Gender In Perpetua's Husband

Within the past century, the standards of gender roles have taken a turn in many aspects. For instance, women are no longer just caretakers of children or homes, but are now more independent and have taken on the “male role” of working and receiving an income. Years ago, women changed the norms for their gender, just as Perpetua had for herself in her era. My main argument is that Perpetua in fact transcended her feminine roles and her gender did not impact her martyrdom. Throughout the variations of her life, Perpetua slowly became less of the typical daughter, mother, or wife and more of a freely spirited follower of God. In supporting my argument, I will use evidence of, or rather a lack thereof, Perpetua’s husband being completely ghosted, …show more content…
Her husband was mentioned only once, and it was just in the essence of simply saying Perpetua was married. In a traditional Roman marriage, the woman is intended to be devoted to her husband and to be a vehicle for reproduction, but in this case, she seemed completely oblivious to his presence and did not care for him the way she was supposed to. Though this is true, Perpetua did serve as a vehicle for reproduction, for she had an infant son. Even then, she did not remain in the child’s life. In Perpetua’s Passion, the author states, “Perpetua’s family, including her child, were portrayed as ‘enemies,’ and in her search for martyrdom, she threw them aside” (Salisbury 92). Perpetua had no issue abandoning her infant, and gave no thought of him thereafter. These characteristics are not similar to those of a mother and wife, who are usually nurturing and loving. She abandoned her feminine roles and gave up her husband and child as a restoration of her virginity to become a true …show more content…
Perpetua abandoned her gender roles to become a martyr in many instances. The first and more obvious example includes when her husband was not a part of her life, as well as when she left her infant son. This is the exact opposite of the typical gender roles of a Roman woman, who would devote herself to every want and need of her husband and children. This is similar to how she disrespected her father and family, and did not obey her roles as a daughter or member of her family. Finally, she literally abandoned her female roles when she envisioned herself as a man in the arena. Perpetua did not let her gender define her, therefore it could not impact her