The Misogyny Ancient Greece
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AdePeju Oshodi
Heinig
Western Civilization 1238 words
December 10, 2009
The Misogyny Ancient Greece
Arguably one of the most influential ancient nations of all time was Ancient Greece. Existing from 1100 B.C. to 146 B.C, Ancient Greece had produced poets, philosophers and political rules that are still being admired today. For example, Homer, the poet, wrote the Illiad and the Odyessy which are texts used to judge the social structures of Ancient Greece. Also, Aristotle is still admired today as the prominent figure who mastered many sciences such as: physics, logic, rhetoric, and ethics. Though much of what is known about Greece is derived from the historians, politicians, and artists of Athens, their information is still substantiated. However, for all the great things Ancient Greece has accomplished, one aspect of mediocrity or simply put failure is the social ranking of women. The purpose of this paper is to trace the reason behind misogyny in Ancient Greece.
The only exception to this belief is Spartan women. Spartan women lived in a land where they were highly esteemed by their male counterparts. Both Spartan men and women had strong regard towards nationality where women and men respected each other’ roles extensively. Sparta being a war-like nation dispensed many of its men to foreign lands where their home support system would be the daughters and mothers left to take care of Sparta. Spartan women were allowed in government, own land, and physically defend Sparta (Pomeroy Spartan Women 29) In Plutarch’s Moralia there are quotes of Spartan women who were allowed to denounce a man publicly because of the man’s disrespect of the nation.
As a woman was burying her son, a shabby old woman came up to her and said, "You poor woman, what a misfortune!" "No, by the two goddesses, what a good fortune," she replied, "because I bore him so that he might die for Sparta, and that is what has happened for me."
Another Spartan woman killed her son,...
Heinig
Western Civilization 1238 words
December 10, 2009
The Misogyny Ancient Greece
Arguably one of the most influential ancient nations of all time was Ancient Greece. Existing from 1100 B.C. to 146 B.C, Ancient Greece had produced poets, philosophers and political rules that are still being admired today. For example, Homer, the poet, wrote the Illiad and the Odyessy which are texts used to judge the social structures of Ancient Greece. Also, Aristotle is still admired today as the prominent figure who mastered many sciences such as: physics, logic, rhetoric, and ethics. Though much of what is known about Greece is derived from the historians, politicians, and artists of Athens, their information is still substantiated. However, for all the great things Ancient Greece has accomplished, one aspect of mediocrity or simply put failure is the social ranking of women. The purpose of this paper is to trace the reason behind misogyny in Ancient Greece.
The only exception to this belief is Spartan women. Spartan women lived in a land where they were highly esteemed by their male counterparts. Both Spartan men and women had strong regard towards nationality where women and men respected each other’ roles extensively. Sparta being a war-like nation dispensed many of its men to foreign lands where their home support system would be the daughters and mothers left to take care of Sparta. Spartan women were allowed in government, own land, and physically defend Sparta (Pomeroy Spartan Women 29) In Plutarch’s Moralia there are quotes of Spartan women who were allowed to denounce a man publicly because of the man’s disrespect of the nation.
As a woman was burying her son, a shabby old woman came up to her and said, "You poor woman, what a misfortune!" "No, by the two goddesses, what a good fortune," she replied, "because I bore him so that he might die for Sparta, and that is what has happened for me."
Another Spartan woman killed her son,...