Culture

Identify and discuss a reading from Reading About the World either by or about women in each of the following cultures: Rome, Christianity, India, Confucian-influenced China, other aspects of China. Explain briefly what each selection tells us about the roles or status of women in their culture.

1. Most people did fairly well on this question, though many skipped the "other aspects of China" section, losing a full point. Note that essay questions almost always have five parts, one point to a part. If you don't see five points at first, re-read the question.

Most people used the "Epitaph for a Roman Wife" to convey the idea of a good wife and mother in ancient Rome. The best answers specifically mentioned details, such as that one of her children had died, or that she span wool. More creative answers used Propertius' poem "Like Ariadne Lying on the Shore" to discuss the surprising assertiveness that a woman could have in a romantic relationship.

Most people used "Paul on marriage vs. celibacy," but some read things into it that just aren't there. He isn't urging virginity before marriage here--he takes it for granted. If you haven't been married before, he assumes you're a virgin--male and female.

He also does not assert that the main goal of marriage is to bear children. He says specifically that since "the time is short" "let even those who have wives be as though they had none." Paul is not always so anti-sexual as in this passage, but it is not justified to import what you know from other selections to explain this one. Nothing in the passage urges people to reproduce. Few people seemed to grasp the point about marrying if you can't control your desire for your fiancйe. Paul prefers self-control, but if you're afraid you will get carried away, you'd better get married. In this passage marriage is more an accommodation

for human weakness than an exalted institution for the begetting of children.

One interpretation of this passage is that women are viewed to some extent by Paul as an encumberance and obstacle to spiritual perfection. Note that most of the passage is addressed to men.

There were some nice answers on India from Sakuntala, particularly impressive because I didn't discuss it much in class. Some people talked about women's beauty, others about submissiveness and love.

Other people chose one of the love poems, particularly the Love Songs for Krishna, though some people seemed confused about their religious meaning. Some repeated my point that in a polygamous society a religious belief that encourages women to be tolerant of other women in a relationship makes sense from a male perspective.

Ban Zhao's essay on women was the obvious answer for Confician China, and most people did find on that, though quite a few had trouble spelling her name.

The most popular choice for non-Confucian China was Fu HsÑŒan's poem, and most people did fine jobs with it. A few used the moving eulogy to his dead wife by Mei Yao Ch'en, which showed inventiveness.

Weak answer:

In the Propertius' poem he brings apples home to his wife after a party when he comes home

...