Role Of Women In Early Modern Europe

Improved Essays
“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world” said Hillary Clinton. Today there is still so much work needed to improve the rights of women. Even though the role of women has dramatically changed since early modern society, we still face problems of inequality. It is difficult to believe how different the role of a woman in early modern Europe was compared to today when we are still not satisfied with the role that women are allowed to play. However, it is arguable that Ariosto would agree with Hillary Clinton. He believed that by the sixteenth century women had, “arrived at excellence in every art in which they have striven” and that “in their chosen fields their renown is apparent to anyone who studies the history book.” Though throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth century women were increasing their part in society, the role of women in early modern Europe remained a role of subordination and inferiority to men based on religion, education and social status. In early modern Europe, religion had a lot to do with the patriarchy of the society. A …show more content…
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman [is] the man; and the head of Christ [is] God.” Christ, a male, is the head of the church, therefore males were the head of the state and the head of the house. A family was like a little state in which the father was the head and the wife and children were subordinates. With the male as the head, women were required to conceded their power to them. It is also important to note that God, despite having no gender, is always referred to as “He.” Lastly, in various religions, especially Christian faiths, sex was a negative thing. Since women could show their sexual activity when they got pregnant, they were seen as having “an inability to control effects of sexual activity.” This proved to men that women had an “immoral

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Rights of Women in Canada Before the Industrial Revolution Women were not considered people until 1929 in Canada. Women were basically their father’s or their husband’s property. They faced many challenges in a patriarchal system that overlooked the views of women because they were not considered a person. Women were expected to uphold domestic roles and to make life more comfortable for their children and husband. Women were encouraged to fit into the set gender roles during that time, and many things (Things that are basic human rights such as the right to vocalizing one’s opinions or the right to a higher education), went against the traditional set of morals for a woman in that time.…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In our world today, we are taught many things that develop from the standpoint of religion. Elizabeth Johnson, a Roman Catholic feminist theologian wrote many well-known books that discuss an over view of topics that arise in theology and religion. Johnson wrote Quest for the Living God in 2007, she discusses in chapter 5; God Acting Womanish which goes into depth about female language in relation with God. Today, many people describe their faith and religion with certain language portraying the word of God and the specific gender identity that is made in relation. As people find out more information about the creator, we start to question certain behaviors and identities that had once told us.…

    • 978 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Women In Medieval Times

    • 1600 Words
    • 7 Pages

    During the Medieval time period, it is evident that women were customarily discriminated against as well as, oppressed by and sanctioned by a certain role within every society. However, the Medieval time period comes with it’s very own historical female figures that set out to renounce and bend these gender roles and social norms regardless of the consequences and social scrutiny that was laid out by the men of their time. It is palpable that religion played a major role in the development of these negative images of women. The first women within the Medieval time period that worked to defy these female stereotypes is the fictional character from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, The Wife of Bath, and the second woman was a real historical…

    • 1600 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Slavery And Inequality

    • 1045 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The notion that “all men are created equal” ignores women, due to them having little political power and being inferior in relation to men. Women were ignored in society; they did not have any civic duties or political powers, like men did. Men did not take women into consideration because“…they were politically invisible. Though practical needs gave women a certain authority in the home, on the farm, or in occupations like midwifery, they were simply overlooked in any consideration of political rights, any notions of civic equality” (73). The ignorance of women in society validates the superiority the men had.…

    • 1045 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    After the plummet of the black death, that wiped out almost 80% of the population, something known as the Renaissance began to rise and flourish in many parts of Italy and Europe. The renaissance took place during 1350 and ended around 1450 or from the 14 to the 16 century. After the renaissance, people thought they had rediscovered the culture of the roman empire, therefore, the renaissance means rebirth. Like the middle ages, there was a hierarchy system which stated that royalty is on top, Nobles, Merchants, Workers and Tradesmen, and Peasants and Unskilled workers follow. Many people including children, men, and women had a very influential role in the acceleration of the renaissance.…

    • 1687 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In Medieval Europe, women were an essential part of European society, especially during the Middle Ages. Although the Middle Ages were known to be a time where men and their accomplishments were the center of attention, women had several roles they carried out that contributed to Europe's growth. Many of these roles varied from being a peasant woman to being a Lady of the Manor, all depending on the women's social class. However, many women were mistreated and were given limited freedom during their lives. They were set high standards and were punished if these standards were not met.…

    • 753 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    During the time of the renaissance, was a time of rebirth, but also showed a difference in social status. Men and Woman was not as equal during the Renaissance. Men were free from social and ideological constraints which had an effect on women. Men were also more supported by the economy than women. Women had faced social and personal opportunities and men did not.…

