongst these focuses with popular figures is the presentation and examination of her friendship with famous artist Michelangelo through the medium of the various correspondences between one another, and their mutual artistic respect for one another. Colonna's connections also include Charles V, Pope Clement VII and Pope Paul III, Pietro Bembo, Baldassare Castiglione, Pietro Aretino, Queen Marguerite de Navarre, Reginald Pole, and Isabella d'Este, all and more of which are explored within Targoff's book.
Joan Kelly's 'Did Women Have a Renaissance' tackles its titular question through an exploration of courtly love dynamics and its effect on the dynamics between men and women within the system. Kelly puts forwards that while the system of courtly love, in which women are idolized and worshipped by potential suitors, held all of the aesthetics of elevating women during the renaissance period, the actual treatment of women did not differ too greatly from the misogyny they experienced prior. Within the system of courtly love, while honored and revered, women were still treated by men as objects. Additionally, any kinder treatment brought on upon by the advent of courtly love often only applied to women of noble or elite families- the common woman saw none of the benefits and suffered even worse treatment than prior be the same men declaring their philosophies of courtly love.
. Vita-mine vaganti is an online magazine that uses the metaphor of “mines” not to destroy, but to ignite thought: explosive reflections meant to energize the mind. It offers fresh perspectives, intellectual nourishment, and challenges the status quo. Anti-conformist and inclusive, it embraces diversity and rejects prejudice. The magazine revisits forgotten women’s stories, amplifies minority voices, deconstructs stereotypes, and reinterprets history through unconventional lenses. It also holds recipes, explorations of current events, street art, films, science, music, literature, and more. Every article is a metaphorical “wandering mine,” opening digital pathways rooted in equality and non-discrimination.
The Isabella d’Este Archive (IDEA) is a not-for-profit, open-access platform created for education and research. It invites scholars, students, and curious individuals to explore, imagine, and critically engage with history. Inspired by Isabella d’Este (1474–1539), one of the most influential women of the Italian Renaissance, IDEA opens up new ways to experience the culture and history of early modern Italy. It features primary sources like Isabella’s correspondence, art collections, ceramics, and evolving fashion during her rule as the marchesa of Mantua. These materials reflect a world where art, politics, music, family, commerce, and social life were deeply interconnected. Unless otherwise noted, IDEA operates under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC license. It not only preserves and provides access to historical collections but also encourages active exploration and interpretation.