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More handpicked essays just for you.
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The book of Esther tells of a courageous young woman who uses her mind to please God. She becomes the wife of a great king and allows for protection of her own people, the Jews. Esther is a great role model for women of modern day times because of her strength, nobility, and honesty. She portrays a woman with power that most women of that day did not have. The story of Esther has empowered women of all backgrounds and will continue to do so well into the future.
This story originates in the country of Persia about 464-415 B.C (Mid Fifth Century). The ruler over the Persian in this time period is King Xerxes along with Queen Vashti. Xerxes begins to celebrate for 180 days at a massive banquet with his military officials. He commands his Queen to appear before him so he can glow in her beauty. She refuses his request. King Xerxes becomes furious and demands a decree be made so that Vashti will be exiled and women around the country will respect their husbands.
This decree made by Xerxes is common in regard to the Persian lifestyle. The Persian family was centered around the male of...
The Epic of Gilgamesh is a story of Gilgamesh, a man who was two-thirds god that was saved by companionship. Gilgamesh was a cruel and careless king, who spent his time raping women, exhausting citizens, and conquering foes and foreign lands until he met, fought and was guided by his great friend and soul mate, Enkidu. With the help of Enkidu and his influence, he learned compassion as well as wisdom and integrity, and eventually Gilgamesh became a great and fair king. Though the story focuses mainly on Gilgamesh and his friendship with Enkidu, there are several roles played by women that help to make and move the story along. Without these important women who show great strength and feminine qualities despite being oppressed by the patriarchy, Gilgamesh would not have been the great king he was meant to be.
Using the pseudonym Linda Brent, Harriet Jacobs wrote Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, to alert Northern white women to the dangers faced by enslaved African American women in the South. The narrative details her experience of slavery, emphasizing the sexual harassment she experienced working in the home of Dr. Flint (Dr. James Norcom).
So, are you still inclined to think that because you only see men in literature, that women have not made significant contributions? I should hope not. Golda Meir dedicated her life for a cause she believed; in it is well known and well written about. Born a poor Jew in the former USSR, todays Ukraine, raised in Milwaukee USA, she signed the declaration of independence, and was the Prime Minister of Israel. Golda Meir was once a small girl who reached for the stars and became one.
In her essay, “Loopholes of Resistance,” Michelle Burnham argues that “Aunt Marthy’s garret does not offer a retreat from the oppressive conditions of slavery – as, one might argue, the communal life in Aunt Marthy’s house does – so much as it enacts a repetition of them…[Thus] Harriet Jacobs escapes reigning discourses in structures only in the very process of affirming them” (289). In order to support this, one must first agree that Aunt Marthy’s house provides a retreat from slavery. I do not. Burnham seems to view the life inside Aunt Marthy’s house as one outside of and apart from slavery where family structure can exist, the mind can find some rest, comfort can be given, and a sense of peace and humanity can be achieved. In contrast, Burnham views the garret as a physical embodiment of the horrors of slavery, a place where family can only dream about being together, the mind is subjected to psychological warfare, comfort is non-existent, and only the fear and apprehension of inhumanity can be found. It is true that Aunt Marthy’s house paints and entirely different, much less severe, picture of slavery than that of the garret, but still, it is a picture of slavery differing only in that it temporarily masks the harsh realities of slavery whereas the garret openly portrays them. The garret’s close proximity to the house is symbolic of the ever-lurking presence of slavery and its power to break down and destroy families and lives until there is nothing left. Throughout her novel, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Harriet Jacobs presents these and several other structures that suggest a possible retreat from slavery, may appear from the outside to provide such a retreat, but ideally never can. Among these structures are religion, literacy, family, self, and freedom.
The character of Esther is widely criticized for her perfection as a character, both receiving positive acclaims and negative feedback. Esther’s reserved, quiet character illustrates the role of women during the Victorian period and what little impact on society women played. Critics of Bleak House generally praise the narration and Dickens’s use of Esther’s character, which gives direction to the novel.
