Barely There: Women In Ancient Literature

Barely There: Women In Ancient Literature

Are the ancient biblical stories and the myths of the Greeks irredeemably male oriented?
All ancient societies treated women as the inferior gender. It has been historically shown that in the ancient world, men were the leaders, heroes, and kings, and women served primarily as companions, helpers, and child-bearers. In the Old Testament and throughout ancient Greek literature, there is a constant theme of male superiority that cannot be ignored. Men did not believe that women were capable of existing as anything other than the typical “housewife;” it was unthinkable that a woman would actually need an education, let alone earn a living. Rarely was a woman seen doing anything but being dominated by males in some form, whether she was a man’s sexual object, a submissively devoted wife, or a woman being punished for doing what she believed was right. Women had no identities of their own; in every action, they were presided over by a stronger male counterpart. Because female characters lacked power and existed primarily to provide men with companionship and support, ancient Greek and biblical stories can be described as irredeemably male oriented.
A woman’s primary role in ancient times was to serve as a companion to a male figure. The most common form of this companionship was as a wife. God created “the woman” because “It is not good for the human to be alone, I shall make him a sustainer beside him” (Genesis 2:18, p9). “The human” was living in a perfect environment, yet something was still missing. God decided that it would be human nature to desire and need a partner. Thus began the practice of wife-seeking. Men were able to choose whomever they desired to be their wife, an idea that is demonstrated in the book of Genesis “…the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were comely, and they took themselves wives howsoever they chose” (Genesis 6:2, p. 26). Women did not get to choose who they married. The entire concept of love, especially from a woman’s point of view, was not considered as a factor in marriage. The women were expected to comply and marry the man who chose them without complaint.
In the book of Genesis, Abram sends a servant to fetch a wife for his son, Isaac, in order to console him following his mother’s death. “To my land and to my birthplace you shall go, and you shall take a wife for my son, for Isaac” (Genesis 24:4, p113). The servant then follows his instructions and travels to Abram’s homeland, finding Rebekah and bringing her home to Isaac. “And he loved her, and Isaac was consoled after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67, p123). A wife-seeking mission such as this was considered normal, and was often done, in the name of God- “Take [Rebekah] and go and let her be the wife of your master's son as the LORD has spoken (Genesis 24:51-52, p120).
An ancient woman’s principal function in life was to supplement the life of her husband, ensuring that his every need was met. Because men were usually out of the home completing their own duties (in the case of the Greeks, fighting; in the Bible, working), women were expected to maintain the well being of the family, as both wives and as mothers. As a wife, a woman was expected to serve her husband however he desired, which meant remaining constantly sexually available. As a mother, she had to provide a loving and nurturing environment for her children. Wives had the responsibility of doing various tasks around the home like making bread, making clothing, and cleaning. Any time her husband wanted something, a woman was expected to do it promptly, without question. “…Abraham hurried to the tent to Sarah and he said ‘Hurry! Knead three seahs of choice flour and make loaves” (Genesis 18:4, p78).
As a big part of meeting her husbands needs, women were expected to bear children. Having children was crucial during ancient times; it was considered to be very important that a woman be able to give children to her husband so that he could carry on his family legacy. If a woman was unable to make babies, her husband would turn elsewhere in order to have children. In the book of Genesis, Lot’s daughters recognized their father’s need to continue his lineage. “Our father is old, and there is no man on earth to come to bed with us like the way of all the earth. Come, let us give our father wine to drink and let us lie with him, so that we may keep alive the seed from our father” (Genesis 19:31-33, p90). Although incestual and undoubtedly unpleasurable, the daughters recognized that it was their duty to carry on the “seed of their father.” In another biblical example, Abram’s wife Sarai is barren and unable to bear him children. This is seen as a near-tragedy to the family, so Sarai tells her husband “look, pray, the LORD has kept me from bearing children. Pray, come to bed with my slave girl. Perhaps I shall be built up through her” (Genesis 16:2, p67). At the time, it was socially acceptable for a man to sleep with any woman in order to have children of his own, particularly sons. If a woman were to cheat on her husband in the same manner, she would be condemned; however, a man was allowed to produce children by any means, without a second thought.
It could be argued that men faced just as much pressure as women to produce offspring. In Genesis chapter 38, Judah says to Onan, “Come to bed with your brother’s wife and do your duty as brother-in-law for her to raise up seed for your brother” (Genesis 38:8, p218). However, God sees this as an evil action, and puts Onan to death soon after. At the time, it was generally thought that babies came from a man, with a woman serving as merely a vessel for his seed. With the details of conception unknown, no one believed that a child was just as much a part of its mother than it’s father; a baby was considered to be solely its father’s child. Therefore, a man could not sleep with his brother’s (or any other man’s) wife in order to produce children for him, because he would be giving his own seed rather than that of his brother.
Women in the Ancient world were considered property of men. A woman belonged to her father until she married, and she was then considered to be property of her husband. These women had no identity of their own; in both Greek and biblical literature, women are identified not by their own names, but by their relation to their husband or father (i.e. Andromache, wife of Hector; Esther, daughter of Abihail). This demonstrates the common thought that women were nothing without a man.
Often, women were traded as currency, or used by their fathers or husbands as incentive when making a deal. A good example of this concept can be found in Genesis Chapter 8, in the case of Lot. When the angry men of Sodom surround his house, Lot offers to give them his two daughters in order to protect his houseguests. “Please, my brothers, do no harm. Look, I have two daughters who have known no man. Let me bring them out to you and do to them whatever you want. Only to these men do nothing…” (Genesis19:8, p86). Lot puts no thought into how his daughters might feel about being forced to have sex with these men. It seems outrageous that a man would offer the virginity of his two daughters just to please a houseguest, but in ancient times such an offer was common. Lot’s daughters were his property, and he was free to do with them as he wished.
Hecuba, Cassandra, and Andromache in The Women of Troy mourn their future as slaves after the Trojan War ends. Because their husbands have been killed, they have lost their identities; they have become nothing more than war-booty for the Greek men to take as their own. Whatever stature they used to have is now meaningless, because the men who supported them are gone. Although Hecuba was once a queen, she realizes that she has become nothing more than a prize. “I’m to go to Greece/ an old woman, a slave/ I’m to do what I’m told/ whatever they decide/ …Who once wore silk, who shared the royal bed” (p34)? Of course, the most famous example of a Greek woman being treated as property is Helen. Although Helen was already married, she was given to Paris as a gift, as a form of bribery. Paris “stole” her from Menelaus because she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and in turn the entire Trojan War began.
The Trojan War was devastating to the wives of soldiers, because it left many women alone, without a man to serve and depend upon. Early in the war, Andromache’s plea to convince Hector to fight from the walls of Troy illustrates her total loyalty and submission to her husband. In a passage in Book 6 of The Iliad, we learn of her love and obedience to Hector. “…and it would be better for me/ to sink into the earth. When I lose you, Hector/ There will be nothing left, no one to turn to/ Only pain. My father and mother are dead” (p124). Andromache is saying “I am nothing without my husband,” which was the common basis for which Greek women to think of themselves.
Andromache is the epitome of what the perfect woman of ancient times was expected to be. She had no profession (as was the norm at the time), and devoted herself to staying at home and keeping up the household. She knew her role as a woman and played it well, as she explains in Women of Troy: “I was Hector’s wife. I kept my place, did my duty, stayed indoors as women should. No loose talk, no market chatter. All I knew I learned from my own quiet thoughts, at home. When Hector spoke, I listened. Downcast eyes…” (p41). Indeed, women in ancient times were expected to serve their husbands quietly, keeping their thoughts and opinions to themselves.
In the book of Esther, Queen Vashti was dethroned and banished for failing to obey and serve her husband King Ahasuerus. The King and his officials felt that she was being not only disrespectful to the King, but also setting a bad example for other women who might choose to disobey their husbands. “Then will the judgment executed by Your Majesty resound throughout your realm, vast though it is; and all wives will treat their husbands with respect, high and low alike” (Esther 1:20).
It is true that a handful of women were able to hold positions of power in ancient times. Hecuba, Esther, and Athena all held positions of influence in their respective surroundings. However, behind (or in front of) every powerful woman lies a more powerful man that she must answer to. Even a queen was expected to be dutiful and submissive. For example, Hecuba was Queen of Troy, but she never made any important decisions. Rather, she served as a figurehead to complete the other (lesser) half of King Priam’s royal image. Hecuba was a glorified housewife; she may have been able to participate in more public functions than the average Greek wife, but her husband Priam had complete control over the city of Troy. Esther married into a position of power, but still had to answer to her husband King Ahasuerus in everything that she did. She was not allowed to even enter the presence of her husband without first being summoned, and she was expected to address him as “Your Majesty.” Every time she spoke to him, she had to preface every statement with, “If it please you, Your Majesty,” in acknowledgement of her inherent duty as a husband-pleaser.
Goddesses were able to make decisions and speak more freely than mortal women. During the Trojan War, Athena directs the actions of men such as Achilles, by making herself invisible to all others, then plucking his hair and threatening him. Athena also influences the actions of Achilles by handing him a spear during the final battle against Hector. Athena’s power and influence as a goddess cannot be denied; however, her father Zeus is even more powerful and influential. When Athena does something that Zeus doesn’t like, he has the power to make her stop. Zeus is not just Athena’s father, but because he is male, the God of all Gods, and what he says presides above all else. In the end, no matter how much power a woman in ancient literature possesses, there is always a man who is more powerful than she.
Females in ancient Greek and biblical existed primarily as subordinate figures to male counterparts. A woman in ancient civilization was only able to obtain power when she became the wife of an influential citizen, or could obtain some influence by their relation to a man. As a wife, it was understood that a woman “belonged” to a man, and could be sacrificed, traded, or used just as any other piece of property. In their very restricted lives, women were expected to serve and assist the males around them in every way possible. In order to maintain her husband’s happiness, a woman of ancient Greece or biblical times was expected to bear many children and maintain the well-being of the home and family through a number of chores and duties. In essence, the ancient woman had no identity of her own, and served only as a supplement to her male counterpart.
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