Women with Authority in a Patriarchal World
Shermeka Brown-Ancrum
Pre-World History 261
December 12, 2016
Women with Authority in a Patriarchal World
Introduction
In the contemporary world, the cultural and literary spheres acknowledge female interests and activities. Females have overtly exerted their rights by demanding their due status in society, thereby being accepted as important societal members. But the scenario was vastly different about a hundred years ago. Females belonged at home, with the general society believing that raising children and taking care of domestic affairs sufficed as their emotional fulfillment. Between 1850 and 1900, societies were chiefly patriarchal and dependent women had to fight to enjoy equal social …show more content…
Lockard states that “Today’s Western middle-class model of a husband, wife, and their unmarried children living in one independent household, separate from the larger family, was the exception, … law favoring men spurred many woman to join convents, all-female Christian communities that offered physical and social protection and leadership possibilities.” (Lockard, 320) With agrarian societies’ development and prosperity with time, they grew more intricately organized, but female status dropped from its original level. Lockard also deliberates “Medieval society had contradictory views on woman. Biblical gender stereotypes fostered the belief that woman had to be subordinated to mean, were deprave, led men into sin, and were intellectually inferior.” (Lockard, 320) Households came to be typically established on the basis of patriarchy, and the head of the family determined basic conditions and made important decisions. The rest of the household, particularly its female members, were required to be humbly subservient to this patriarchal domination. Lockard mentions “Medieval society was patriarchal, through family life and gender relations varied with social status and local customs… Society allowed men to have sex outside marriage but valued women for their virginity and faithfulness.” (Lockard, 320) Typical patriarchy conditions first arose in the Mesopotamian society, in which marriage entailed an official, arranged agreement between the bride and bridegroom’s family. The husband held power over his family the way he controlled his servants. However, initial Sumerians might have accorded females more freedom as compared to their descendants. The Sumerian religion believed female sexuality held immense power. Initial Sumerian laws afforded females key
Shermeka Brown-Ancrum
Pre-World History 261
December 12, 2016
Women with Authority in a Patriarchal World
Introduction
In the contemporary world, the cultural and literary spheres acknowledge female interests and activities. Females have overtly exerted their rights by demanding their due status in society, thereby being accepted as important societal members. But the scenario was vastly different about a hundred years ago. Females belonged at home, with the general society believing that raising children and taking care of domestic affairs sufficed as their emotional fulfillment. Between 1850 and 1900, societies were chiefly patriarchal and dependent women had to fight to enjoy equal social …show more content…
Lockard states that “Today’s Western middle-class model of a husband, wife, and their unmarried children living in one independent household, separate from the larger family, was the exception, … law favoring men spurred many woman to join convents, all-female Christian communities that offered physical and social protection and leadership possibilities.” (Lockard, 320) With agrarian societies’ development and prosperity with time, they grew more intricately organized, but female status dropped from its original level. Lockard also deliberates “Medieval society had contradictory views on woman. Biblical gender stereotypes fostered the belief that woman had to be subordinated to mean, were deprave, led men into sin, and were intellectually inferior.” (Lockard, 320) Households came to be typically established on the basis of patriarchy, and the head of the family determined basic conditions and made important decisions. The rest of the household, particularly its female members, were required to be humbly subservient to this patriarchal domination. Lockard mentions “Medieval society was patriarchal, through family life and gender relations varied with social status and local customs… Society allowed men to have sex outside marriage but valued women for their virginity and faithfulness.” (Lockard, 320) Typical patriarchy conditions first arose in the Mesopotamian society, in which marriage entailed an official, arranged agreement between the bride and bridegroom’s family. The husband held power over his family the way he controlled his servants. However, initial Sumerians might have accorded females more freedom as compared to their descendants. The Sumerian religion believed female sexuality held immense power. Initial Sumerian laws afforded females key