Harriet Tubman is an important figure in American history. She is remembered for her work as an abolitionist, respected for the risks she took helping the Union Army during the Civil War, as well as honored for the lasting gifts she left behind for the people of her country. Harriet Tubman may be considered a hero by many men and women, for her example of bravery and self-sacrifice is inspiring people of all races.
Sojourner Truth is an American legend. She began life as a slave and ended her life as an outgoing speaker and free woman. Sojourner led a very disadvantage life but was able to rise above her hardships. Truth was a motivational speaker even though she was not able to read or write. Sojourner Truth continues to impact lives today through her works.
...tive techniques to get her point across. Her story was very powerful and probably helped in the antislavery movement, therefore fulfilling her goal. In the end she is thought of as a "new kind of female hero" (497). She has gone through many hardships
...also were not represented, and made women understand that this inferiority dilemma that was going on every day had to stop, and that they had to revolt and fight for their own rights. Her influence combined with other women fighting and the spirit of rebellion already set in men spiked women's interests in their rights and made them want to struggle for their privileges.
James’ character did what most rebellious young American women would do. She broke free from cultural restrictions and lived her life as she pleased. A woman of passion, she chose to ignore the repressive attitudes of those around her. Women of today are still fighting for equality, but have authors of the past and women like the characters in their stories to thank for the improvements they made.
Give a brief summary of about 100 words on each woman, explaining her main accomplishments and what set her apart as a woman worthy of a chapter in a book.
Throughout history women have been underestimated. Society as a whole is patriarchal, and even though women have mead great strides in gaining equality, there are still crimes and prejudice against women. Women are capable of great feats, if they are given a chance. Some women ignored all social standards and managed to accomplish incredible things that changed the course of history.
The beginning of the novel introduces the reader to Esther O'Malley Robertson as the last of a family of extreme women. She is sitting in her home, remembering a story that her grandmother told her a long time ago. Esther is the first character that the reader is introduced to, but we do not really understand who she is until the end of the story. Esther's main struggle is dealing with her home on Loughbreeze Beach being torn down, and trying to figure out the mysteries of her family's past.
Throughout her lifetime, Harriet Tubman led over 300 enslaved people to freedom by way of almost 20 journeys back into slave states to conduct rescue missions. She was an incredi-ble freedom fighter in American history but more than that, she is a model for how effective the American black woman leader can be, even in the midst
The hero in the novel would have to be Firdaus, a former prostitute and prisoner that is awaiting execution for the murder of a powerful pimp. The reason why Firdaus is considered a hero is because she stood up to the exploitation and corruption going on within the government and society during that time in Egypt. The story is set in 1975, during a time when women were still not valued and the sole purpose for them was pleasure or raising children and caring for the house. Firdaus’s life before prison exemplifies this societal norm; she was abused by family members, locked up by people she met that she thought she could trust, objectified by men, and disregarded when it came to decisions involving her wellbeing. Firdaus ends up choosing to be a prostitute instead of marriage because at least being a prostitute, she was free to make her own decisions and she was self-supporting (Harlow). When she was married, she was not able to make any decisions and even abused. In that sense, Firdaus is considered a hero because she does not give into the oppressive Egyptian society during this time. There are many instances during Firdaus’s life where she experienced injustice, from both men and women. One of the female characters in the novel that treat Firdaus as if she was an object was her uncle’s wife. It is clear that the aunt does not treat Firdaus nicely by having her sent away to boarding school and also by forcing her to marry an abusive husband. When the aunt was making her point about what to do with Firdaus, she says, “It is risky for her [Firdaus] to continue without a husband. She is a good girl but the world is full of bastards (Saadawi 37).” This sentence says a lot about the societal norms during this time because the aunt is making a point that even though Firdaus is a good girl, she will still not be able to survive without a man. In