Greco-Roman Gender Roles

Comparing the Role of Gender in Classical Greco-Roman and Islamic Societies Both Greco-Roman and Islamic societies were extremely similar in terms of applied patriarchy, but held large differences in terms of the ways that women were treated and the trends that affected gender roles in their cultures. In both cultures, women are generally considered inferior to men. However, there are rare occasions where women gained influence and notoriety. In both Greco-Roman and Islamic societies, women occasionally found ways to exert power on the world around them, despite the patriarchal attitude of society. In Greco-Roman and Islamic cultures, philosophical thinking and science were extremely prevalent among males. Women were usually confined to their own households, and performed tasks such as weaving, cleaning, or cooking. They were regarded as subordinate to men in most respects, and their potential for self-improvement was generally very small. Women, especially members of the upper class, were primarily destined to live out a sedentary life indoors, usually with minimal interaction with the outside world. Greco-Roman culture is an excellent example of a patriarchal society in that, aside from a few outliers, women

However, in general, Islam offered women more opportunities for advancement and self-improvement. Women in Islamic societies were able to pursue a greater degree of education, and could even, in some circumstances, initiate divorce. Despite this, women in Greco-Roman societies led a far safer life than those in the Muslim world, where penalties for violation of Quranic or local law often spelled death. In conclusion, both Greco-Roman and Islamic cultures were highly patriarchal, but they also occasionally held differences in terms of the opportunities afforded to women, with Islamic societies generally providing women more for education and potential