Women's Role in Greece
Women's role in Greece can be seen when one first begins to do research on the subject. The subject of women in Greece is coupled with the subject of slaves. This is the earliest classification of women in Greek society. Although women were treated differently from city to city the basic premise of that treatment never changed. Women were only useful for establishing a bloodline that could carry on the family name and give the proper last rites to the husband. However, women did form life long bonds with their husbands and found love in arranged marriages. Women are "defined as near slaves, or as perpetual minors" in Athenian society (The Greek World, pg. 200). For women life didn't extend far from the home, which was thought to be their sole realm of existence. Though they ranked higher than slaves did, they were treated in many of the same ways. Just like slaves, their mothers trained women as adolescents what their domestic duties were. They were secluded from all males, including those in their family. They lived in gynaikeion, which were women's apartments in Athens (Daily Life in Greece, pg. 55). They were kept at home where they were taught the proper manners and duties of a des
These common goals brought together the husband and wife like never before. It was this bond that sparked the beginning of a lifelong commitment to one another and the growth of their love for one another. Not only did women possess no independent status in the eyes of the law; she always remained under the supervision of a male. The wife was also responsible for maintaining her attractiveness for her husband. Moreover, Athenian men married to have male children in order to perpetuate the family line and guarantee him honors when he died. This sentiment describes the extent of the importance of women in society. Pericles once said, "it was their business to be spoken of as little as possible whether for good or ill" (Everyday Life in Ancient Greece, pg. I would like to leave you with closing remarks that illustrate the bond between a wife and her husband. Most importantly the Athenian women were seen as "fine upstanding matrons" fit to bear a race of excellent athletes" (Everyday Life in Ancient Greece, pg. Sometimes she might spend an entire evening sitting next to the couch where her husband lay reclining.
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SOCIETY Women,
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pg 82,
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