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critically assess the role of women in ancient egyptian society
gender equality in ancient civilizations
gender equality in ancient civilizations
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Meysar Abdulkadir
Oct 16th, 2017
History of Early Western Civilization
Research Paper Assignment (Ancient Egypt):
Ancient Egypt started around three-thousands and one-hundred B.C. to six-hundred and seventy-two B.C. Ancient Egypt started after two-thousand and four-hundred years after Mesopotamia civilization began. Ancient Egypt was located in the Mediterranean region. This environment is hot and dry so it forced the ancient Egyptians to live near the Nile River to get water for their crops. Notwithstanding, the Nile River floods flooded at the same time each year making the floods regular and predictable. When the Nile River flooded, it deposited nutrient-rich soil on the riverbanks. This made the riverbanks excellent farmland. The
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Women were treated way better than compared to other civilizations. Women in ancient Egypt were highly respected because there were no divisions in gender, however, there were only divisions in different classes. "There was no division which was being made in terms of the gender, but there was division which was made only based on the classes of the society" (The Role of Women in Ancient Egypt). The ancient Egyptian women were not like other women in other kingdoms such as the Mesopotamian women. Other women in different civilizations were not cherished as much as the Egyptian women. In fact, women in other civilization were seen as inferior to men. Women in other kings were beaten by their husband, however, women in ancient Egypt were loved, respected, and cherished. The Instruction of Ptahhotep states, "Be not brutal; tact will influence her better than violence; her... behold to what she aspires, at what she aims, what she regards. It is what fixes her in your house; if you repel her it is an abyss" (The Instruction of Ptahhotep, 67). Ancient Egyptian women had power over their belonging because they were able to control, manage, and even sell their properties by their own will. If the women have enough money to purchase a product or property she was allowed to purchase the desired property without any type of consequences. "The women can manage all the property of hers and can sell it …show more content…
Women were highly respected as honorable mothers, wives, workers, and also, priestesses. Sometimes women in ancient Egypt held powerful and high positions in religious groups and even sometimes became the pharaoh. The reading of Instructure of Ptahhotep explains how highly women were held and how they treated their women. The reading states, "If you are wise, look after your house; love your wife without alloy. Fill her stomach, clothe her back; these are the cares to be bestowed on her person. Caress her, fulfill her desires during the time of her existence; it is a kindness which does honor to its possessor" (The Instruction of Ptahhotep, 67). This shows how highly women were treasured and respected by Lord Ptah. The great Ptahhotep also taught his beloved people to love their women and cherish them. The reading states, "Open your arms for her, respond to her arms; call her, display to her your love...." (The Instruction of Ptahhotep,
During the time of Ancient Egypt, having strong Pharaohs was essential to the maintenance and growth of the civilization, as the Pharaohs were believed to be living Gods. Although leadership of Ancient Egypt was often male dominated, there were admirable female Pharaohs who successfully gained power and left behind a positive legacy; one woman to achieve this was Hatshepsut, meaning ‘foremost of female nobles’. Her innovation and determination allowed her to maintain her position of Pharaoh for about twenty years (1479-1458 BCE). Hatshepsut was considered to be a very successful leader because of her confidence and ambition, magnificent building projects, and establishment of a strong trading network.
The locations of both of these civilizations has guided them through survival and existence. Ancient Egypt was located near the Nile River, which produced a fertile area in the middle of a desert. The people relied on this sector for two effects, which were food and water and the environment
In early Egypt civilization women and men were looked at as equal. In early Egyptian art there are evidence of tombs, and temples that illustrate men and women were seen doing activities together in unity depicting equality and harmony (Mason).
Egypt has had many rulers among the eras, men were the only ones to rule. Not until the great Hatshepsut came into power, shortly after the passing of her father the throne was given to her young brother, he was too young to rule so Hatshepsut married her half brother and proclaimed herself as pharaoh. She was a pharaoh for two decades, and during her reign she ordered multiple buildings of projects and art work of herself.
“Even though the United States had not yet had a woman serve as president, one of the most successful and long- running pharaohs in Ancient Egypt was a woman. “Pharaohs were considered gods in Ancient Egypt. Some were able to make changes that benefited Egypt. Menes united Upper and Lower Egypt, making Egypt very successful. A majority of people believed that men were better pharaohs than women in Ancient Egypt. Historians may argue that King Tut was the greatest pharaoh of Egypt, but Hatshepsut was better because she was able to make Egypt wealthy with successful trades and numerous physical structures.
