Gender has played a large part in history and is still a deciding factor in today’s society. By analyzing historical texts, there may be some answer as to why, after centuries of sexism and oppression, the media’s objectification of women still exists. Between the period of Paul’s epistles in the first century and the beginning of Continental Humanism, the preeminent theological view treated women as daughters of Eve, thus, associating them with inferior and earthly qualities, such as emotional housewives, that would further corrupt men’s souls. This led to the perpetuation of a gendered universe in which women were unrightfully seen as the lesser gender, creating an environment that allowed inequality to fester and multiply throughout the
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After Satan’s attempt to sway Eve into eating the forbidden fruit succeeded, Adam was also convinced due to the pleading from his wife. With this, both of their fates are sealed as he joins her in disobedience against the Creator. Whether intentional or not, Milton chose to portray Eve as the culprit for the eventual Fall of Humankind through his tone and word choice during Adam’s betrayal of God due to Eve’s prior …show more content…
Milton’s Paradise Lost supports the traditionally gendered universe, where women were seen and treated as the inferior gender. Whereas, Lanyer’s “Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women” contended that any fault originally associated with Eve and womankind was unrightfully placed; therefore, the perceived gender roles and inequality during that time period and before that was undeserved. The misinterpretation of the Adam and Eve led perpetuation of the degradation of women and the imbalance between the two genders across the centuries. Yet, still, there are traces of misogyny and inequality based on masculinity and femininity even within our own modern era: the wage gap, violence against women, reproductive rights, and media’s objectivation of women. Although our generation has continued to fan the flames of one of the earliest sparks for an equality movement started from Lanyer’s initial call-to-action. As a society, we have moved to embrace improving our society by taking the first steps to ensure that women are treated and paid
After Satan’s attempt to sway Eve into eating the forbidden fruit succeeded, Adam was also convinced due to the pleading from his wife. With this, both of their fates are sealed as he joins her in disobedience against the Creator. Whether intentional or not, Milton chose to portray Eve as the culprit for the eventual Fall of Humankind through his tone and word choice during Adam’s betrayal of God due to Eve’s prior …show more content…
Milton’s Paradise Lost supports the traditionally gendered universe, where women were seen and treated as the inferior gender. Whereas, Lanyer’s “Eve’s Apology in Defense of Women” contended that any fault originally associated with Eve and womankind was unrightfully placed; therefore, the perceived gender roles and inequality during that time period and before that was undeserved. The misinterpretation of the Adam and Eve led perpetuation of the degradation of women and the imbalance between the two genders across the centuries. Yet, still, there are traces of misogyny and inequality based on masculinity and femininity even within our own modern era: the wage gap, violence against women, reproductive rights, and media’s objectivation of women. Although our generation has continued to fan the flames of one of the earliest sparks for an equality movement started from Lanyer’s initial call-to-action. As a society, we have moved to embrace improving our society by taking the first steps to ensure that women are treated and paid