History of Women

Abstract

This paper shall aim to deal with the changes in the lives of women, their roles, and status over various early world history eras and areas. It shall be presenting a comparison between the various roles and manners, the restrictions, freedom and rights which they enjoyed and the circumstances and differences which have arisen what with the advent of the modern 21st Century.

Table of Contents

Abstract1

Table of Contents2

Introduction3

Thesis Statement4

Discussion4

Women through History4

Ancient Times Women Roles5

Women in Religions6

Women in Europe7

Women in Modern History8

Conclusion10

References11

Introduction

From the dawn of human civilization, there has always been an expectation for women to have role in the family. Looking or speculating from the dawn of time, in the cavemen era, a exists notion that there was no concept of marriage back then, the men used to 'whack' the female over the head and drag the unconscious mate to their caves. The opposite might hold true as well but for the point here, it shows that even then, the men expected women to stay in the caves. The women's ability to give birth is the primary reason why she is kept in a 'sheltered or safe' environment. With the passing of time, this crude behavior died out and thus began the era of 'responsibilities and duties of women'. The daughters specifically were expected to stay at home and help out with the chores with the mother. They were taught from their birth that they have to prepare themselves for marriage one day, so they need to know how to please their husbands and how to raise children.

The men provided the bread and the women cooked and served it, were a proverbial way of putting their roles. As has been the wont of men, to subjugate anything or anyone over whom they had an advantage, being physically inferior to men, the women also became subjected to their whims. There were assigned roles like healing, priesthood or 'safe roles', etc. It's not to say that there were no warriors or such kind of women in the history, only means that majority of them were given such roles.

However the debate is very precarious because in most of the religions of the world as well, especially those that are said to have their basis on the scriptures or word from God Himself reinforce this concept that a women is subservient to man. The example of Adam and Eve can be quoted to understand this notion.

The Bible states that Eve was created from Adam's rib, thereby granting a superiority to Adam as being the first and foremost of God's creatures and showing a kind of lesser standing of women who were created from Adam and not from God Himself. This is a flawed interpretation which later arose. The original meaning shall and roles shall be discussed in the following paper.

In spite of such negative odds, over the period of years women have managed to create equality for themselves with the men. In a male dominative atmosphere, that has been exceptionally difficult ...