Women in Early Roman Society essays

Women in Early Roman Society essays In early Roman society, women were opposed by men. Every decision that was made for women, even who they marry with, was chosen by men. Men had control over women in every aspect of life. Although under all the circumstances that women were living with, they were still trying to keep their families as their first priority. The only way that women could be noticed is through what they provided for their families. Women did not exist alone; they existed only with their relations to other men. In order for women to have an impact on roman society, they had to go through extreme measures in their relationships in order to be well recognized. Each one had to prove one aspect of their duty as a woman, in order to establish and have her position be at a stronghold. There were certain expectations from each woman as a wife and as a mother; the more the woman provided her duty, the more noticeable she became. From this we can realize that most women that wanted recognition needed to give up their lives, in order for them to finally reach the point of speaking for themselves. There are many examples that can be given, the ones that mark the importance of family bonds and sacrifices that women represented in order to make their voices heard. The perfect wife for roman men is charming in speech, yet pleasant and proper in manner. (Shelton, 44) As mentioned before, woman in early Roman society does not have identity by herself. Their identity is defined by the name of their husbands or their fathers. Since they only exist under the name of the family, their duties are related with their families too. Their first duty is to give birth and manage a household. (288), these are the obligations that permitted them to become mothers and wives. Then as a good mother and wife, they are to master their duties that are in the interest of the family. Women are to devote themselves toward the improvement of the family, w...