The Roles of Women in Ancient Greece and the Reasons for their Subordination

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The Roles of Women in Ancient Greece and the Reasons for their Subordination

Women in Greece were treated very differently from the men, they were thought of as less and weak men. The men controlled the lives of the women and made sure the women felt this way and knew their place. “Married women in Greece had three main jobs raise their children for the sake of Athens, show no weakness than was natural to their sex and avoid gossip.”(J. Coffin & R. Stacey 125).This was thought by all men in Greece but even more so in Athens. As time went on women became more inferior to men the problem did not get any better as Greece went into the dark ages. During the dark ages it is not exactly sure how many resources they Greek people lost, many major settlements were abandoned there are no written facts from this time and it was assumed that the people were illiterate. Philosophers believed that woman had very poor minds and each woman needed to have their own guardian which was a male figure closest to her or if she was married her husband. Women were expected to stay inside their homes and when there was a woman seen on the streets they were usually prostitutes, slaves or poor. Women through time were always thought of as unequal to men; men believed this because they made sure it was true by not allowed women to own anything go to school or participate in many activities. Although women were just as capable as men, the men made sure they felt inferior in many aspects of their social position such as race, culture and sexuality. “If Athenian society could portray women as incapable of endurance and fortitude in the face of misfortune they could mark them as inferior to men. They could leave free and not have to worried about guarding ther...

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... and it was frowned on. “In societies of all times, subordination of women occurs furthermost when households continue across generations and sons are taking over the homes of their fathers or wives are moving into homes that are already made.” (Bennett, J.M 179). Greece then went into the dark ages where all people suffered life was again even worse for women in this time and the number of diseases going around currently were numerous. The dark ages lasted for over 300 years. Women have suffered at the hands of men all through time evens today men sometimes believe that they are better than females. Women have always had to work harder than men for the things they got years ago and this shows that woman may even be stronger than men and know how to fight for they want; even if it seems impossible. All aspects of woman's live were effected by their lack of power.

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