Chaucer and Sophocles Views on Gender Equality

Introduction Chaucer and Sophocles are some of the new generation writers though their writings are based on a number of centuries ago. Their works, â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† and â€Å"The Three Theban plays,† respectively, are innovative piece of writings and are used as vehicles for serious history and story telling.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Chaucer and Sophocles Views on Gender Equality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their main agenda is to attempt to show their readers what it was like to be a woman in the United States, particularly during the Ancient Greek period and the Middle Ages. These authors shed light on women’s life, and therefore want the readers to understand a term that comes with many underlying meanings: gender equality. As the authors delve into this issue, they present the readers with a view that women also have the ability of a second thought. Analysis The St atus of Women during this Period Beforehand, women were perceived as inferior and lived according to the rules stipulated to guide the family settings, making them lack a sense of identity in the society. The gender inequality has been addressed where the authors concentrate on the psychological mind of the women as well as their expressive aspects. The minds of the women are probed in an attempt to determine why they behaved as such. The authors attempt to compare their mindsets with that of their male counterparts. Chaucer (1990) illustrates how the Wife of Bath commences her tale with a rape case. This depicts the presence of male dominance over women, since rape serves the purpose of gratifying male sexual urge and, at the same time, humiliating the women. This incident in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales,† thus, brings to light the issues to do with gender dominion, with men dominating the women in the family setting. The women involved play a critical role in representing wom en’s voices. The writings further show that the women cannot fully entrust any ruling made by a male judge since he always treated women’s plea in contempt. Sophocles (1984) illustrates the manner in which Antigone expresses her views, stating that the current ruler of Thebes, Creon, on grounds of carrying out family affairs, has humiliated her. And even as Antigone expresses displeasure over the manner in which the current king treats her, Creon, who is also her uncle, continues to defend his status, claiming that women cannot fully understand men’s point of view unless the men decide to disclose their thoughts. His assertion, therefore, is a clear indication that women were marginalized within the family settings. Likewise, this incident brings to light the issue of gender inequality with a view of revealing the women’s position: failure to entrust state laws simply because men who have a total disregard for women in the society make them.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Authors’ Opinion on Women The ideas presented by the Chaucer’s works try to portray the writer’s point of view: that the Wife of Bath, under all cost, pursues gender equality, and more so, dominating the male gender. This is evidenced by the fact that her speech is characterized by self promoting words, which portray a picture of aggressiveness that attempts to be equal with men and even rule over them. This is clearly portrayed when she quotes that she endeavors to make her husband a debtor as well as a slave (Chaucer 1990). Likewise, the idea presented by the Sophocles works discloses that Antigone is ready to contest with Creon in as far as gender equality is concerned. This is confirmed by the fact that she believes in divine powers, which act as the final arbiter to her decisions, not the king’s laws (Sophocles, 1984). And as such, she went ahead and buried her brother, claiming that the king’s judgments are inconsequential in as far as family issues are concerned. With this information at hand, it is clear that the authors are trying to portray that issues of gender dominion fostered the problems that women faced during this period. This stems from the fact that the women demanded to have their voices heard, but the men would not hear of it. The authors further reveal that women experiencing gender inequality always have a second thought. How the Authors Expressed Themselves The authors expressed their views in the best image and were considerate on the interests of all the women with regard to typical issues affecting them in the society. This is evident in the â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† as the queen states that a judge cannot rule over the case of the loathly lady because he is biased against all women (Chaucer, 1990). This is also evident in â€Å"The Three Theban Plays,† as Antigone dec lares that she does not recognize state laws because they take less concern on the welfare of all the women in the society (Sophocles, 1984). However, Chaucer ridicules the manner in which women behave, stating that even though the Wife of Bath portrays a burning desire for ruling over men, she finds herself using all the gender dominion acquired to provide men with all they long for (Chaucer, 1990). And even though Sophocles shows empathy for Antigone, the author ridicules the manner in which she tries to attain women rights, stating that it is not worthwhile to take away her life because it does not, in any way, add value to her life and to the life of the loved ones in the family setting(Sophocles, 1984). Thus, this makes the authors negative in relation to how women finalized their pursuit of fighting for their rights.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Chaucer and Sophocles Views on Gender Equality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Period Most Favorable for Women The Ancient Greek Society, according to Woelfel Trulove (2002), marks a period when women were degraded and mistreated in marriage as well as in the political sphere. The marginalization of women in the family setting was evident from their childhood, and as such, girls were considered as women and given in marriage at a very tender age, putting them at risk of death during child delivery. The elder women were also marginalized within marriage as evidenced by the fact that, besides acquiring inheritance from their brothers, they could not acquire any wealth during marriage, or any inheritance from their husbands, or even handle other jobs apart from the domestic duties. However, even though these women could inherit property from their brothers, such property was entirely controlled by their husband. On the other hand, the Middle Ages period, according to Woelfel Trulove (2002), is marked by an emergence of women’s v oices in an effort to acquire equal opportunities with their male counterpart in marriage as well as in the political sphere. As such, women were given opportunities to work in industries, though they handled unskilled labor, which paid very low wages. Additionally, women were in a position of gaining limited grounds in political as well as in religious sphere. But even though women could marry someone of their choice, their marriage was jeopardized by harsh working conditions, leading to death of many at an early age. The women, however, were entitled to inherit their husband’s property in case they were widowed. Given the difference in status of women during the Ancient Greek period and the Middle Ages period, it is clear that the degree to which women were marginalized is lower in the Middle Ages than in the Ancient Greek period, because majority of women acquired limited freedom in the family setting as well as in the political sphere. Despite the unfavorable working cond itions during the Middle Ages, the right of inheritance freed a number of them from economic hardships, unlike the Ancient Greek period when all women suffered. Conclusion Chaucer and Sophocles works focus on the position of women in the society with regard to their social standing in the family setting. The books express how women were treated in the past, the challenges they faced while fighting for their rights, as well as how they applied partiality while fighting for their rights. Since then, the American women have an urge of protecting their gender and not being classified as weak anymore, as they perceive that doing so enhances their equality with men and gives them an obligation for their family and, indeed, their entire country.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More And while the idea of gender equality is rational for the female gender, remember, too, that it creates a number of dilemmas and pressure, as women have to leave their babies behind without an adequate care in an effort to acquire equal opportunities with their male counterparts. References Chaucer, G. (1990). The Canterbury tales. Toronto: Bantam. Sophocles, A. (1984). The three Theban plays. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books. Woelfel, J. W., Trulove, S. C. (2002). Patterns in Western civilization, Vol.1 (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, Mass: Ginn Press. This essay on Chaucer and Sophocles Views on Gender Equality was written and submitted by user Rudy Watson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Slavery and Freedom essays