    • 101 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Decent Essays

    For example, in the 17th century, only twelve works were published by women. In literature were five works, one work was about a saints' lives and the rest of works were the mother's advice books, translation and prophecy. In our research we will talk about the role of women throughout…

    • 163 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Early Middle Ages are commonly referred to by historians as the “Dark Ages”, due to several factors, including the lack of written documents that would reveal important details about the lives of people during this time, as well as the state of political unrest and civil uprising that was at play, because of the recent collapse of the Roman Empire in Western Europe. This was a time during which nations and alliances were constantly forming and shifting, resulting in many wars and battles. (Averkorn, 2008) The nature of this time period tends to cloak the contributions of women, and their military and political successes are often overlooked, as this was an age where their roles were dictated by biblical texts that pushed them to assume the roles of submissive mothers and wives, not getting involved in politics or government. (Bovey, 2014)…

    • 2046 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Ever since time, women were often overlooked by society. The thought of women in a leadership role or making great strides in accomplishing extraordinary feats were quite unthinkable. Today is a new age, a modern day where women have tackled the gender bias and have taken on "only men" roles in the workplace, as well as have gained notable recognition and power in various areas such as the political market and in others where it was "men only". This presentation will argue the similarities and differences over time of woman in history, and the roles women played in different time periods in Western Civilization (San Miguel).…

    • 1972 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Rece Pellersels Art History 261 An Analysis of Lilian Zirpolo’s Interpretation of Primavera It’s no question that Sandro Botticelli’s painting Primavera (Spring) has an emphasis on the femininity of women in the renaissance. In Lilian Zirpolo’s essay “Botticelli’s Primavera” she discusses the many different aspects that it served as a lesson to women in medieval society. In this essay I will discuss key points analyzing Zirpolo’s argument on the work’s femininity and function, comparing and contrasting Marilyn Stokstad’s arguments in reference to Zirpolo’s, and even my interpretation of the artwork and how it all comes back to relate to femininity.…

    • 1068 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As with much of Western history, women were considered inferior to men and their duties were mainly restricted to their home and family life during middle ages (Newman, 2015). Women were also valued as a weaker vessel that was not intellectual and unable to fulfill the strenuous task that come with being a man (Newman, 2015). While men were busy with their respective jobs women, uphold the home front and the family. Moreover, poorer medieval families lived mostly in small quarters without much work availability. These small dormitories made it highly necessary for the women to keep the area tidy and clean to ensure adequate living standards within their limitations (Newman, 2015).…

    • 799 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the time period 500 CE to 1400 CE religion became a major aspect of society. Religions such as Christianity and Islam began to integrate into regions like Europe and the Middle East, and eventually shape and influence their society. During the Dark Ages in Europe Christianity started to grow which lead to the spread of Catholic Churches, that became an important place for towns in Europe, and major beliefs that changed people’s view on women. Similarly, in the Middle East a new religion called Islam was formed and, like Christianity in Europe, its major beliefs and key ideas spread which influenced people’s view of women and their value in society. In Europe and the Middle East, from 500 CE to 1400 CE, religion shaped the societies’…

    • 359 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Contemporary Historical Thought: Due Sept 22, 2009 “Steven Ozmont on the Status of Women in Sixteenth-Century Germany” Social order in sixteenth-century Germany depended on strict rules governing standards of behavior. These rules applied to men as well as women. According to Ozmont, community values dictated how people were judged (p. 2). In the series of events concerning The Burgermeister’s Daughter, social status was an important ingredient in the legal proceedings.…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    16th Century Women

    • 1419 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In the Introduction to the text Women in reformation and counter-reformation Europe: Public and Private worlds, Author Sherrin Marshall explores how the ‘great religious changes of this period affected the lives of women.’ Though Marshall identifies that the leaders of religious change ‘were men, almost without exception’, she also acknowledges the huge impact that religious change had on the lives of women in Europe, particularly in creating new ‘confining and limiting norms’ for women to adhere to. This identifies that although they weren’t actively involved in the administrative and formal reforms, women were still impacted on by the Reformation, as they were required to adhere to strict gender norms. The gender norms were primarily used as a method of supporting familial goals, as women were expected to manage the household and create families. This assertion was promoted by Martin Luther, a prominent religious reformer, who in 1523 wrote an open letter stating ‘a woman should remain a woman, and bear children, for God has created her for that.’…

    • 1419 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays