Women of Greece - Research Paper Example

Outline 0. Introduction 2.0. ment of problem 3.0. Purpose of research 3 Methodology 4.0. Literature review 4 Women in ancient Greece 4.2. Women in marriage 4.3. Women and rituals 4.4. Women of high status 4.5. Women in the polis 4.6. Women in Sparta in the archaic period 4.7. Interview 4.8. Conclusion 1.0. Introduction. Women of Greece, and in particular, those of Sparta enjoyed more freedom both socially and economically during the archaic period than during the preceding classical period. The archaic age was the period around 8th B.C and was characterized by a new and better form of literacy than that of the period prior to this; the Dark Age. The Dark Age, on the other hand was the period after the Trojan War when Greece fell into quietness during which little is known about. The archaic age is amplified in the literally works of Homer, through Iliad and the Odyssey and Hesoid. The term archaic means old-fashioned. Women of this period in Greece have remained a spectacle for many scholars on the dynamics historic behavior because of the great amount of freedom and liberalism they enjoyed under the Greek law more than most societies of the time. Sparta was phenomenon with its women enjoying more rights and freedom, especially economic and in marriage than those of any other city in Greece. Modern scholars of the Greek history portray this period to have been old-fashioned than preceding periods of the 4th and 5th centuries; the classical period. The classical period was more naturalistic and its art was more beautiful and appealing. The archaic period saw an increase of contact among the Greeks as they came together to celebrate the Pan-Hellenic games. It is at this time that aristocracies arose in place of monarchies, oral laws become written laying the foundation for democracy, and families abandoned their farms as they moved to the cities, beginning city-states. Poets such as Hesiod and Semonides portray women of Greece during the archaic period as a cursed people, whose role men would do and be better off without. These portrayals were typical of the archaic period’s art, where sculptures made figures of stiff and stern-looking persons, imitating Egyptian statues. Drama and epic presentations, however, portray a different picture of the women in contrast to that of the poets. Artists such as painters and sculptors also portray women in a much friendly manner as people who were loved and appreciated in society. 2.0. Statement of Problem. The above contrasting views and ideas about the Spartan women present a conflicting view. Despite the poets’ portrayal of the women as miserable and leading cursed lives, the general view is that the women were allowed more freedom and enjoyed privilege status than they did during the classical times that preceded the archaic period. The goddesses and gods held equal powers and were accorded equal respect and stature. This presents a question as to whether the poets’ views were envisioned in illusions and not in real life. 3.0. Purpose of Research. This research, therefore, seeks to study the women of Sparta during the archaic period in order to establish the reality of their lives whether they truly were dejected or a valued people who were treated with dignity by the males. Besides, it would be expected that the classical period that was more modern with more civilization than the archaic period would offer women more freedom than they had before. Studies have, however, shown that women in the archaic period enjoyed more freedom than those in the classical period. This research, therefore, will seek to explain this phenomenon. 3.1. Methodology. The study will employ both primary and secondary research techniques in gathering its information. Secondary information will be sought from books, journals, and online articles. An interview with F. J. Child will provide the primary information for the study. 4.0. Literature Review. 4.1. Women in ancient Greece. Hesoid, just Homer, perceived women as curses that they inherited from the very first woman, Pandora. According to the myth, Pandora was a female child who never got to be borne, while his parents were made and not borne out of conception (Pomeroy 2002, 218) From the time of Hesiod to the time of the Persian war, there were a few prominent Greek women. Sappho was a remarkable poet and teacher Lesbos, while Corinna defeated the great pinder during competition for verse recitations in Tanagra. She fought to take up the place of Artemisia of Halicarnassus when he died. She became a tyrant and took part in the expedition of the Persians against Greece. Another famous woman was Aspasia and Pandora (Hall 2007, 346). In Athens, women of the archaic age were majorly homemakers. They would cook, raise children, and weave. Women of a high social class were accompanied by chaperones whenever they left their houses (Tarnas 1991,112). 