Lady Reason is the first of the three allegorical Virtues who appear to Christine and is her primary guide in laying the intellectual groundwork for the City of Ladies. An allegorical, static construct, she embodies the unchanging principles of logic, discernment, and enlightened intellect. Her purpose is to cure Christine of the “misconceptions which have clouded your mind” (8) by applying rational analysis to misogynistic claims. She carries a shining mirror that allows a person to “see themselves as they truly are” (10), a correction to the distorted reflections of women found in anti-feminist literature.

Reason initiates the construction of the city by instructing Christine to “dig” to prepare the city area, a metaphor for the intellectual labor of clearing away false beliefs before a new structure of truth can be built. Embodying her name, Reason personifies the triumph of women’s self-knowledge and lived experience in over the observations of men in judging female nature. Reason exemplifies the argument that “if it were the custom to send little girls to school and to teach them all sorts of different subjects there […] they would grasp and learn the difficulties of all the arts and sciences just as easily as the boys do” (57). She addresses the root causes of misogyny, attributing it to men’s failings and provides logical counter-arguments to common sexist tropes and reinterprets authoritative sources, including the Bible and classical philosophy, to support her case.

Lady Rectitude is Christine’s second allegorical guide, eponymously representing moral integrity, ethical conduct, and truthfulness. Her function is to build upon the logical foundations laid by Reason by constructing the “houses and buildings” (91) of the city and filling them with worthy inhabitants, identifying women who have demonstrated virtues within the established moral and religious framework of the Middle Ages. Rectitude carries a ruler, representing her role as the arbiter of virtue: She tells Christine, “Whoever follows my yardstick cannot go astray” (13), establishing herself as the authority on proper conduct.

To build the city’s interior, Rectitude provides a catalogue of exemplary women who serve as moral role models. She begins with the Sibyls and other prophetesses, establishing a direct connection between women and divine wisdom. Her subsequent points are organized to refute specific misogynistic accusations through positive examples, constructing a community founded on active female virtue and creating a collective history that celebrates women’s moral strength, loyalty, and constancy.