Gender Roles In Ancient Greek Society

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Ancient Greek civilization was one of the most complex eras in all history. They revolutionized how we think in modern day about philosophy, art, politics, and law. “Women have not been omitted through forgetfulness or mere prejudice. The structural sexism of most academic disciplines contributes actively to the production and perpetuation of a gender hierarchy.” Griselda Pollock said Even like the modern world we live in today, the subject of gender roles is still in question. Today women are still fighting for equal rights, it has taken century’s for men not to treat women as objects or property, and its going to take even longer for women in modern day to be fully equal to a male. Woman in ancient Greece did not have equal rights as modern …show more content…

Despite some social gains such as education and …, , men continued to view women as property and social leverage, and the best place to view this is in the ancient Greek art and artifacts. Artist unknown, “Tanagra” figure of female, 400- 300 BC is one of the best examples of sculpture, which shows the dominance and FIND WORD of men in a subdued way. LEAD IN Where men were shown as powerful, masculine figures in sculpture, women were displayed in the opposite manner, clothed and modest. While some were sculpted with wet drapery, they still showed qualities of a shy but sensual manner. Analyzing the “Tanagra” figure of a female, the woman in the statue is clothed in a himation, modestly draped over her body, however her breast and figure is still curving out the body. The ideals of men in ancient Greece would sexualize this non- sexual piece of work, a …show more content…

A women’s image was not only controlled but also manipulated by men through art and written text. Because women were not allowed to write or do things in the arts like sculpture, one could interpret that as a woman not having any real function in society except to reproduce. This does not help people trying to study the past such as a historian, as the only written history on women and their roles and every day lives were written by men. Scholars are unable to see the ancient Greek woman’s perspective, thoughts or how they were truly treated. Sculptures of women like the “Tanagra” figure female can only be interpreted by how the male artist wants all people to interpret a women’s body. Women were subjected to how men wanted their bodies to look. “Tanagra” figure gives some insight to how, the woman in the sculpture is heavily idealized to a man expectations of how a woman of that time was supposed to look. She has broad shoulders giving other men the idea that she is strong, however in a sensual way because the himation is falling off her shoulders show off skin. The “Tanagra” figures head is tilled down expressing in a submissive manner. It was like social propaganda, women of this time would see the juxtaposition between man and woman in sculptures or

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