I. Purpose To place the Livre and its author in their historical setting, in order to evaluate their contribution to ideas on the education of women. II. Development 1. An outline of cultural influences in Mediaeval France. 2. A description of texts on the education of girls and women prior to the time of the Chevalier de La Tour Landry, noting changes in ideas. Contributions made by Vincent de Beauvais and Pierre Dubois. The influence of the Dicta Catonis, a little book of maxims. 3. The position and condition of women of noble families as a result of certain cultural influences such as that of Courtly Love. 4. An analysis of the examples contained in the Livre, giving an overall picture of the virtues which one could expect to find in an honourable woman with a Christian upbringing. III. Conclusion The Livre and its author in relation to the influences of their time and place. A defense against later critics. Definition of "enseignement,” and evaluation of the Livre and its author in the light of the meaning of this term. / Arts, Faculty of / Central Eastern Northern European Studies, Department of / Graduate