Prompt #2 - Views on Women

Samantha Smith

Mrs. Wagener

AP English 11

29 July 2013

Views on Women

            Unfortunately, women in society have not always had the same privileges and rights as they do now. Before the 19^th Amendment was added, women were treated poorly and were seen as unequal and inferior to men. They were not allowed to perform the same jobs or tasks as men and were often forced to serve the “man of the house.” This addition to the United States Constitution was the first step in the women’s road to success.

            One of the strongest criticizers of the woman’s role in society was the great philosopher Aristotle. He believed women were merely “unfinished men.” This idea is extremely absurd because we all know that women play just as big of role in today’s world as men do. When discussing reproduction, Aristotle believed that the woman simply brought about the child while the man provided all of the characteristics and traits from his sperm. Hearing this today, everyone would understand how completely ridiculous his ideas were; but during Aristotle’s time, his sexist beliefs were worshipped and accepted by the people and even the church.

            It is safe to say that Plato had the most admirable views on gender. Unlike Aristotle who thought women were incomplete, Plato said that “a state that does not educate and train women is like a man who only trains his right arm.” He believed that if women did not have to do all of the housekeeping and watch over the children, they would have the same level of reasoning as men.  It is shocking to me that Aristotle’s views were such the opposite considering he was a student at Plato’s Academy for some time. It is unfortunate that it was Aristotle’s views that were so widely accepted. If more people, like Plato, had given women a second thought, society could have been much better off.

            It is true that women did play a much less influential role than men during the times of Aristotle and Plato. They were not able to express their own ideas as freely as men and definitely did not get the same respect. With this in mind, it did not come as a surprise to find that the majority of the authorities in Sophie’s World are men. I believe that the misjudgment that women faced served as motivation to get to the top of society. Look at women today; we now have equal rights and are able to perform everything that men can. It was people like Plato that gave women the courage to fight for what was right and made them believe that they were just as powerful and intelligent.