18th century Courtesans
During the 16th century, prostitution was a common profession amongst women China and Italy, particularly Venice. According to Margaret Rosenthal, an active researcher on courtesans, this phenomenon occurred because of the constraints that were put upon women. In both societies, female citizens had little rights compared to their male counterparts. Whether these women belonged to the upper class or lower class, they were highly expected to work within the confines of a family setting as a homemaker. A woman's role was limited to the domestic domain according to societal standards in these two places. Thus, those domestically disinclined began to look for alternative lifestyles. As a result, the profession of a courtesan became popular with women. A courtesan was a type of upper-class prostitute, renowned for her extreme beauty and lavish attire. Unlike today's prostitutes who simply exchange sex for money, they were more like professional lovers. Most courtesans were gifted in! literature and arts, and in Venice, all courtesans were subject to special schooling. In both cultures at the time, courtesans were viewed as a female symbol of elegance, beauty, and unruliness. Prostitution was strictly prohibited in both societies. Howe
A courtesan would have to be very skilled in dancing and singing as their main function was to entertain their customers. In exchange for virginity and honor, " they basically ran the town"(Otis 10). The social system of Venice allowed for only two classifications of women: the angel or the whore. Franco's literary work dealt with power conflicts between men and women which received a lot of attention. First, her hand in marriage not for the sake of love, but rather as a means to strengthen ties between two families in order to improve commerce. In the Venetian society, there was three basic functions to provide in society as a "good" wife(Voss). Although prostitution was illegal in both China and Venice, it was often overlooked by the governments because huge profits benefited the governments and their respective economies. New York Publishers, New York: 1973. The availability of courtesans was abundant in China. Since families were not able to support their dowries, lower class women were sent off to work various Park 4low paid jobs. In Venice, "courtesans became renowned and actually attracted commerce to the city-state"(Otis 20). The Attitudes of Taiwan Businessmen Toward Entertaining Girls. These entertaining girls would dress up lavishly and wait on flashy boats to catch the attention of customers.
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