4.2. Women in Marriage. Greece was a matriarchal society, meaning that women paid dowry to their prospective husbands. When female children were born, therefore, their families began to save on wealth to pay for their marriage. If the family did not have a son, the daughter’s husband inherited her father’s wealth. Because of this, it was highly recommended that such a daughter marries her close relative; cousin or uncle, so that the wealth could be retained within the family (Hall 2007, 346). When married, women became the legal custodians of their husbands’ wealth just as they were their fathers’. In the event of divorce, the groom would return the dowry to the wife’s home and she was free to remarry. Unlike other societies where women were perceived as objects and men could marry a number of them, Greek traditions demanded that men uphold monogamy, keeping a single wife at any one particular time. Adultery by women, however, carried more severity of punishment than men who were allowed to have sexual relations with non-citizens such as slaves. In Sparta, women who did not have children were allowed to have illicit sexual relations for the sole purpose of getting children (Hall 2007, 349). Women shared in the responsibility of managing their families as partners. They, besides raising children, kept and managed family wealth accounts. Married women of low status often owned stall and acted as merchants for small trades in public markets. In Sparta, women were allowed and free to take part in sporting activities alongside the men (Pomeroy 1999, 105). 4.3. Women and Rituals. Women took up major roles in the city-state public life by participating in rituals and festivities. These included funerals and religious rituals. In the cult of the goddess Demeter, some rituals were a preserve of women only and they dominated the entire ritual activities. Priestesses also took part in a number of official cults such as being officiated as priestesses. Such women enjoyed high status of power and prestige n society. Their salaries were paid by the state, and could easily move in public as they enjoyed more freedom of movement (Sealey 1976, 298). 4.4. Women of High Status. Although women generally held a lower status in the archaic society, there were exceptions where certain women were superior to other women and men in society. These were priestesses and prostitutes who amassed great deal of wealth from the activities they indulged. The wealth in turn translated to power, making them more powerful and respected in society (Tarnas 1991, 115). 4.5. Women in the Polis. The polis, current day translation to politics, was the first city-states to have emerged in Greece. Although only men were granted political rights, women were recognized and respected as rightful members of the community legally, religiously, and socially. The polis, having been influenced by the eastern neighbors such as Cyprus and Phoenicia, held with high regard certain characteristics of citizenship that assumed and applied the concept of legal equality (Sealey 1976, 301). Both men and women were generally treated equally under the governing law with a few specifications toward women. Certain regulations that were typical to the lives and nature of women were applied to the women in a legal and just manner. Some of the specifications were regulations concerning sexuality and sexual behavior among women, and women’s ownership and transfer of property (Pomeroy 2002, 213). Despite these guarantees by the polis’ citizenship regulations, social and economic inequalities persisted in the polis for a long time. Women’s identity was recognized as rightful members of the society, were granted more rights compared to metics and slaves. The citizen women also had rightful access to courts and legal proceeds over property wrangles and other forms of disputes. The only discrepancy, however, was that they had to represented by men who could speak for them. This was a significant show for their unequal status, though small with the men (Hall 2007, 350). Men were required to have a male who was officially recognized as the woman’s guardian to offer them protection physically and legal presentation. In line with these prohibitory regulations, women had no political rights, meaning that they could not vote or attend political rallies. They were, however, allowed to hold some minor civic positions and could participate fully in initiation rites of the goddess cult. This was a popular cult all over the land and internationally. It served t protect the women and those treated unequally by the city-state regulations. It offered and promised protection from evil to all, regardless of their citizenship status and sex, and promised a safe and better world in the afterlife (Pomeroy 1999, 116). 