Summary Of Gender Roles In The Iroquois Narrative

254 Words2 Pages
Joseph 1
Steven Joseph
Professor Lucia Hodgson
English 227
8 Sep 2015
The Implications of Opposite Gender Roles
The contrasting gender roles present within both creation narratives show differences in the patriarchal structure within each culture. In the Iroquois narrative, the creator of mankind is a
woman conceived” whose value exceeds Eve’s because the former’s role as the mother of mankind is revered instead of disparaged(9: 23). Rather than honoring women’s ability to procreate, God condemns procreation and punishes Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, stating, “in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children,” (King James Bible, Gen. 3.16). When considering how both figures are treated, the Iroquois narrative treats women’s procreative ability