Comparing the Role of Women in Classical Societies - Essay Example

Women have always played an important role in the history of mankind. They have transformedas per the demands of time not only to progress as individuals but also to bring about a change in society and the whole world. It is unarguably true that despite their significant role in civilizations they have always been granted a subordinate status to men in all classical societies. The common themes in the Roman classical society, the ancient Indian and Chinese society are none the less the personifications of women in a predominantly patriarchal society where men were considered superior to women when it came to decision making and final word of authority. Although considered inferior to men, women have also been eulogized in most classical eras; portrayed as epitomes of beauty, subdued wisdom, loyalty and subservience in all societies. Virginity, obedience, domestic service to husband and family has been well defined virtues found common in all classical societies. Compared to the western classical society of ancient Rome, the oriental classical society of India and China was more submissive to the governance of men over their lives. They had been imbibed by a strong cultural and religious breeding to evolve themselves into the role given to them by birth. The gender bias was an undisputedly accepted norm in those societies. The remnants of which are seen in their women even in modern times. The attitude of men towards women in these three classical societies was common in respect to the restrictions levied on the behavior of women in each. While in the ancient Indian classical society, Sita in Ramayana fulfills the role of a dutiful wife of Rama in all respects. She accompanies him in exile and serves him as devotedly even in adverse conditions only because she is his wife and has no other role to play than to serve her husband whole heartedly. Rama in return is a dutiful husband with a well demarcated role of being the caretaker of his wife. To protect her and to provide for her in return of her loyalty is illustrated in the Ramayana. In Lessons for Women Ban Zhao elaborates the Confucian ideals of private and public conduct with special relevance to women in order to guide them through life so that they could live with contentment in the role endowed to them by birth in that culture and society. The acceptance of men as their masters and life partners has been stressed in the Chinese classical society similar to the Indian classical society. The distinct similarity between these two oriental classical societies is the basis of religion to formulate social rules for women. Both these societies have originated from mythological epics and religious backgrounds whereas the western classical society of ancient Rome traces its roots to history and war more than religious legends or epics. In The Oppian law Livy elucidates the rebellious nature of women against the law that was enforced on them at the time of war which curtailed their desires for luxury and also restricted their rights of possessions and wealth. This was in itself an evidence of the superiority of men over women in that society. The only difference being the uprising of these women against the men in authority, the consul and their boldness of behavior un matching that of their counterparts in the eastern classical societies. There was no religious background to the rules and regulations of the role of women in the Roman classical society but the dominance of men and their final authority was undoubtedly a common factor in all these societies. However despite the common factor of male dominance in each of the classical societies there was a significant difference in each as regards treatment of women. While the Ramayana supports the subordinate role of women, Sita as wife, mother and woman juxtaposed with the rule of Ram as the superior one. Ban Zhao projects girls, women as the second rate citizens of society confining them to filial piety, humility, modesty and acquiescence at all times, as compared to boys and men in the same family. She clearly denied education, decision making and rebellion in any form to the women of that society whereas Sita shows nothing but her rebellion when she orders the god of fire to prove her purity in public. The demonstration of women against the Oppian law was a step of liberation for the western classical society women. They exhibited more liberty and courage in doing so and the fact that the Oppian law was finally dissolved proves the diminishing authority of men over the women of that time unlike the women in the other two classical societies. None the less the role of women was always subdued in all the three. If women were given utmost respect and treated with reverence in the Indian classical society, women taught lessons in high morality supports the fact that they had moral acumen to fit the role given to them in the ancient Chinese society. These two societies placed remarkable esteem on women as procreators and hence fidelity and promiscuity was considered the highest virtue in them. Where as men in the roman classical society believed that women should be a decorative possession meant to languish in the luxuries and comforts their husbands would shower upon them. The men in those times believed women were their subordinates but did not approve of despotic authority over them “the more power you possess, all the more moderately should you exercise authority”(Fant, 1982) compares the role of women in ancient Indian, Chinese and the Roman classical societies. Works Cited Chao, Pan. Foremost Woman Scholar of China, Lessons for Women, trans Swan, N L. 82- 90. New York Co. 1932. Fant, M., B. Women’s Lives in Greece and Rome, trans Lefkowitz, M., r.2nd Ed. Baltimore: the John Hopkins Press, 143-47, 1982 Narayan, R,.K. The Ramayana, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 20-22 166-164, 1977. Read More