women analysis Flashcards
Assemblywomen by aristophanes
Summary: Aristophanes’ play satirizes gender roles and political issues in Athens through the premise of women disguising themselves as men and taking over the government.
Analysis: The play provides a satirical commentary on the restrictive roles of women in Athenian society, highlighting the absurdity of gender inequalities and the limited political agency afforded to women.
“What is it that you think a man can do but a woman can’t? Speak out! Why can’t women set their hands to tasks as men do?”
Helen by Euripides
Summary: Euripides’ play challenges the traditional portrayal of Helen’s role in the Trojan War, suggesting she never actually went to Troy.
Analysis: By questioning the validity of Helen’s journey to Troy, Euripides offers a reevaluation of women’s agency and autonomy in ancient Greece, challenging the perception of women as passive objects in male-driven narratives.
“This is some phantom, this Helen, no real woman; you’ve not got the real thing at all.”
Medea by Euripides
Summary: Tragedy focusing on Medea’s revenge against Jason for betraying her, culminating in the murder of their children.
Analysis: Medea’s character challenges conventional gender norms by defying expectations of submissive wife and nurturing mother, highlighting the consequences of marginalizing and mistreating women in ancient Greek society.
“Stronger than lover’s love is lover’s hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make.”
Works and days by Hesiod
Summary: Didactic poem offering advice on farming, morality, and work ethic, including the myth of Pandora.
Analysis: The myth of Pandora reflects patriarchal attitudes towards women as the source of evil and suffering, reinforcing stereotypes of women as deceitful and responsible for the woes of humanity.
Illiad by Homer
Summary: Passage depicting a confrontation between Paris and Menelaus during the Trojan War, leading to a duel.
Analysis: The portrayal of Helen as the cause of the Trojan War perpetuates the idea of women as catalysts for conflict and reinforces traditional gender roles where women are blamed for men’s actions.
Pericles by plutarch
Summary: Biographical account of Pericles, the influential Athenian statesman, detailing his leadership and impact on Athenian democracy.
Analysis: While Pericles’ achievements are highlighted, the absence of significant female figures in Plutarch’s account underscores the marginalization of women in Athenian politics and public life.
Catullus
Summary: Selection of Catullus’ poems including love poems, invectives, and lament for his brother.
Analysis: Catullus’ poems often depict women as objects of desire or targets of scorn, reflecting prevalent attitudes towards women as either idealized objects of affection or objects of ridicule and contempt.
Laudatio Turiae
Summary: Funerary inscription commemorating the virtues of Turia, a Roman woman, by her husband.
Analysis: The Laudatio Turiae celebrates the virtues of a Roman woman within the domestic sphere, highlighting the importance of women’s roles as wives, mothers, and homemakers in Roman society.
Pro Caelio by Cicero
Summary: Cicero’s defense speech for Marcus Caelius Rufus, accused of extortion and violence.
Analysis: The absence of female voices in Cicero’s defense speech underscores the exclusion of women from legal and political spheres in ancient Rome, highlighting the limitations placed on women’s participation in public life.
History of Rome by Livy
Summary: Selections from Livy’s historical narrative detailing the legendary founding of Rome and early Republic.
Analysis: Livy’s narrative predominantly focuses on male figures and military exploits, reflecting the patriarchal nature of Roman society and the marginalization of women’s voices in historical narratives.
The Conspiracy of Catiline by Sallust
Summary: Account of the Catilinarian Conspiracy, a failed coup attempt against the Roman Republic.
Analysis: The absence of significant female figures in Sallust’s account underscores the exclusion of women from political power and influence in ancient Rome, reflecting the patriarchal structure of Roman society.
Aeneid by Virgil
Summary: Passages from Virgil’s epic poem recounting Aeneas’ journey, including the sack of Troy and his descent into the Underworld.
Analysis: While the Aeneid features strong female characters such as Dido and the Sibyl, their roles primarily serve to advance the narrative of Aeneas’ heroic journey, reflecting traditional gender roles and expectations in ancient Rome.
