      Laura Cereta (1469-1499) was considered to be a Renaissance feminist and an Italian philosopher. According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Biography , “Cereta wrote letters throughout her short adult life, the contents of which formed the basis of feminism that surfaced during the Enlightenment of the 18th century.”    Cereta's work were letters she wrote using her own opinion of topics such as, marriage and family, education, etc.. All of these letters were things that were going on during her time. Jennifer Hargucgi, of The University of Chicago wrote “Some of the correspondents were fictitious, and her father sent a number of them to the Dominican friar Tommaso of Milan, who wrote back praising them.” During that period of time it was not common for women to write nor were they held in high status she changed that by being so strong willed and not letting anyone tell her that her work was not hers. She believed that a woman could create work just as good if not better than a man. In her biography it is written that “In an epistle entitled Curse against the Ornamentation of Women, she denounces women who find more interest in jewelry, cosmetics, and attire than in enriching their minds.”    Although her work may have not been accepted, Cereta’s  work was typical of its era because at that time there were not many women who were bold enough to write about such topics. Women were not held in a high regard nor were they known to have reading and writing talent. This piece stands out because she was the first woman to stand up and make a difference. “Because her Latin composition was so good, some intellectuals accused her of plagiarism.” Quoted from her biography.         People today take still use her work for instance in schools. In Cereta’s biography it is quoted “Cereta's life provides a good illustration of the type of dedication she advocated.”   Her letters have been compared to those of other early feminist critics such as Ann Finch, Anna Barbauld. These writers came some time after Cereta's but were said to “Rebuild and redefine the idea of gender.”          I believe the work is beautiful. Cereta’s outlook on things like marriage, life, and education..etc is so different from other woman of her time and I find it meaningful being a woman myself it gives me a feeling of comfort knowing not all women just care about material things.    I think what makes this most significant is the fact that she didn’t take no for an answer and she wasn’t afraid to be different. Today people can use that same motivation to follow their dreams and not be afraid to be different or set a new example. “These efforts, in turn, brought forth critics, both male and female, who, jealous of her accomplishments, belittled her work.” Tomasini, Laurae Ceretae epistolae                                                              Work Cited:     Biography by Jennifer Haraguchi, The University of Chicago   Gale Encyclopedia of Biography: Laura Cereta   Letter to Biblus Sempronius, Defense of the Liberal        Instruction of Women (Camille) From Laura Cereta, 1488   Letter to Augustinus Aemilius “Curse against the Ornamention of Women”   Tomasini, Laurae Ceretae epistolae   