Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to make a comparison between the image of the Arab and Muslim women within the Orientalist discourse and their lives before colonization by Europeans. Women within the Islamic and Arabic society have a very unique lifestyle. This lifestyle has gone through some significant evolution over time. The research question that guides this study is: What are the similarities and differences between the image of the image of the Arab and Muslim women within the Orientalist discourse and their lives before the European colonialism? As it will be seen, there are various issues about the Arab and Muslim women that can be compared. This comparison may include their dress-code, responsibilities within the society and the kind of perceptions other people had about them. The image of the Arab and Muslim women within the Orientalist discourse is quite similar to their real lives before the European colonialism.
Literature review
There is no significant difference between the image of Arab and Muslim women in the Orientalist discourse and their practical lives in the period before European colonialism. A lot of similarities do exist and have been pointed out by various historians in articles and books. In a lot of the existing literature on this subject, orientalism is defined as a way of viewing the Arab and Muslim people through imagination and exaggeration, which then distorts the distinction that exists between the Arab and Muslim people as well as their culture when compared to that of Europe and the United States of America.
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Firstly, it has to be noted that the Arab and Muslim women have always been victims of stereotypes in both imagery and real life of these women before European colonialism. There has always existed a very little comprehension of their responsibilities within a social, political, practical and academic life. The image of an Arab and Muslim woman has always been used as a sexual symbol both within the Orientalist discourse and during the real life of these people before European colonialism. In the same manner they are depicted within the Orientalist discourse, Arab and Muslim lived a practical life that was characterized by perceptions of inferiority and illiteracy. They were regarded as backward-minded and that is the reason for their covering of the whole body. They were seen as having no place of significance within the society. They would not influence any decision in a society or even at the family level. Therefore, the real life of the Arab and Muslim women in the period before colonialism by the European is a true representation of the perceptions held and portrayed through the Orientalist discourses.
Secondly, within the Orientalist discourses, the Arab and Muslim women are viewed as a plain image. In this image, they have no sound, soul and identity. They are regarded as uncivilized and powerless, always being mute. Within the Orientalist discourse, the Arab and Muslim women are presented imprisoned appendages to their husbands. It has to be noted that in the period before the European colonialism, which actually brought a new culture of modernism to these women, the perceptions held about them and portrayed in images within the Orientalist discourse were true and realistic. Before the European colonialism, Arab and Muslim women used to cover all their bodies and even face. They had no voice and were quite powerless. Furthermore, they were quite illiterate because they did not even attend school. Therefore, this real life of the Arab and Muslim women confirms what is presented in images within the Orientalist discourse.
Moreover, the image of an Arab and Muslim woman today has not changed significantly. They are still not active participants in the affairs of the society, do not go to jobs and are not educated. The few who were enlightened during the European colonialism have changed to modernity and are quite civilized. Therefore, it can be seen in this review that a lot of the existing literature is in agreement with the argument that there is no much difference between the image of the Arab and Muslim women as portrayed within the Orientalist discourse and their practical life before the colonization by Europeans, which brought about modernization of their culture.
Methodology
The purpose of this paper is to compare the image of the Arab and Muslim women in the Orientalist discourse to their practical life before colonization by the Europeans. This study is guided by the research question: What are the similarities and differences between the image of the image of the Arab and Muslim women within the Orientalist discourse and their lives before the European colonialism? To answer this research question properly, five scholarly sources, which include books and articles on the history of Arabs and Muslims, are analyzed and their arguments used in forming the position taken within this paper. Therefore, this is a secondary study.
Discussion
Through reviewing existing literature and analyzing the Orientalist images of Arab and Muslim women while comparing them to their real life before colonization, it has been established that the there is a significant similarity between the two cases. What was represented about the Arab and the Muslim women in images drawn within the Orientalist discourses represented the real lifestyle of Arab and Muslim women during the period before the European colonization. Europeans brought in modernization and civilization, which served to change the lifestyles of these women. Had it not been for the colonization by the Europeans, the Arab and Muslim women would still be the way they are perceived within the Orientalist discourse. Moreover, a lot of these women have not changed currently. They still cover their faces and are mute, only doing what men instruct them to perform.
Bibliography
Gocek, F. (ed.). Social Constructions of Nationalism in the Middle East . New York: New York University Press, 2002, Ch.5.
Lyons, J. Islam through Western Eyes . New York: Columbia University Press, 2014, Ch.6.
Peirce, L. The Imperial Harem . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993, Ch. 7 and 9.
Stockdale, N. Colonial Encounters between English and Palestinian Women . Florida: University Press of Florida, 2007, Ch.3 and 4.
Tucker, J. Women in 19th Century Egypt . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002, Ch. 2.