Slavery and Freedom essays Morgan in retrospect chronicles the surrounding events of American history, focusing on the asymmetric growth pattern between slavery and freedom, this Morgan reckons to be the central paradox in American History. He states The rise of liberty and equality in this country was accompanied by the rise of slavery. That two such contradictory developments were taking place simultaneously over a long period of our history, from the seventeenth century to the nineteenth, is the central paradox of American History (2 p.52). He analyzes the views and ideals of prominent individuals in that era with reference to their influential and contradictory decisions made therein to fortify his argument of slavery and freedom. He also highlights the events that led to the rise of slave trade resulting in the liberty and equality of the indentured slaves to the African man, resulting in a racially motivated democratic government. Morgan highlights Thomas Jeffersons enigmatic posture towards slavery as controversial to his view of the freeman. He states Jefferson did not believe in slavery but in a freedom that sprang from the independence of the individual. The man who depended on another for his living could never be truly free(5 p.53). Although Jefferson had slaves, he feared their freedom would prove detrimental to the society unless they where well prepared for an independent life in the free world. He held the notion that when slaves ceased to be slaves they would become instead a half million idle poor, who would create the same problems for the United States that the idle poor of Europe did for their states. The slave, accustomed to compulsory labor, would not work to support himself when the compulsion was removed(11 p.54). This view may have also been influenced by his or his countrymens racial prejudice, which solely supports the American paradox. Morgan emphasizes the fact that the ...

William Blake wrote of mind-forg'd manacles in his poem London Research Paper

William Blake wrote of mind-forg'd manacles in his poem London. Discuss at least two works' views on the responsibilities of individuals and the responsibilities of society - Research Paper Example In fear of the revolution spreading at home and overthrowing the government, the authorities were concerned about the radical sentiments that were harboring in England. The public response was much radicalized followed by the authoritarian response of putting restrictions in places. Blake’s reference to â€Å"mind-forg’d manacles† points towards the repression of free thinking which was put in place to restrict the freedom of radical thinking or speech. London subtly talks about freedom, uninhibited freedom, which assists the common man. The relationship between the society and the individual is of vital importance in the poem as Blake writes to describe the society-individual relationship in the social context, as though a social contract exists between the two. Two works that represent the responsibilities of the individual and the society are Boys and Girls by Alice Munro and The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula Le Guin. This paper will seek to explain the responsibilities of the entities, society and individual, in the light of works by Munro and Le Guin. The manacles which Blake talks about is meant to represent a sort of physical restriction preventing free movement, which is used to explain the repressive laws that were implemented to inhibit the freedom of printing presses and publications. Most importantly, these manacles are placed on the mind to restrict free thinking to prevent any radical uprising. Very covertly, Blake has spoken about the social contract that exists between a society and an individual which directs the responsibilities of both entities so that they fulfill their expected tasks in a way that is beneficial for both. However, once the freedom of the common man is restricted by any means, there is sure to be a response. The society as an independent entity exerts pressure on the individuals, dwelling in its context, to show compliance to the agreed set of terms. Much of these implicit