INTRODUCTORY LECTURE
I.OPENING REMARKS
1.WHAT IS HISTORY?
A.RECONSTRUCTION OF PAST
B.THROUGH TIME MEN & WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED EXCLUSION
FROM RECORDED HISTORY BECAUSE OF THEIR CLASS
C.NO MAN HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM HISTORICAL RECORD
a.BECAUSE OF HIS SEX
b.YET WOMEN HAVE
D.UNTIL FAIRLY RECENTLY ALL INTERPRETERS OF HISTORY HAVE
BEEN MALE
2.WHAT FORCES IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY INFLUENCE US ABOUT HOW WE
REGARD WOMEN, YOUNG GALS, WIDOWS?
A.POSSIBLE ANSWERS
a.MOVIES, MTV, MUSIC, FAMOUS PEOPLE
B.HOW WOULD YOU RATE THESE SOURCES AS REPRESENTATIVE OF
WOMEN TODAY?
3.WHEN & WHERE DO YOU THINK WE GOT OUR IDEAS CONCERNING
WOMEN AS WIVES, SINGLE GALS, WIDOWS?
A.IN PAST GREEK PLAYS, LITERATURE HAD INFLUENCE ON SOCIETY
B.LIKE MOVIES, ETC. TODAY
C.ALSO HEBREWS, ROMANS, EARLY CHRISTIANS,
a.ALL HAVE INFLUENCED GREATLY WAY WE THINK
4.SOME OF SOURCES IMPACTING OUR VIEWPOINTS?
A.ILIAD, ODYSSEY, BIBLE
B.HESIOD'S THEOGONY, WORK & DAYS
C.THESE WRITINGS REMAINED REVERED & EVEN SACROSANCT
LONG AFTER GREEKS, ROMANS & HEBREWS HAD CEASED TO
BE NB PART OF HISTORY
II.WHY DO WE NOW HAVE WOMEN'S HISTORY WHEN IN PAST WE DID NOT?
1.HISTORIOGRAPHY OF WOMEN'S HISTORY
A.DISCIPLINE NEW FROM EARLY 1970'S
B.WITH REBIRTH OF FEMINISM IN 60'S & 70'S
C.WOMEN BEGAN TO SEEK THEIR OWN PAST
D.WOMEN'S HISTORY HAS ONLY RECENTLY ACQUIRED
RECOGNITION AS VALUABLE FIELD OF STUDY
E.JUST AS CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN 1950'S & 60'S
a.LED TO INTEREST IN BLACK HISTORY
F.INITIALLY ONLY 2 AREAS OF WOMEN'S HISTORY STUDIED UNTIL
RECENTLY
a.WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT
(1)W/SEMINAL WORK OF ELEANOR FLEXNER
(a)CENTURY OF STRUGGLE 1959
b.19TH C. VICTORIAN TIMES
(1)WOMEN'S SPHERE & MEN'S SPHERE
(2)WOMEN'S CULT OF DOMESTICITY
(3)BUT WRITTEN MAINLY BY MEN
G.REASON WHY WOMEN EXCLUDED FROM HISTORY CAN BE
EXPLAINED VERY BRIEFLY
H.BASIC QUESTION HISTORIANS ASK IS:
2
a.HOW DID PEOPLE LIVE IN PAST
b.& WHY DID THEIR LIVES CHANGE?
c.WHAT CAUSES & CONSEQUENCES OF CHANGE?
I.SO HISTORIANS STUDIED PEOPLE WHO THEY THOUGHT CAUSED
CHANGE
a.POWERFUL RULERS
b.SUCCESSFUL GENERALS & WARS
c.RELIGIOUS IDEAS
d.INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH
J.MEN WHO HELD POSITIONS IN THESE AREAS
K.WHEN WOMEN FELL INTO THESE CATEGORIES
a.CLEOPATRA
b.QUEEN ELIZABETH I
c.CATHERINE THE GREAT
d.JOAN OF ARC
L.THEN STUDIED TOO
M.TRADITIONAL HISTORIANS OF PAST THOUGHT & FELT WHEN
WOMEN ACTED LIKE WOMEN,
a.BEING WIVES, MOTHERS, WORKERS & HOMEMAKERS
b.THEY DID NOT CAUSE CHANGE
N.IN FACT, HISTORIANS WENT FURTHER STEP
a.& SAID WOMEN DID NOT EVEN REACT TO CHANGE
O.THEY THOUGHT MEDIEVAL MOTHER, VICTORIAN MOTHER
PRETTY MUCH SAME
P.DURING 60'S & 70'S MANY WOMEN IN AMERICA WANTED TO HAVE
CAREERS AS MEN DID
Q.WHEN THEY TRIED TO MOVE INTO CAREERS MEN HAD
R.WOMEN USUALLY TOLD TO GO BACK HOME & BE WIVES,
MOTHERS, HOMEMAKERS
S.BECAUSE ALL WOMEN HAD EVER DONE
T.SOME WOMEN QUESTIONED THIS
U.& LOOKED AT HISTORY TO CHECK IT OUT
V.DISCOVERED WOMEN IN DIFFERENT ERAS HAD PLAYED
DIFFERENT ROLES IN HISTORY
a.& HAD CAUSED CHANGE
W.BUT HISTORIANS HAD TO LOOK AT HISTORY DIFFERENTLY
X.SO WHAT MIGHT CHANGES FOR WOMEN INVOLVE?
