Did Women Benefit From The Renaissance

The Renaissance was beneficial in many ways, from its enlightening ideas, to its art. However, there are many debates about how The Renaissance changed the lives women. Did women benefit from The Renaissance?
There were many ways women benefited from the Renaissance. The Renaissance gave more light to philosophy, there was a female ruler, and art put them in the public eye. There also many ways in which The Renaissance did not impact the lives of women at all. Women weren't allowed to take part as much men. Upper class women had even fewer rights than peasant women.
One way women benefit from The Renaissance was that Queen Elizabeth I was queen. Queen Elizabeth I did not marry. She made many important decisions and was respected. Queen Elizabeth was the 3rd queen to rule England herself. She made many important decisions, like allowing plays to be performed in England. She increased the role of literature and art during the time.
Queen

Elizabeth I was asked on multiple occasions by parliament to marry. She refused every time. Her refusing to marry was a big step forward at the time. The role of most women in society was to be mere housewives. She showed that a woman could forge her own destiny, and didn’t need a man to do so. “I will be as good unto ye as ever a Queen was unto her people. No will in me can lack, neither do I trust shall there lack any power. And persuade yourselves that for the safety and quietness of you all I will not spare if need be to spend my blood.” (Queen Elizabeth) These are the words of Queen Elizabeth I, who was willing to fight just like any king. This showed that a queen could be as powerful and independent as a man. Queen Elizabeth I defeated the Spanish Armada by leading country into war against Spain. This was important because Spain was one of the most powerful countries in the world. Spain was defeated by the queen of England.
The renaissance benefited women by putting them more in the public eye. The renaissance was a time of art and change. During the renaissance, women were brought to the public eye through art and philosophy. Many philosophers at the time were preaching their ideas about the enlightenment. Many of these philosophies implied that women and men are equal. This caused for people to question many ideals in place at the time. It even started the argument of WHETHER men and women are equal.
The art of theater played a role in bringing more attention to women. Plays became popular during the renaissance. Many of the plays performed, such as the writings of Shakespeare, featured female characters. These roles were often played by men on stage. But Shakespeare gave female characters many empowering qualities. This made women seem more empowered when people came to watch his plays, and put them in the spotlight.
Art was also evolving during the renaissance. Many paintings featured women, also putting them more in the public eye. Before, although women did have a place in many paintings, paintings specifically featured women. This changed drastically during the renaissance. Some women during the renaissance were painters. When women weren’t doing housework, they were able to express themselves through painting. This is something many women wouldn’t have been able to do before, since many women didn't have the time.
There are many ways women did not benefit from The Renaissance. Women did not benefit from the renaissance because they didn’t have any of the rights that men did. “ Martin Luther taught that "The wife should stay at home and look after the affairs of the household as one who has been deprived of the ability of administering those affairs that are outside and concern the state…." (Martin Luther)This negatively affected women because many people followed the philosophies of Martin Luther. This meant that many of his followers would keep women doing house work instead of educating them. There was an Edict in the Bible stating that women are to be silent. Most women were not allowed to write during this time. Their writing would be destroyed if they did. First a woman was a daughter and then a wife, mother, etc.
In contrast, male roles were generally defined by social position or occupation—merchant, knight, priest, weaver, and so on. Women also did not have the freedom to do what they wanted with their own bodies. “ As women are vowed to chastity during marriage and most women did not have a choice in their marriage, women were obligated to have only one sexual partner, and this being most likely not someone they find love or lust in. Women were then not allowed to show love or affection to any other man than the one chosen for her, giving her no freedom of sexuality or love.” Women had no say in who they they loved. They were treated like objects, to be traded for whatever the men in their lives needed in return.
Upper class women had less rights than peasant women during the renaissance. The amount of rights a woman had during the renaissance varied depending on her social status. Peasant women had more rights than noblewomen during the renaissance. “Female roles were more sharply defined in upper-class society than in peasant society. The main reason was economic. Upper class daughters, wives, and widows had a share in the family estate, so they were regarded mainly as a way to hold onto or expand. Thus their lives were regulated and controlled.” (Encyclopedia.com)
Peasant women had more rights because they had to help their husbands run the household. They aided their husbands in tasks outside the home, unlike many upper class women.“In contrast, peasant women generally had more freedom. Wives, daughters, and even widows were actively involved in helping to support the family by maintaining the household and working along with men on the farm or in the shop.” (Encyclopedia.com) This meant upper class women were confined to their house, but peasant women worked alongside men.
Upper class women were usually isolated to the house, unable to do work other than housework. Peasant women, were allowed to do skillful work outside the home to help their families. “Peasant women performed numerous duties, from tending fowl and sheep and a vegetable garden to brewing beer and assisting with the harvest. Artisan wives did skilled craft work alongside their husbands, or did the work themselves during their husband’s absence.” (Encyclopedia.com) Although some upper class women received an education, they were forced to give up their studies once they were married, and were made into house-wives.
As you can see, there are many ways The Renaissance harmed and helped women.

The Renaissance gave more light to philosophy, and philosophers thought everyone is equal. There was a female ruler, and art put women in the public eye. Yet, women weren't allowed to take part as much as men, and upper class women had even less rights than peasant women. Queen Elizabeth affected the West in many ways. She refused to marry until the day she died, and she defeated the Spanish Armada. Her supporting the arts also helped plays and paintings bring women more into the public eye. Still, women still had less rights than men at the time. Most philosophers were men and many of them preached of how men were more powerful than women. And in contrast to popular belief, upper class women had even less rights than peasant women at the time. Upper class women were treated as mere housewives, which limited the rights of women because the most powerful women at the time were illiterate. Giving them little power compared to

men.