"In the beginning....God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them." The foundation of our belief, the bible, states the birth of man and woman as equals with no question. It is often said that woman is nothing without man, yet to suppose man could survive without woman, is impossible. They are equals one without the other cannot prosper and throughout time the woman has been seen as a lower species. As time progresses so does the evolution of humankind. Throughout history woman have played important roles in the home and within their marriages. They are often the backbone of the house and family and are supporters of their husbands ventures. Despite all this women were inferior towards the beginning of Englands history and gained more strength in the medieval times. The powerless role of women in the Anglo-Saxon period guided by the pagan ideals transitioned to a powerful role in the medieval times through the code of chivalry.
             The great contrast from the Anglo-Saxon to the medieval period can easily be traced in the literary work of the times. During the Anglo-Saxon time period women were viewed as a degraded species. This is mainly due to their pagan ideals and ways of thinking. Men grew obsessive with fighting and placed that before all else in their lives, the woman came second to the sword. Often stories of the womanly woe were passed down in the literature of the time. An excellent example of the high disregard for women can be seen in "The Wife's Lament" As her husband returns the servants falsely accuse her of an affair. Without hesitation he throws his wife into the depths of the forest. It was believed, at that time, that the forest was full of dark, evil unpure spirits, "full oft the lack of my lord seizes me cruelly here". Without a chance to defend herself, she was banished forever. She was treated as a best would without any say. In...