Role of Women until 1500

[Name of the Institute]

Role of Women until 1500

Introduction

Over the passage of time women have tried hard to be a part of the society and attain equal rights same as men in the society. The rights of the Women are prerogative as well as freedom declared for females encompassing of all ages in countless states and societies. In several places all across the globe, the rights of women were neither institutionalized nor supported by the government, the local administration or even the custom. Similarly, women were ignored, suppressed as well as discriminated on the bases of gender at workplaces as well as in every walk of life. Not only this, women were not even allowed to vote which can clearly denote that they were not thought as a part of the society (Kimmel, 2000). There were claims based on the differences from broader philosophy of human rights all the way even inherent the historical as well as traditional prejudice in opposition to put into effect the women rights in accord to the men. In this paper I will be focusing on the social and societal representation of women in until 1500 AD. This period is the representation of medieval times, a period of women suppression and containment.

Discussion

Medieval period was an uncomfortable period for majority of the women. It was a men dominating society and the women had to know their place in such a society. The women had little to no role in the society. They served no purpose. Apart from the daily chores, a woman had to support her husband and fulfill other responsibilities as well related to her family. Medieval women had to do different tasks on the lands like the men but they were paid less than the men for doing the same job. Due to the male dominance in the society, women were not able to complain openly about this injustice and inequality.

The women were also denied the freedom. The laws of the society, which were of course set by the men, limited or barred women freedom. Women were not allowed to marry the men of their choice. They had to take their parents consent and were not even allowed to attain divorce from their husband, were not allowed to won any property. They could only be granted the property of the land if they were widows or if they didn't have any surviving brothers (Hughes, Hughes, 1997).

The women from the rich families were married off at a young age while those form the poor families married until they were in their twenties. The women and children of the poor families had to work from an early age and were considered as adults even before they reached their teen age. The rich women had no choice over which men to marry, they were married of to anyone who gave a kind of advantage to the girl's family. Marrying off a woman was like a political gesture. Once the woman was married, she ...