Without the documentation of events and cultures which occurred and thrived in times before our own, little to nothing would be understood in the present, especially with respect to cause and effect. Why does one believe the earth is round?, and how does one distinguish right from wrong, extending further than trial and error? Many subjects have been taught to the general populous of the western world many years predating technology. Regions of the world itself were discovered by adventurous people who took it upon themselves to travel to places unknown. While some took on their travels for fortune or fame’s sake, others sought out to discover the vastness of the world in the name of exploration and inquisition. No matter how noble or greedy
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These differences that are often times noted are in regards to women and their role in society. Images of women who are barbaric and uncivilized, mistreated, and disrespected are painted of the Ottoman women, whereas, Victorian women are poised and play a vital role in their societies. Pollard describes this point clearly stating, “the Victorians increasingly exalted women as mothers, homemakers, domestic “scientists,” and partners to their husbands, the ideal Victorian husband who extended freedom to his wife and daughters” (Pollard, 49). Pollard goes on to state that the women of the Ottoman, in the eyes of travel writers, are viewed as the alter ego of the the victorian woman. She further describes the Ottoman women as “the vilified inmate of the harem who was, in their fantasies, cloistered, victimized, helpless—the mere object of lust, power, and limitless caprice, the Middle Eastern male was neither partner nor liberator. Rather, he was cruel and irrational, behaving despotically both in the private and political realms” ( Pollard chapter 2 pg 49). These points help further explain the view of the many societal roles that are expected of women of these regions. The women of the Ottoman are mere objects, used by the men in their lives, and the victorian women are superior to Ottoman …show more content…
This line alone shows us the fact that these women were not ashamed of their circumstances and yet felt like European women who did not experience this were neglected.
The dress of Muslim women captures the attention of Western travel writers during the nineteenth century. The Muslim custom of veiling becomes a particularly popular topic among writers. “The Orientalist lens of travel writers contributed veiling to the barbaric, dominating nature of Muslim men over objectified Muslim women (Pollard, 61)”. Martineau often describes the “dark, dismal veiling,” (Martineau, 354) she encounters while traveling through Egypt.
Many travel writers of Martineau’s time critique Muslim women for being hyper sexual while also being overly modest due to their veils. “The over sexed image of Muslim women can be contributed to the Oriental view of the entire Middle Eastern population as sexually perverse in nature” (Pollard, 63). While traveling up the Nile, Martineau wrote, “It became common, up in the country, to see women and girls covering their faces with great anxiety, while they had scarcely any clothes elsewhere,” (Martineau,
These differences that are often times noted are in regards to women and their role in society. Images of women who are barbaric and uncivilized, mistreated, and disrespected are painted of the Ottoman women, whereas, Victorian women are poised and play a vital role in their societies. Pollard describes this point clearly stating, “the Victorians increasingly exalted women as mothers, homemakers, domestic “scientists,” and partners to their husbands, the ideal Victorian husband who extended freedom to his wife and daughters” (Pollard, 49). Pollard goes on to state that the women of the Ottoman, in the eyes of travel writers, are viewed as the alter ego of the the victorian woman. She further describes the Ottoman women as “the vilified inmate of the harem who was, in their fantasies, cloistered, victimized, helpless—the mere object of lust, power, and limitless caprice, the Middle Eastern male was neither partner nor liberator. Rather, he was cruel and irrational, behaving despotically both in the private and political realms” ( Pollard chapter 2 pg 49). These points help further explain the view of the many societal roles that are expected of women of these regions. The women of the Ottoman are mere objects, used by the men in their lives, and the victorian women are superior to Ottoman …show more content…
This line alone shows us the fact that these women were not ashamed of their circumstances and yet felt like European women who did not experience this were neglected.
The dress of Muslim women captures the attention of Western travel writers during the nineteenth century. The Muslim custom of veiling becomes a particularly popular topic among writers. “The Orientalist lens of travel writers contributed veiling to the barbaric, dominating nature of Muslim men over objectified Muslim women (Pollard, 61)”. Martineau often describes the “dark, dismal veiling,” (Martineau, 354) she encounters while traveling through Egypt.
Many travel writers of Martineau’s time critique Muslim women for being hyper sexual while also being overly modest due to their veils. “The over sexed image of Muslim women can be contributed to the Oriental view of the entire Middle Eastern population as sexually perverse in nature” (Pollard, 63). While traveling up the Nile, Martineau wrote, “It became common, up in the country, to see women and girls covering their faces with great anxiety, while they had scarcely any clothes elsewhere,” (Martineau,