Inspirational Women in History
The role of women throughout mankind has been a dynamic and ever changing role, marked by a constant struggle for equality and respect with the male counterpart. Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh of the ancient Egypt conquered her brothers for access to the throne! Cleopatra, a Hollywood phenomenon, actually partnered with Caesar of Rome and led her land to great prosperity. Joan of Arc, who continually inspires literature and works of art today, started as a peasant woman in France. At the young age of sixteen she became the commander of the French army. All three of these women took very different paths to reach their positions of authority. And yet, one of the most prominent strands of similarity they hold stems from the place of confusion and chaos their countries were facing. The struggle woman of today face regarding their physical appearance is not a new battle. In fact, each of these women battled against the expectations of society in regards to their physical exterior and clothing. And finally-the most memorable aspect of any story- each of these women faced epic culminations that have marked their place in history.
One common thread running through the remarkable stories of these three legendary women is the state of conflict and confusion their homelands were in prior to their ascent into leadership. Hatshepsut’s quest for power went against all the conventions and expectations of her time. Growing up in a royal family, Hatshepsut was the single heir to the throne, as the only child of Thutmose I. Due to her royal lineage; she was expected to rule as queen. The early death of her father left her to step up as queen at the age of 12. She then, “married her half brother Thutmose II” ("Hatshe...
... middle of paper ...
...breaking courage, determination and vigor. Hatshepsut, Cleopatra and Joan have paved the way for women of history. They broke down boundaries and borders that we are still struggling to face today. As a future educator, I hope to inspire my young female students to look to these women for their inspiration and encouragement, rather than the celebrities of today. I personally have found each of their stories inspirational. I hope to live a life marked by the gusto of Hatshepsut, who was not afraid to become a Pharaoh in spite of the doubts of all those around her. I intend to find the balance between femininity and strength as Cleopatra so masterfully did. I will be a force to be reckoned with, like Joan. People will hear my name and know that I intended to muster all my strength and courage to conquer the challenges before me. The strength of women is timeless.
Hatshepsut, declared herself king during the reign of her stepson and nephew, Thutmose III. She adopted the full titulary of a pharaoh, and since this was traditionally a man’s role, she wore the nemes-headcloth, the shendyt-kilt and a fake beard as part of the ceremonial attire of the Egyptian king. This is portrayed in her life-size statue “White Hatshepsut” at the MET.
Hatshepsut’s reign especially leaves much to the scholar’s speculation and interpretation since little evidence is left. The reader must acknowledge how an author’s views may be construed by sexism and other concepts prevalent in their time. What these five authors imply about Hatshepsut’s personality and attitude concerning her political ascent, her usage of propaganda, and her achievements during that time all differ from each other, some more drastically than others. This certainly shows that when one reads of history, their research should span as far as possible in order to most accurately inform themselves of what truly happened; it is from there that they can formulate the best
Hatshepsut stands apart for her historical legacy as opposed to Cleopatra, “Egypt’s Cleopatra looms large more for her romantic exploits than her historical legacy. One Egyptian queen stands apart, however: Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt for some two decades at the beginning of the fifteenth century B.C. A strong and effective pharaoh, she oversaw a cultural renaissance that influenced the arts in Egypt for more than a millennium” (Roehrig and Dreyfus
During the mid-1800s, separation in America between the North and the South became prevalent, especially over the idea of slavery, which eventually led to the Civil War. Women did not have much power during this time period, but under the stress and shortages of the War, they became necessary to help in fighting on and off the battlefields, such as by becoming nurses, spies, soldiers, and abolitionists (Brown). Many women gave so much assistance and guidance, that they made lasting impacts on the War in favor of who they were fighting for. Three inspiring and determined women who made huge impacts on contributing to the American Civil War are Rose O’Neal Greenhow, who worked as a spy for the Confederacy leading to multiple victories, Clara Barton, who worked as a nurse, a soldier, and formed the American Red Cross to continue saving lives, and Harriet Tubman, who conducted the Underground Railroad sending slaves to freedom, which enabled them and their actions to be remembered forever (Brown).
Hatshepsut was born into a wealthy, educated family; however, she displayed qualities that are innate among most great leaders. She was courageous, ambitious, confident, and innovative. This allowed her to become the female Pharaoh during the 18th dynasty, and in a male dominating society, this was seen as an accomplishment among historians analyzing women in power. Hatshepsut’s will to adopt the role as Pharaoh prior to her reign portrays her as a strong, independent female leader. Her building projects and further establishment of trade had a positive impact on Ancient Egypt socially, economically, and intellectually by creating opportunity and further expanding their knowledge. Ultimately, Hatshepsut is considered to be a very successful and influential leader within Ancient history.
