Catherine Fradonnet, called Catherine Des Roches, was a French writer of the Renaissance.
Background
She was the daughter of Madeleine Des Roches, née Madeleine Neveu (c 1520 - November 1587) and of André Fradonnet, seigneur Des Roches, the procurer of Poitiers. Catherine was educated by her mother and was taught poetry, literature and ancient languages.
Career
Wanting to invest all her time in her intellectual pursuits, Catherine Des Roches never married. The circle is most well known for a collection of gallant verse (in French, Italian, Latin and Greek) entitled Louisiana Puce de Madame Des Roches ("The Flea of Madame Des Roches", published 1583) in which the poets, inspired by an original poem by Pasquier, wrote on the theme of a flea upon Catherine"s throat. Although less scholarly than her mother, Catherine wrote more than her.
Her most anthologized work is the sonnet À ma quenouille ("To My Distaff") in which she portrays a woman torn between her domestic duties and her intellectual activities.