In ancient times, there is a general sense that women were simply items and slaves to their husbands. Ancient Greece specifically has a renowned reputation of favoring men. Men possessed the dominant role in public affairs and events while most women were pressured to stay at home. Very few records extensively discuss women; the records focus mostly on men. Despite the lacking records, it is certain how ancient Greeks viewed their women and their relationships with their male counterparts.
The women of Sparta were known for their boldness because they could bear children, were capable of being strong, and were loyal to the work they did, that is also why Spartan women got respect from their husbands and other males living in Sparta, they were not treated/counted as slaves like the Athenian women. The women of Sparta would treat Helots (slaves) badly, because that was their personality in ancient Sparta. Nowadays, most women would not have done what they did, mainly because the Athenian culture influenced more than the Spartan culture
In the progressive modern world, the ancient mindset of men’s superiority exists in many societies. Women who are opposed to such ideology are, in some cases, perceived as rebellious when words such as feminism has come to acknowledgement for over a century. Through the struggles that the characters of A Thousand Splendid Suns faced in the patriarchal Afghani culture, Khaled Hosseini delivers his feminist ideas. For her whole life, Nana endured the troubles given by men, and she is one of the “fallen female warrior” of the novel because she fought against the oppression and lost, due to the unfortunate circumstances of her life. Mariam also suffered the torments imposed on her by the men in her life, sharing a similar fate as her mother, Nana, in a way.
Mother Archetype Mothers are seen occasionally as the strangest, craziest, altruistic people that have ever been encountered. However some argue that they are the complete opposite. The basic perception of mothers that they are loving, caring, and very nurturing, and this makes up the mother archetype, not only modern day but records and perceptions that date back to ancient history. Although it has come along way, Mothers play a very important role in modern day theatre, literature, and even stories dating back to the biblical era. In ancient texts, we see this role being played by Thetis, Achilles mother in Greek mythology.
Introduction The purpose of this essay is to investigate the women’s role in Classical Greece society and literature (5th/4th century b.C.). Therefore, I decided to discuss and analyse one of the most controversial comedies of that time, “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes. This text shows how women, sick of their submissive and powerless position in the political scenario of Athens and Sparta, come on the scene and, through a smart stratagem, achieve their expected result. Women’s power in the play contrasts the real women life’s conditions in Greece in 500/400 b.C. This sudden empowering of the female characters is the main reason why I have chosen to examine this comedy.
Aphrodite was the most beautiful goddess to live. She is the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation (Simon). The name Aphrodite means “born of the foam” (Wilkinson 38). She was beautiful in terms of looks, but her personality was rather damaged because she was said to be weak and was offended easily (Simon). Aphrodite was a promiscuous goddess, and had multiple affairs with many gods and mortals.
Beauty pertains to the goddesses and women. Homer infers that a woman’s importance lies in her looks while for men their importance lies in their heroism. Throughout The Iliad, Homer highlights the gender inequalities between Helen and her male counterparts Agamemnon, Achilles, and Paris. Homer accentuates the objectification of women through conflicts between male characters. In Book 1, the audience is first introduced to this idea in a speech by the King of Mycenae, Agamemnon.
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, there are many female characters who play the role of a villain. Calypso, Scylla, Charybdis, and the sirens are among the women with the largest, negative impacts on Odysseus’ journey home. Though some women, such as Athena, Eurycleia, and Penelope, are loyal to Odysseus throughout the poem. With such a wide range of female characters, they all contribute different things throughout the book, whether the impact of their actions is negative or positive. Regardless of the outcomes, Homer has quite a modern view of female representation in his poem.
When Mrs. Coulter meets Lyra, she represents a sort of womanhood that Lyra finds attractive and charming. Lyra is fascinated by Mrs. Coulter 's glamorous adult world. Mrs. Coulter represents many obvious facets of being growing up, money and feminine charm, but inside herself she wasn 't as what she seems. She was very dangerous to her daughter, who was her victim reach her goals in isolated the children from their demons. Mrs. Coulter was a foil to Lyra in that she has no moral.
In the play Antigone, the main character shows a simple example of a courageous woman defying her gender limits. Gender roles are very important by creating tension in the story. Antigone is a great illustration of how gender roles can be defied and overcome, just as women in today’s society are shattering the glass ceiling. In the beginning of ancient Greece, women had as many rights as the slaves. Women would live under the control of their father, husband or other male relatives.