In Egypt, women were definitely not looked upon being equal with men in Egyptian society. The lives of most women were centered on their households. However, they had more rights than women in other ancient civilizations. For example, in the Greek city-state of Athens from about 500 to 300 B.C., women raised childr...
...se days a male child was more valued than a girl. Her guard had to always be up, while she had all the power in Egypt there were other people who had the same power as she.
It can easily be seen that while men were considered to be the most powerful and wisest humans and gods, women had the power to significantly influence these men. From Uta-napishti's wife who convinced Uta-napishti to tell Gilgamesh about the plant that would make him young again to the examples mentioned above, several women were put in roles that had important effects on the men they encountered. Of course, this is not much different from the society we live in today. While many may believe that women have still not reached the point of true equality, it is hard to say that they are inferior and the significance of their roles in society is undeniable.
A woman was not seen as being equal to a man. This is clear in the laws dealing with marriage. Women were contractually obligated to remain with their husbands only, while their husbands were permitted to have a mistress or second wife. If a woman was caught with another man, she would be drowned (“The Code of Hammurabi”). Another thing that shows that women were not equal to men is the fact that they could be sold into slavery by their husbands at any time. Women did, however, have some rights such as the right to own property and the right to inherit and pass down that property. They also played very important roles in society. Some of these roles included shop owners, bakers, or scribes (Judge and Langdon,
Egyptians cherished family life the way we cherish food or money. Children were considered a blessing. They prayed for them and used magic to have children, but if a couple could not conceive they adopted. Men were the head of the household and the oldest son inherited everything of the father’s. Egyptian women were to obey their fathers and husbands, but were equal in many other ways. For example, women could have jobs, some rights in court cases, and they were able to own land. Women were also allowed to own businesses. Only noble women, however, could be priestesses. The women raised the children and took care of the house. Wealthy families would hire maids and nannies to do such things. Divorce was not common in Ancient Egypt, though it was an option. Problems were talked about between families, and if they could not be settled a divorce would take place. Some women became rulers but only in secret. The only woman who ruled as a pharaoh in the open was Queen Hatsheput. Ordinary men normally had one wife, while pharaohs and kings had several. Most marriages were arranged by parents. Most girls married at age twelve while boys were usually a little older.
... Egyptian women were looked at differently than men; their role was that of the nurturer and the caregiver, the bearer of a family’s future. They were just as important to the society as the men. Ancient Egypt was a very complex world, and just as complex was the role that women played in its society. They were not free, but they also were not enslaved. They were vital, but only in terms of their husbands and their children. Egypt offered women a far more free life than the rest of the ancient world. In the end, women played a secondary role to men putting their desires for achievement aside so their husband could be king.
Women's voices were strong in Egyptian poetry- e.g the narrator or lover write about the choices of the woman. This strength verify that was held a higher position in the ancient Egyptian culture than other societies. Women may have even written some poetry.
When it came to the rights of these women, they really didn’t have any at all. In Greece women were considered to be second class citizens at best. All women were forbidden to own property, inherit their own name, vote, or attend political debate. Men viewed them as nothing of real importance. To them they were irrational, fearful, and only to be used for their physical desires. They were considered to be the ward of a man (Sacks 263). Women in Egypt were treated fairly well compared to the others. They shared the same legal and economic rights as men they were capable of owning land, slaves, and could acquire possessions for themselves in many ways. Elite women did have more rights and opportunities than the nonelite but they were both very fortunate. Regardless of class though, all women had only a few main concerns and expectations. They were all expected to get married and raise a family, maintain the management of the household, and bearing and rearing children (Harrison 510).
In present days gender equality seems ordinary around the world, but there are some areas male dominant and prejudice against women still exist, these areas include workplaces and strong cultural beliefs families. Gender inequality first surfaced in ancient world, the surviving physical evidence such as temples, buildings and battle memorials illustrate this phenomenon where they all speak of man’s world. Though there are many surviving works of art feature of ancient women in various forms, but has rarely given any insight into other kind of world except that in which women were controlled, contained, and often exploited (Scott, 2009).
This was because occasionally the men would be absent from the household, and they had to pick up where the men left off. Depending on the on their status, some women were granted the right of some education. Not all of the girls had the right to learn, females who were born to royal families received the same level of education as boys, but the lower class women received little to no education. Women, no matter the status, were not allowed to become scribes, so they usually became the Pharaohs advisors. This is how it became to be thought of that women were the most influential over some of the major decisions in Egyptian history. These women weren’t average, though. They were groomed to be intelligent, they had to know politics, they were educated on history, writing, mathematics, just about anything you can think of, they were had knowledge of.