a.POSSIBLE ANSWERS
(1)CHANGING FAMILY VALUES
(2)SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
(3)ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
Y.WOMEN 'S ACTIVITIES ARE INTERCONNECTED a.CHANGES IN FAMILY, WORK OR COMMUNITY LIFE
b.INVARIABLY LINKED TO CHANGES IN OTHER AREAS
Z.CHANGE IN FEMALE EXPERIENCE IS OFTEN EXTREMELY SLOW
a.WOMEN'S RIGHTS MOVEMENT TOOK MORE THAN 70 YRS TO
ACHIEVE VOTE FOR WOMEN
AA.SINCE IT TAKES SO LONG FOR MANY THINGS IN WOMEN'S LIFE
BB.THEN MULTI CAUSATION HAS TO BE EXPLORED
2.DOUBTERS OF WOMEN'S HISTORY
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A.MANY PEOPLE HONESTLY DOUBT SUBJECT -WOMEN'S HX
a.OXYMORON
B.SOME SERIOUS SCHOLARS ASK HOW HISTORY OF WOMEN DIFFERS
FROM HISTORY IN GENERAL
C.& SINCE SO LITTLE HISTORY OF WOMEN WRITTEN IN PAST
D.MEANS DO NOT DESERVE BIGGER PLACE IN TEXT BOOKS
3.QUESTIONS TO BE EXPLORED THIS QUARTER
A.WHY HAVE PATRIARCHY SYSTEM INSTEAD OF MATRIARCHY?
B.WAS EVER TIME WOMEN MORE PROMINENT?
C.WAS GOD ORIGINALLY A WOMAN?
D.IF WOMEN & MEN MORE EQUAL - WHAT CAUSED SHIFT?
4.OTHER AREAS WE WILL BE STUDYING THIS QUARTER
A.WOMEN'S LEGAL RIGHTS REGARDING
a.MARRIAGE
b.DIVORCE
c.PROPERTY
d.BUSINESS
e.RELIGION
III.LEITMOTIFS IN WOMAN'S HISTORY
1.WOMEN AS CATEGORY CF W/CLASS STANDING
A.MUST KEEP IN MIND DISTINCT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UPPER
CLASS WOMEN
a.& WOMEN OF LOWER CLASS
B.UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF OUR EXTANT SOURCES TO
RECONSTRUCT HISTORY ABOUT UPPER CLASS
2.WOMAN'S ROLE IN LIFE DEFINED BY HER LIFECYCLE
A.WOMAN'S POSITION AS YOUNG GIRL, WIFE, MOTHER, WIDOW
B.DETERMINED HER ROLE & STANDING IN SOCIETY
3.MARRIAGE - SOCIETY'S MAIN EXPECTATION OF WOMEN
A.EXPECTED GOAL OF ALL WOMEN NOT SLAVES - MARRIAGE
B.IN BOTH ANCIENT GREEK & HEBREW WORD FOR "WOMAN" ALSO
WORD FOR "WIFE"
4.DIVORCE
A.DOUBLE STANDARD GENERALLY THROUGHOUT HISTORY
B.BARRENNESS & ADULTERY - MAJOR REASONS FOR DIVORCE
5.ADULTERY
A.GENERALLY DOUBLE STANDARD THROUGHOUT HISTORY
IV.TERMS FOR WOMEN IN HISTORY
1.MATRIARCH
2.MATRILINEAL
3.MATRILOCAL
4.MISOGYNY
5.POLYANDRY
6.POLYGAMY
7.POLYGYNY
8.LEVIRATE MARRIAGE
9.CONCUBINE
V.OTHER HISTORICAL TERMS
1.DE FACTO VERSUS DE JURE
2.CULT VERSUS RELIGION
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3.DIFFERENTIAL IN PAY FOR WOMEN
A.TRADITION INHERITED & PASSED DOWN THROUGH HISTORY
B.WOMEN WOULD BE PAID LESS THAN MEN WHEN THEY WORKED
FOR WAGES
a.EVEN WHEN PERFORMED SAME LABOR
C.AS EARLY AS 8TH C. B.C. GREEK POET HESIOD ADVISED FARMER
ON HOW TO SAVE MONEY
a.IN WINTER HE SHOULD LET GO THE HIRED MAN; HIRE A
CHILDLESS GIRL
VI.NEGATIVES VIEWS OF WOMEN HISTORICALLY = MISOGYNY
1.AGAINST WOMEN IN GENERAL
A.ONE OF MOST ENDEMIC & CONSEQUENTIAL HISTORICALLY
a.MISOGYNY
B.WHERE DID THIS DENIGRATION & IDEA MEN SUPERIOR TO WOMEN
COME FROM?
