Gender in Ancient Texts
HWC 204
Gender Roles in Ancient Texts
Women throughout Western History have taken a back seat to men in many ancient societies. Generally speaking, numerous ancient cultures were patriarchal civilizations; with male dominate leadership and female subservience. Ancient texts from early cultures provide an understanding of the roles of women and the positions they held in ancient societies. Looking to Ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures and their writings, the role of women can be seen as inferior to that of a man’s role. Hebrew texts such as the Tanakh, specifically Genesis and Exodus, recount many ancient stories that feature men as the leading characters while women played secondary roles, usually mothers and caretakers. Antigone, on the other hand, features a leading female personality who is damned by the male antagonist in the story. Using specific examples from the Tanakh and Antigone, one can understand women’s subordinate position in these ancient societies and how their subordinate is seen in ancient literature.
In ancient Hebrew societies men held both power and authority. Women may have played active roles in these societies, however these roles were both subordinate to men and restricted. Women were not leaders and held very little authority; women’s responsibilities were limited to homemaker and caretaker. Women were restricted to the home and, to an extent, unable to leave the domestic setting without the permission of a man. In ancient texts, women to were almost considered property of their fathers until marriage, when they were passed on to their husbands. Women could even be sold and traded as objects. On numerous occasions, as seen below, women are described as inferior beings to men and must be submissive to male authority (Woelfel 30).
The Tanakh is a collection of ancient scripture treasured among the Hebrew society; some texts served as guides of model behavior or stories of religious figures and more. The male is the dominate character
Gender Roles in Ancient Texts
Women throughout Western History have taken a back seat to men in many ancient societies. Generally speaking, numerous ancient cultures were patriarchal civilizations; with male dominate leadership and female subservience. Ancient texts from early cultures provide an understanding of the roles of women and the positions they held in ancient societies. Looking to Ancient Greek and Hebrew cultures and their writings, the role of women can be seen as inferior to that of a man’s role. Hebrew texts such as the Tanakh, specifically Genesis and Exodus, recount many ancient stories that feature men as the leading characters while women played secondary roles, usually mothers and caretakers. Antigone, on the other hand, features a leading female personality who is damned by the male antagonist in the story. Using specific examples from the Tanakh and Antigone, one can understand women’s subordinate position in these ancient societies and how their subordinate is seen in ancient literature.
In ancient Hebrew societies men held both power and authority. Women may have played active roles in these societies, however these roles were both subordinate to men and restricted. Women were not leaders and held very little authority; women’s responsibilities were limited to homemaker and caretaker. Women were restricted to the home and, to an extent, unable to leave the domestic setting without the permission of a man. In ancient texts, women to were almost considered property of their fathers until marriage, when they were passed on to their husbands. Women could even be sold and traded as objects. On numerous occasions, as seen below, women are described as inferior beings to men and must be submissive to male authority (Woelfel 30).
The Tanakh is a collection of ancient scripture treasured among the Hebrew society; some texts served as guides of model behavior or stories of religious figures and more. The male is the dominate character