Research Paper on:
Seventeenth Century Courtly Culture of France and Women

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
of second fiddle to their male counterparts, who assumed the primary position with regard to social, political and economic status. Writers of seventeenth century French court culture creatively and  pragmatically captured the extent to which women were both limited and advantaged within the scope of monarchy rule. II. WOMEN AND THE MONARCHY Women created an established presence  within the seventeenth century literary world; through many insightful accounts of life in French courtly culture, the general public is given the opportunity to delve more deeply into the everyday  occurrences that are not typically availed by standard historical description. Madame De Sevignes Selected Letters, one of the periods most detailed accounts speaks to both the struggles and triumphs  women faced in seventeenth century French courtly culture. "...This life is a perpetual chequer-work of good and evil, pleasure and pain. When in possession of what we desire,  we are only so much the nearer losing it; and when at a distance from it, we live in expectation of enjoying it again" (De Sevigne, 1982, p. PG).  Analyzing her literary insights, the readers gains a significantly better understanding of what it was like to be a part of societys elite, as well as what occurred at other  levels of the social scale. For example, literature and the arts represented a great part of French courtly culture, and the aristocratic women were privileged through status to experience  a monumental change in live theater. The seventeenth century experienced a number of significant changes in the arts. Moliere was responsible for  revolutionizing the theater and making the King and his family appreciate comedy. Up until that time the tragedy had been the only form of theater, however, with Moliere came