a.HOMERIC EPICS
b.GREEK MYTHS & LITERATURE & DRAMA
c.ROMAN LAWS
d.HEBREW BIBLE
C.AT END OF 8TH C. B.C. GREEK POET HESIOD WROTE ACCOUNT OF
CREATION PASSED TO LATER AGES
D.MAN CREATED FIRST & LIVED HAPPILY UNTIL
E.IN PUNISHMENT FOR PROMETHEUS' STEALING FIRE & GIVING TO
MORTALS,
F.ZEUS CREATED FIRST WOMAN, PANDORA
G.THEN IN 2ND POEM WORKS & DAYS BY HESIOD PANDORA OPENS
HER BOX & UNLEASHES PAINS & EVILS AMONG MEN
H.LATER HEBREW WRITINGS, POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF GREEK
INFLUENCE, TENDED TO MAKE EVE INTO SUCH A FIGURE AS
WELL
I.THIS MISOGYNY CONTINUED WITH PLATO & ARISTOTLE
a.2 MOST INFLUENTIAL PHILOSOPHERS IN HISTORY
b.& ONES THAT MEDIEVAL & LATER SOCIETIES IMBIBED
HEAVILY
J.ARISTOTLE REMAINED SCIENTIFIC AUTHORITY FOR EUROPE INTO
16TH C
K.BY 1ST CENTURY A.D. JEWISH MEN IN THEIR MORNING PRAYERS
THANKED GOD WHO HAS NOT MADE ME A WOMAN
L.EQUIVALENT FEMALE PRAYER WAS TO THANK GOD FOR HAVING
MADE ME ACCORDING TO THY WILL
M.CHRISTIANITY LARGELY BECAUSE OF ITS INITIAL EMPHASIS ON
EQUALITY OF ALL BELIEVERS
N.IN EARLY CENTURIES GAVE MORE LATITUDE TO WOMEN'S
POSITIVE ROLE IN SOCIETY
O.BUT AS CHURCH BECAME MORE POWERFUL &
INSTITUTIONALIZED OLD PATTERNS OF MALE DOMINANCE
TOOK OVER
P.CHURCH FATHERS - ST. JEROME & ST. AUGUSTINE EXTREMELY
INFLUENTIAL IN CHURCH'S VIEWS ON WOMEN
Q.THAT CONTINUED THROUGHOUT MIDDLE AGES
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R.AS BOTH EDUCATED IN CLASSICAL THOUGHT THEY INHERITED
NEGATIVE VIEWS OF WOMEN
S.CALVIN & OTHERS SAID
a.WOMEN REMAIN THE WEAKER SEX, FRAIL, VAIN &
LIGHTHEADED, MORE PRONE THAN MEN TO SUCCUMB
TO SEXUAL TEMPTATION. HENCE WOMEN MUST BE
GUIDED & CONTROLLED BY THEIR FATHERS &
HUSBANDS LEST THEY STRAY INTO FOOLISHNESS & SIN
T.HE SAW SUBJECTION OF WIFE TO HER HUSBAND GUARANTEE OF
THEIR SUBJECTION TO AUTHORITY OF GOD
U.WOMEN WERE
a.TO BE OBEDIENT TO THEIR HUSBANDS
TO KEEP SILENT IN PUBLIC
b.& TO BUSY THEMSELVES W/THEIR HOUSEHOLDS
V.AS CALVIN SAID LET WOMAN BE SATISFIED W/HER STATE OF
SUBJECTION & NOT TAKE IT ILL THAT SHE IS MADE INFERIOR
TO THE MORE DISTINGUISHED SEX
2.AGAINST WIVES
A.LITERATURE FROM DAYS OF GREEKS WIVES
a.IDLE
b.VENGEFUL
c.SHREWISH
d.UNSCRUPULOUS
e.SPENT TOO MUCH
f.NOT TO BE TRUSTED
B.AS HESIOD SAID
a.MAN COULDN'T LIVE WITH 'EM AND COULDN'T LIVE
WITHOUT 'EM
C.BY 4TH C. B.C. MAKING FUN OF WIVES STANDARD THEME IN
COMEDIES PERFORMED IN GREECE & LATER ROME
D.THIS THEME WILL CONTINUE UP TO PRESENT DAY