Women's roles in society have changed over the years. Across western history, women in the past have been confined to the domestic realm. The depiction of women across the medieval period and the renaissance has been influenced by religion, politics, and their societies' economies. Traditionally women were attributed to fit in two stereotypes, which include highly sexualized individuals or the most chaste and virtuous mothers, wives, and daughters. Following such stereotypes, women were restricted to have legal, economic, and political rights. However, after the medieval period, women in the renaissance began to acquire essential roles in society. Women's roles have changed since the renaissance period and positively impacted society in other diverse methods besides the domestic sphere. Therefore, women experienced an improvement in their social position, but they still struggled to achieve absolute equality in the positions men held in society.
Religion played an integral role in how women were portrayed. Eve in the Bible was used to symbolize women's role in helping their husbands after Adam's fall. Women living in rural areas performed their primary roles, which entailed numerous domestic responsibilities. This includes food preparation, livestock tending, bearing, and raising children. They also took part in cottage industries such as manufacturing textiles, baking, and brewing (Women in medieval society, 1976, p 27). . The responsibilities of women who lived were also similar to those in rural areas. They helped these husbands and fathers in trade activities and running inns and shops. The reason why women often worked under the men is because they were viewed as morally weak and likely to lead men into sin like Eve in the Bible did. As a result, throughout the medieval period, women were viewed as inferior to men. Their needs were handled as those of second class citizens.
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Even though women were often associated with the domestic sphere, some broke this cycle and broke the social norms. These are women who showed the qualities of power, cunning intelligence, and intimidation. For example, there existed women who practiced witchcraft. They could either hold influential positions in society or live at risk of being eliminated from society. The witches who took part in healing people using herbs were some of the most influential people during the medieval period. There were also few chances when women were given the opportunity to have political power as queens and regents. Mostly they held these positions on behalf of absent husbands or instead of under-aged sons. An example is Queen Isabella in 1295-1358, who aided at the end of her husband's reign.
During the medieval and renaissance period, women had critical roles to play in society but they did not attain equal status to men. Even in the renaissance period, they lived under the command of either their husbands or fathers (Johnson, 2005, p. 10). However, with the onset of flourishing industries, economic expansion, and rivalries, women acquired new responsibilities to venture into. The black plague was of significance to change. Those who survived ventured into different opportunities, and there was a demand for skilled and unskilled personnel. Even though changes happened during the renaissance period, and women had opportunities in society, they were still underpaid and under-skilled compared to the men. During marriage negotiations, women had no role in choosing their husbands. The woman's male kin conducted all the consultations, and most women were married to strangers. Jewish women had more legal independence in relation to Christian women. In Jewish communities under the Roman law in Italy, women were privileged to participate in legal actions and sign contracts.
Wealth and social class were essential aspects of the lives of women. Those born in wealthy families had a higher social status in society. They received a better quality of life even though most of them did not acquire absolute freedom in their lives. For example, merchant women learned how to read and write so they could manage their husbands' businesses. The poorest women lived their daily lives for survival. Literacy for women was rarely considered, and few women in urban centers acquire basic literacy skills (Johnson, 2005, p. 10). However, in the sixteenth century, there was an increase in the number of women writers. Writers like Giovanni Boccaccio, Juan Luis, and Leonardo Bruni advocated for education for women. As the renaissance period continued, some men who were enlightened also viewed women writers as inferior. Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote several novels during the renaissance period, is mostly known for her a particular book named; A Vindication of the Rights of the woman. The book dates back to 1972 as a post-colonial literature, where she emphasized that women had a right to acquire formal education. In her argument, women played an integral role in educating children and thus participated significantly in strengthening the nation. The main argument employed in her text stated that women are human beings with the capacity to think rationally and thus could be intellectual and ornamental figures in society. However, Wollstonecraft never argued for equal rights between men and women. She embraced the idea that women were naturally designed to play their motherly and wife roles. Cassandra Fedele is also a scholar who lived from 1465 to 1558; in her text, she accepted women's inferior role in society. She perceived that the subordinate class occupied by women occurred naturally. Laura Cereta, on the other end, criticized the inferiority of women. She lived from 1469 to 1499 in Italy. In her writing, she associated marriage with the slavery of women and their chores as drudgery. She created a basis of feminism that would later be utilized by more women in the renaissance period. Literature contributed to the improvement of women's social position during the renaissance period.
However during and after colonization literature continued to play an important role in exploring the plight of women at this time. The colonial powers brought a change in women roles for example according to Michael Gardiner, women’s minds and bodies are resistant although vulnerable to male manipulation (Gardiner, 2011, p. 31). Moreover, it is during the colonial period that women were mainly viewed as sexual objects. The Text “Sunset at Dawn” explores the integral role of women during colonization and how they still remained peripheral in effort to end the war.
Even though the renaissance period brought a lot of change in the society, women did not acquire absolute freedom of choice and equality to men. Few women achieved a significant position in society, but most of them did not experience a major impact of the renaissance. However, literature and an evolving society created a basis for change and a way for women to advocate for their rights (Johnson, 2005, p. 10). This period led to a change in art, culture, and knowledge. It also led to the reinvention of literature and philosophy, disciplines that are relevant to the redefining of women's roles during and after the renaissance.
The roles of men during the renaissance period were emphasized. For example, in Italy, men were viewed as Universal. Therefore, such a man can do all things since he ought to be charming, able to sing, dance, and write. The men were also educated and considered as a perfect individual in society. They continued to hold political positions, run businesses, and play major roles in society. Men's depictions do not change; instead, they are accorded more roles that ranked them even more, higher than before.
In conclusion, the renaissance period played an integral role in the shift to modernity. It is thus very important in history as it explores the emergence of modern society. During the renaissance, major changes happened in the music, culture, economies, and political sectors. During this time, standards and a stage were set through literature to embrace change towards the depiction of women in society. These standards were greatly utilized during colonial and post-colonial literature. Women writers’ especially emphasized feminist agendas to promote gender equity in society.
References
Gardiner, M. (2011). Scottish literature and postcolonial literature . Edinburgh University Press.
Johnson, G. A. (2005). 6. Did women have a Renaissance? Renaissance Art , 76-90. https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780192803542.003.0006
Lopang, W. (2017). "Shelling" women for pleasure in "Sunset at dawn". An analysis of the abused woman in African literature . GRIN Verlag.
Women in medieval society. (1976). https://doi.org/10.9783/9780812207675