4.6. Women in Sparta in the Archaic Period. Women of Sparta were elevated in status to the extent that some owned land beside their male counterparts. A number of the women also owned stalls and laundry, activities esteemed at the time (Tarnas 1991, 167). The most important role of Spartan women was bearing children. For this noble cause, they received equal rations of food as men, were equally educated, and trained in athletics. Besides, unlike other state in Greece, women in Sparta could marry at a much later age, therefore, reducing their rate of mortality as they sired when much older and mature. The women, in return, because of the high status and privilege accorded to them, refused to get many children as they paid more attention to their economic well being than raising children and being idle housewives. This way, the women were able to amass a lot of wealth, and became powerful and respected in society (Pomeroy 2002, 219) Unlike Athenian women who lived in seclusion, women of Sparta lived their lives openly, participating in events such as athletics and trade more openly and together with men. They were more beautiful, fed better, and more educated. Much of the city’s wealth was owned and controlled by women, who also had more say on their reproduction than their husbands. Although women in other parts of Greece such as Athens had their marriage partners selected for them, Spartan women were free to choose their marriage and sex partners. They raised their children in the ways \they desired and had significant amount of influence in their lives, especially upon their sons. Tales such as that of a mother telling her son to ensure he comes home with his shield or in it lay indicate that the Spartan women formed and maintained the norms upon which the city was built on (Hall 2007, 318). Gorgo, a Spartan from Attica was once asked why the Spartan women were the only ones who ruled over their husbands. She responded that they dominated over them because they were the mothers to the male fork. Her husband instructed her to re-marry when he was leaving so that she could bear more children. This and other stories show the bravery and courage exhibited by the women of Sparta during the archaic period (Hall 2007, 322). 4.7. Interview. To collect primary data, F. J. Child, a scholar of oral literature and Folklore studies in ancient Greece was interviewed through telephone on the position of women, especially Spartan women in the archaic period in Greece. On the issue of freedom among women of Greece, he agreed that although women in Greece generally enjoyed more freedom compared to those in other societies, women in Sparta enjoyed more freedom and privilege compared to those in Athens and other states. He says this could be as a result of the aggression by the women and the men’s wish to offer respect to the mothers of their children. The women were keen at identifying this opportunity and took advantage to embark in trade and other economic activities to empower them. He went on to say that Spartan women were proud and prided in the beauty of their sons attributing it to themselves, and bragged of their economic success as the work of their own hands. He gave an example of a slave woman ho, on being bought was asked what she wished to do if she were free replied that she would want to run a household perfectly well and bring upon it economic prosperity. He concluded by saying that the current idea of politics originated from the particular concept of liberalism and legal freedom for women in Greece, and in particular those in Sparta. Scholars such as Aristotle based their thoughts and arguments about the state on these concepts, thus providing some of the most popular concepts about politics and democracy. 5.0. Conclusion. Greece is one of the few states in the ancient times that accorded elevated status to their women, alongside a few of its eastern neighbors. Although the women did not enjoy full rights as the men did, the few they enjoyed were great compared to other states at the time. The fact that the women were allowed to participate in public life such as trade, religious rituals, and play a significant role in their homes such as keeping accounts shows a substantial amount of freedom and respect for them. Spartan women, in particular enjoyed more freedom and respect from their male counterparts than those of any other state. They were portrayed as beautiful, proud, bold, courageous, and independent persons who strove to achieve economic success and power. The women impacted greatly on their children and household procedures so that their sons revered their mothers. Most of the norms as adopted and dictated by the women lay foundation for the future of Greece such as rituals, education, and games that have remained typical of the state. As it delved into the classical times, this status changed as women’s’ freedom were curtailed compared to the archaic times. More restrictions were imposed on the women as men took their position at the top, relegating the women into a submissive and lesser position. Reference List. Hall, Jonathan. 2007. A History of the Archaic Greek World. Ca 1200-479. Dallas: Wiley- Blackwell Pomeroy, Sarah. 2002. Spartan Women. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. Pomeroy, Sarah. Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sealey, Raphael. 1976. A History of the Greek City States. CA: University of California Press. Tarnas, Richard. 1991. The Passion of the Western Mind. New York: Ballantine Books. Read More