Not every female warrior was mythical. Joan of Arc is possibly the most famous female warrior. But there were many others who do not receive recognition for their accomplishments. An e...
The color of clothing that the women wear is an important element because it helps to show the women’s power and privileges. The color of clothing a woman wears reflects how much freedom she will have. Th...
...y. These brave ladies had a vision in mind, that one day all women would be able to understand self-worth while reaching equality measurable to their male counterparts. Unfortunately, women in today’s society have forgotten this battle, and are selling themselves short while taking part in beauty competitions, which would be very disappointing to women’s rights activists of the past. With any luck, women will begin to understand the countless disadvantages of beauty pageants and how these competitions damage every one of them in the end. Hopefully women will once again come to the realization that respect can be earned through the value of the mind and interior rather than the appearance of the exterior. In a perfect world ladies will soon be able to stop cowering down to beauty pageants and begin to honor the fact that being a woman is strength in itself.
History accounts for the great contributions of women in promoting social justice, particularly in uplifting the morale and functions of women in the society. From being the oppressed gender, various women managed to change the traditional roles of women by fighting for their rights to be heard and for them to given equal opportunities. These women boldly stood against gender stereotypes of women and proved the entire world that they could defy conventions. Particularly at the turn of the 20th century, women battled against the oppressions brought by patriarchy in different ways. These activist women had crusaded for the promotion of their civil rights, sexual freedom, and pursued careers which were once forbidden to them.
Women have been facing crisis of body image since the dawn of man, for competition in breeding purposes, however women came under great scrutiny because of this. Often through history, they have been at the same level of livestock, treated poorly. Creating a rise in the early 1900’s to create the movement about pushing for the equality of women in the United States; it was after then when media first started adopting an ideal image of women in American culture, when marketing research found the use of images of ideal women in their campaigns made for higher sales.
Amelia Bloomer:Amelia Bloomer was born in Cortland County, New York, in 1818. She received an education in schools of the State and became a teacher in public schools, then as a private tutor. She married in 1840 to Dexter C. Bloomer, of Seneca Falls, New York. Dexter C. Bloomer was editor of a county newspaper, and Mrs. Bloomer began to write for the paper. She was one of the editors of the Water Bucket, a temperance paper published during Washingtonian revival. Mr. Bloomer lived in Seneca Falls in 1848, but did not participate in the Women’s Rights Convention. In 1849, Bloomer began work with a monthly temperance paper called The Lily. It was devoted to women’s rights and interests, as it became a place for women advocates to express their opinions. The paper initiated a widespread change in women’s dress. The long, heavy skirts were replaced with shorter skirts and knee-high trousers or undergarments. Bloomer’s name soon became associated with to this new dress, and the trousers became known as Bloomers. She continued to new dress and continued advocating for women’s rights in her paper. In 1854, Mrs. Bloomer began giving numerous speeches and continued to fight for equal justice for women.
10) Smith, Bonnie G., ed. Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History. Vol. 4. N.p.: Xford UP, 2008. Print. 2710 Pages.
Thousands of feet above the ground Amelia Earhart became known as one of the world’s greatest women aviators. Her courage and determination moved the hearts of many, and she was loved by women and men alike. To women however, she was not just an aviator. Amelia Earhart was a women’s rights activist, but she did not protest with signs and sit-ins, instead she expressed her belief by encouraging women to not be afraid of trying new occupations, even if it wasn’t sociably accepted at that time. She is most famously quoted saying “Now and then women should do for themselves what men have already done - - occasionally what men have not done - - there by establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence
Since the beginning of time, women have strived to achieve an equal status in society. The vast majority of women have rebelled against the norm for equal status. As if washing the dirt off one’s hands, women are forgotten for all of their achievements. The identity of women in the Western world has evolved from domesticity and servility, and moved toward their valuation as individuals of intellect, talent, and independence. The culture about women’s empowerment has been reflected in literature and history throughout many ages.
Women have played many roles in societies since the dawn of time ever changing with time and from society to society. Each society hold a special place and role for women good and bad. Freedoms and equality of women has varied from opression to freedom. I will discuss some specific pieces of art and explain how the art shows the role of women in a specific society. I will tell you of their paril and achivements through time. Giving you a glimpse into the lives of women and how they were percieved by males and society. Some have have reveared women and some have disrespected them but through it all women have found a way to perservear. Women hold a place in history from culture to culture, and we see this in many pieces of art. From the art we can have a glimpse into a culture view of women and how they were treated in society.