The Honest Courtesan
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The Honest Courtesan
''The Honest Courtesan'' is a 1992 biographical book by Margaret Rosenthal about a 16th-century Venetian courtesan named Veronica Franco. Description The Venetian courtesan has long captured the imagination as a female symbol of sexual license, elegance, beauty and unruliness. What then to make of the ''cortigiana onesta'' - the honest courtesan who recast virtue as intellectual integrity and offered wit and refinement in return for patronage and a place in public life? Veronica Franco (1546-1591) was such a woman, a writer and citizen of Venice, whose published poems and familiar letters offer rich testimony to the complexity of the honest courtesan's position. Adaptation In 1998, the film '' Dangerous Beauty'' was based on this book. The movie starred Catherine McCormack as Veronica Franco and was directed by Marshall Herskovitz Marshall Schreiber Herskovitz (born February 23, 1952) is an American film director, writer, and producer, and currently the President Emeritus of ...
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Margaret Rosenthal
Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular throughout the Middle Ages. It became less popular between the 16th century and 18th century, but became more common again after this period, becoming the second-most popular female name in the United States in 1903. Since this time, it has become less common, but was still the ninth-most common name for women of all ages in the United States as of the 1990 census. Margaret has many diminutive forms in many different languages, including Maggie, Madge, Daisy, Margarete, Marge, Margo, Margie, Marjorie, Meg, Megan, Rita, Greta, Gretchen, and Peggy. Name variants Full name * ( Irish) * ( Irish) * ( Dutch), (German), (Swedish) * (English) Diminutives * (English) * (English) First half * (French) * (Welsh) Second half * (English), ...
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Courtesan
Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal court, court of a monarch or other powerful person. History In European feudalism, feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together. Prior to the Renaissance, courtesans served to convey information to visiting dignitaries, when servants could not be trusted. In Renaissance Europe, courtiers played an extremely important role in upper-class society. As it was customary during this time for royal couples to lead separate lives—commonly marrying simply to preserve bloodlines and to secure political alliances—men and women would often seek gratification and companionship from people living at court. In fact, the verb 'to court' ...
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Veronica Franco
Veronica Franco (1546–1591) was an Italian poet and courtesan in 16th-century Venice. She is known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy. Her humanist education and cultural contributions influenced the roles of Courtesans in the late Venetian Renaissance. In her notable works, ''Capitoli in Terze rime and Lettere familiari a diversi Familiar Lettersto Various People"),'' Franco uses perceived virtue, reason, and fairness to advise male patricians and other associates. She exercised greater autonomy in her authorship than any other traditional Venetian woman due to her established reputation and influence. Life Veronica Franco was born to a family in the ''Cittadino'' class. She developed her position in Renaissance Venetian society as a ''cortigiana onesta (Honest Courtesan),'' who were intellectual sex workers who derived their position in society from refinement and cultural prowess. They served in contrast to other sex wor ...
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Dangerous Beauty
''Dangerous Beauty'' is a 1998 American biographical drama film directed by Marshall Herskovitz and starring Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell, and Oliver Platt. Based on the non-fiction book '' The Honest Courtesan'' by Margaret Rosenthal, the film is about Veronica Franco, a courtesan in sixteenth-century Venice who becomes a hero to her city, but later becomes the target of an inquisition by the Church for witchcraft. The film features a supporting cast that includes Fred Ward, Naomi Watts, Moira Kelly and Jacqueline Bisset. The film was released as ''A Destiny of Her Own'' in some regions, and was retitled ''The Honest Courtesan'' for its UK video release. Plot Veronica Franco is an adventurous, curious, slightly tomboyish young woman in Venice. Her lover Marco, who will be a Senator like his father, cannot marry her because her family is too poor; he marries a foreign noblewoman instead. Veronica's mother plans for her family's financial security, as she still requires dow ...
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Catherine McCormack
Catherine Jane McCormack (born 3 April 1972) is an English actress of stage and screen. Her film appearances include ''Braveheart'' (1995), ''The Land Girls'' (1998), ''Dangerous Beauty'' (1998), ''Dancing at Lughnasa'' (1998), ''Spy Game'' (2001), and '' 28 Weeks Later'' (2007). Her theatre work includes National Theatre productions of '' All My Sons'' (2000) and ''Honour'' (2003). Early life McCormack was born in Epsom, Surrey, England. She is of part Irish ancestry as one of her grandfathers was Irish. Her mother died of lupus when McCormack was six years old and her steelworker father subsequently raised her and her brother Stephen.Duerden, NickCatherine McCormack: The play's the thing ''The Independent'', 10 August 2006. Retrieved 29 September 2009. She was brought up as Roman Catholic and attended the Convent of Our Lady of Providence. She went on to study at the Oxford School of Drama. Career Film McCormack's first important role was as the character Murron M ...
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Marshall Herskovitz
Marshall Schreiber Herskovitz (born February 23, 1952) is an American film director, writer, and producer, and currently the President Emeritus of the Producers Guild of America. Among his productions are ''Traffic'', ''The Last Samurai'', ''Blood Diamond'', and ''I Am Sam''. Herskovitz has directed two feature films, ''Jack the Bear'' and ''Dangerous Beauty''. Herskovitz was a creator and executive producer of the television shows ''thirtysomething'', ''My So-Called Life'', and ''Once and Again'', and also wrote and directed several episodes of all three series. Life and career Herskovitz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Frieda (née Schreiber) and Alexander Herskovitz. His family is Jewish. He was married to screenwriter Susan Shilliday from 1981 to 1993. They have two daughters. Herskovitz married Landry Major in 2015. Herskovitz has long been "one of the film industry's most active and passionate environmentalists." He serves on the advisory board of The ...
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1992 Books
Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Events By place Roman Empire * Mesopotamia is partitioned into two Roman provinces divided by the Euphrates, Mesopotamia and Osroene. * Emperor Septimius Severus lays siege to the city-state Hatra in Central-Mesopotamia, but fails to capture the city despite breaching the walls. * Two new legions, I Parthica and III Parthica, are formed as a permanent garrison. China * Battle of Yijing: Chinese warlord Yuan Shao defeats Gongsun Zan. Korea * Geodeung succeeds Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, as king of the Korean kingdom of Gaya (traditional date). By topic Religion * Pope Zephyrinus succeeds Pope Victor I, as th ...
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