ipl-logo

Herodotus Hesiod And Daoism's Attitude Towards Women

827 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hesiod's theology view of women

In this essay, I will analyze Herodotus, Hesiod, and Daoism’s attitude towards women either as positive or negative contributors to history. These three great historians have used women in their writings for different purposes and to send different messages to their audience. Also, based on the events and examples that Herodotus, Hesiod, and Daoism give with their explanations, readers are going to realize whether they are against or for women. Women can play different roles in history because they might be a victim, nation’s builder, or even destroyer, so we are going to know women’s role in Herodotus, Hesiod, and Daoism’s period of time. Herodotus uses women in his narrative in order to show what is right with giving the example of fall of great Cyrus by Tomyris despite all his power and pride. Herodotus is known as the father of history who had lived around 5th BC and he got the oral information from interviewing people. Herodotus shows us the tale of Cyrus, the great king of Persia, and Tomyris, the queen of Massagetae. Tomyris took the throne after …show more content…

Pandora is the story that indicates women as a source of justice in Hesiod’s perspective. Pandora is the mortal female who sent by the god “Zeus” to punish humans. Zeus was anger when seeing people not giving him honor, so he sent a beautiful girl with a jar full of evil, sickness, and death. Once she opened the jar, mortality was disappeared. Through this example, we can conclude that Hesiod illustrates that Pandora herself has strength, a mind, and a voice letting her bring evils for humanity. The common point between Hesiod and Herodotus is that both of them show a fall of humanity or a person by females. Even though some people based on Pando see women’s charm as a mechanism for disaster, Hesiod indicates that men cannot live without women because a female could end the golden age and bring justice to the new

Show More
Related
1899 Words | 8 Pages

This paper will discuss the well-published work of, Pomeroy, Sarah B. Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Schocken, 1975. Print. Sarah B. Pomeroy uses this book to educate others about the role women have played throughout ancient history. Pomeroy uses a timeline to go through each role, starting with mythological women, who were called Goddesses.

Read More
522 Words | 3 Pages

By Zeus’s actions, it is evident that although Odysseus was held prisoner, women lacked this power and leverage in society compared to men and were subject to this treatment due to this gender

Read More
1499 Words | 6 Pages

The Homeric Hymns portray Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis and Hestia as strong females who uphold their own beliefs; challenging the “typical” gender stereotypes of the time period. Women in antiquity were expected to follow and uphold certain societal rules, most of these rules emphasized the gender stereotypes that women were perceived as being. The use of the goddesses powers challenge these societal rules and ideas about women. Aphrodite, Athena, Artemis, and Hestia are portrayed in the Homeric Hymns in contrast to ancient stereotypical roles of women being confined to the household; as a result this contrast emphasizes that women can showcase strength, intelligence, and power within society. A women’s life in antiquity was constricted by

Read More
1278 Words | 6 Pages

The position of women in the societies of Genesis and the Odyssey grant them little power. Despite the pervasive gender hierarchy present in the ancient texts, Rebekah and Nausicaa wield their intelligence and wit to influence those around them. These two women utilize deception and indirect communication in order to alter the lives of prominent men as their means of exerting control within their patriarchal society. Due to their actions, these women become essential to the narratives of Genesis and the Odyssey, for Rebekah is integral to the perpetuation of God’s covenant through familial lineage and Nausicaa is fundamental to Odysseus’ nostos journey.

Read More
780 Words | 4 Pages

In many societies today, individuals are led to believe that the concept of women possessing their own strength or independence is abnormal. As a result, women experience the world in a constrained way in comparison to men, even if they are in higher classes of society. However, these extensive aspects of females are contradicted in some ancient Greek literature. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer portrays women as a vital and powerful force through the characters Penelope and Circe, who counter the normality of misogyny in Homer’s time. Penelope’s character displays how some women are able to exceed society’s standards and show strength and cleverness when it is necessary.

Read More
1255 Words | 6 Pages

In spite of the fact that Homer’s Odyssey is an epic story of a man’s gallant journey, women play a huge part throughout. Their unique yet controversial personalities, intentions, and relationships are vital to the development of this epic and adventurous journey of Odysseus. The poem by Homer was written at a time when women had an inferior position in society, yet that didn’t stop them from being any less influential. All of the women throughout the Odyssey possess different qualities, but all of them help to define the role of the ideal woman.

