Equality between men and women has
been a major issue that individuals in society have been dealing with since
previous generations. Although this concept has progressed over time, it has
not been fully accomplished because double standards still exist today. During
the middle ages, not many conditions of equality and freedom were reformed and
women still suffered in being inferior to men. From the beginning, the unfair
treatment between males and females has ranged from minor to major issues,
including freedom of creativity in art. Not only were women restricted from
partaking in society, their roles were perceived and expected to be ‘sitting at
home and looking after their children, taking care of their husbands and depending
on male figures to provide for their living.’ However, women lucky enough to be
born into upper class families had privileges inherited through their husbands
or fathers. “The confusion of sovereignty with personal property (the fief)
contributed to the emergence of a number of powerful upper- class women at a
time when most other women were restricted to the home and economically
dependent on fathers, husbands, brothers or sovereigns” (Chadwick 44). Coming
from a noble household made it easier for women to be noticed and artists were recognized
because of their background However, over time people realized that a women’s
work was nothing compared to that of a mans and men will always be more
dominant over women, regardless of the situation. “’A women must be a learner,
listening quietly and with due submission. I do not permit a woman to be a
teacher, nor must a woman domineer over a man; she should be quiet’” (Chadwick
45). Any role women obtained during the Middle Ages was strictly inferior to a
mans place in society, enabling them to rule over them and restricting their
freedom for opportunity.
Many double
standards existed between male and female roles, whereas women were demanded to
stay quiet, while men were to do as they please even if that meant
disrespecting their wives. In Guerrilla Girls, it clearly states “A women had to
obey her husband, and he could beat her if she didn’t” (Guerrilla Girls 22). Women
struggled in many different ways, unable to have their own say in matters or
speak for themselves about their opinions. For this reason, many women fled to
join the convent, which engaged them with other women who were escaping the
ordinary lifestyle of fulfilling maternal and wife- like duties. “Families sent
girls as young as five or six years old to nunneries. For some it was to live a
religious life, for others it was because their parents had blown the family
fortunes on their sisters’ dowries. Adult women with pasts to be forgotten
joined religious orders too, as did reformed prostitutes. There they lived a
life by, for, and about God… and women” (Guerrilla Girls 21). In the Middle
Ages, women felt it was easier to live by the words of God and in a place where
other women around them were able to relate to their hardships, hoping one day
to make a difference and follow beliefs in which they agreed to.
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| Presentiments by Emily Mary Osborn, 1828- 1925. This picture depicts the roles of women during the middle ages- the wife is looking after her children while the husband (fisherman) must go out in the storm to feed his family. |
Throughout
the Renaissance and the 19th Century, roles for women began to
change immensely. The Renaissance was still a period that was mainly closed off
to women, however it was slowly evolving over time. “One of the few ways a women
could work as an artist was to be born into a family of artists that needed
assistance in the family workshop” (Guerrilla Girls 29). Male figures in women
artists lives who saw potential had connections with other great male artists
who were able to view their work and give criticism; this made them more
privileged than other lower class women and their paintings were at least
acknowledged. One of these painters, Sofonisba Anguissola had her work
submitted to Michelangelo by her father. Sofonisba was a major influence to
other women during the Renaissance era giving them hope that they too may one
day be recognized for their work, however, it was mostly likely if women were
of noble birth. “Their careers were made possible by birth into artist families
and the training that accompanied it, or into the upper class where the spread
of Renaissance ideas about the desirability of education opened new
opportunities for women” (Chadwick 76).
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| Self portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, 1554 (as inscribed on the book she is holding) |
During the
19th century, opportunities for women such as working class, nuns,
illiterate, etc, had began to arise and they were being offered to work for
middle class families. While sitting home with the family earlier in the Middle
Ages, women had acquired many skills over time that were beneficial to advancements
in society and many women were starting to be recognized for their work. This
was the period during the Industrial Revolution which created major
advancements in society, not only in technology and transportation but also for
women. “The 19th century saw the war to abolish slavery in the U.S.
and the beginning of women’s long struggle for equality” (Guerrilla Girls 47).
The 19th century opened up new opportunities for women and was a
start to creating equality for males and females. Many influential women played
a role in encouraging other women to open up to society. For example, Mary
Cassatt worked with French impressionists and shared her collections of
paintings- this is useful because her collections are gathered in museums today
for everyone to view. Being from a wealthy family, she had more privileges than
others and was a little more ahead in her art career. As much as her art was
admired, it was frowned upon because people thought her drawings were
inaccurate considering she was portraying families (something she did not have
herself) and also because she was a women artist. However, her paintings of
women at work influenced other women to depict these images for society to view
their perspectives. “Women artists existed in a contradictory relationship to
the prevailing middle- class ideals of femininity. They were caught between a
social ideology that prohibited the individual competition and public
visibility necessary for success in the arts, and the educational and social
reform movements that made the nineteenth century the greatest period of female
social progress in history” (Chadwick 177). This era caused major improvements in women's lives for the future and sets the stage of how women have progressed today.
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| Mary Cassatt, Mother and Child (The Oval Mirror)- An image which people felt were inappropriate because she was unable to relate to the idea of children since she didn't have a family of her own
For more information, please visit the following websites:
http://www.camelotintl.com/village/women.html
http://chnm.gmu.edu/exploring/19thcentury/womenandequality/ |
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