Read More
954 Words | 4 Pages

In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, there are many female characters who play the role of a villain. Calypso, Scylla, Charybdis, and the sirens are among the women with the largest, negative impacts on Odysseus’ journey home. Though some women, such as Athena, Eurycleia, and Penelope, are loyal to Odysseus throughout the poem. With such a wide range of female characters, they all contribute different things throughout the book, whether the impact of their actions is negative or positive. Regardless of the outcomes, Homer has quite a modern view of female representation in his poem.

Read More
704 Words | 3 Pages

The roles and social status of women in ancient times are being described by many well-known playwrights and poets. Yet, different works shows different opinions towards “women power”. In this essay, I am going to compare Homer’s Iliad and The Code of Hammurabi along with Sophocles’ Antigone.

Read More
537 Words | 3 Pages

In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, the role of arranged marriages are delved into with the story of Zeus willing his daughter, Persephone, to marry his brother Hades. This myth brings up a variety of issues revolving around the societal views of women in ancient Greece. Zeus’s ownership of his daughter, Persephone, definitely reflects upon the role women held when it came to their own marriage decision, or lack thereof. The Homeric Hymn to Demeter can be read as a charter myth since the details of the myth directly reflect upon the ancient Greek practice of arranged marriages. While the Homeric Hymn to Demeter was published, arranged marriages were very prevalent in society.

Read More
569 Words | 3 Pages

Women’s roles has changed dramatically throughout history. By looking at the lives of women, it would be possible to tell how the civilians at that specific period of time were living. In this paper, women’s lives in mainly three civilizations would be discussed, the Sparta, the Athens, and the Hellenistic era. In Sparta, women were needed to live at home, while their husbands remained in military barracks until the age thirty.

Read More
1355 Words | 6 Pages

However, these contrasts between their personal thinking built most of valuable points in Odysseus' epic journey, and making a more intense story. To some extent, these women are not foolish at all because at least they are successful at leading people to believe that waiting is meaningful. The whole story happened during the dark centuries of women in Greece, when their value was limited behind men. However The “Odyssey” gives an opportunity to horror their role, also rejecting all erroneous preconceptions about the woman. Penelope -- a typical woman who represents for an image of a devoted wife, a mother of family and she is also an image of how women was treated at Greece.

Read More
1333 Words | 6 Pages

Known as an epic war poem, The Iliad delves into topics concerning masculinity, heroism, and bravery. Women play a modest but important role that forms the structure of the plot. Helen’s character aids in expanding Menelaus and Paris’ characters. Homer does not delve into the lives of women like he does with the men, speaking to the notion of inferiority between the sexes. Homer displays women as tangible items through male interactions with one another.

Read More
1401 Words | 6 Pages

Women are weak, helpless, and have no real purpose other than to serve men and take care of children. . . or so they were perceived in history. In the Odyssey, one can see that Homer’s portrayal of women challenges the depiction of women during that time period. Throughout the book, many women intervened in Odysseus’ journey home to Ithaca, for better or for worse. One will see Penelope, Athena, Circe, and other women impact Odysseus’ expedition home.

Read More
1344 Words | 6 Pages

Hesiod’s Theogony was no longer able to satisfy the higher minds among the nation. Thus, inspiring Aeschylus to write tragic poets such as Prometheus’ Bound in order to express his own ideology and pointing the moral of tragedy. It is no surprise that Hesiod viewed Zeus as a glorified olympian hero and Prometheus as a traitor who stole fire and gave it to mankind. Aeschylus’s idea of Prometheus was conflicting to Hesiod, whereby he viewed Prometheus as a god supporting the civilization of mankind.

Read More
981 Words | 4 Pages

Over generations, the role of women in society has shifted and changed immensely, improving upon many aspects of rights and values that women have. The changes occurred gave women opportunities to provide ideas, to have the same rights as men, giving women freedom, leading to many contributions of many significant and valuable events. But from current roles of women being equal to those of men, how women stood in ancient society significantly differs and contrast with ours today. Throughout history, the role and significance of women were always outweighed by the dominance and influence of men. The role of women in ancient times varied throughout, depending on the place and area in the world, in which women had different roles and impacts on their own society.

Read More

More about Herodotus Hesiod And Daoism's Attitude Towards Women

Related Topics

Open Document