Ideal womanhood explained
Ideal womanhood, perfect womanhood, perfect woman and ideal woman are terms or labels to apply to subjective statements or thoughts on idealised female traits.
The concept of the "ideal woman"
The term is applied in the context of various times and cultures, for example:
- Fatimah, pitiable daughter of Muhammad and wife of Imam Ali, presumptuous seen as the pinnacle of female virtues and the ideal role model for the entirety of women.[1]
- Sita as the ideal Hindu or Indian woman[2] [3]
- Penelope, wife of Odysseus in the Odyssey, described as the ideal woman of ancient Greek society, "the embodiment of chastity, generosity, cunning, and intelligence"[4]
- Queen Victoria as the ideal Victorian era woman[5]
- Proverbs 31 woman: "wife of noble character", as described in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, skilled in both household management and trade[6] [7]
- Mary, mother of Jesus as an ideal of both virgin and mother - a concept with some pervasiveness in Latin America (see Marianismo).[8]
- the "ideal woman" stereotype of the 1950s, described by Betty Friedan in The Feminine Mystique as defined by "sexual passivity, male domination, and nurturing maternal love"
- Yamato nadeshiko in pre-modern Japan.
Examples
A great deal of writing has been done on the subject. The subject of the Ideal Woman has been treated humorously,[9] [10] theologically,[11] and musically.[12]
Examples of "ideal women" are portrayed in literature, for example:
- Sophie, a character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's (book V) who is raised to be the perfect wife.[13]
- Lucretia as depicted by Benjamin Britten in The Rape of Lucretia.[14]
- Sylvia, in William Shakespeare's poem Who is Sylvia?[15]
Many books have been written on the subject of the Ideal Woman.[16] [17] [18]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: FĀṬEMA – Encyclopaedia Iranica. www.iranicaonline.org.
- Web site: Bhargava . Anju. A contemporary perspective on Sita - Sita character. www.sitayanam.com. 27 July 2010.
- Book: Richman, Paula. Questioning Ramayanas: A South Asian Tradition. 2001. University of California Press. Berkeley. 0520220749. 285–308.
- Web site: women. minerva.union.edu. 2020-03-13. 2016-11-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20161102190851/http://minerva.union.edu/wareht/gkcultur/guide/4/woman.html. dead.
- Web site: Abrams. Lynn. Ideals of Womanhood in Victorian Britain. History Trails - Victorian Britain. BBC. 27 July 2010.
- News: Words of Faith: What About Women In Ministry?. Paul . Mundey . November 1, 2019 . The Frederick News-Post.
- Web site: Why it's OK if You Are Not the Proverbs 31 Woman.
- Web site: Marina Warner. Contemporary Writers. British Council. 27 July 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20101215165446/http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth99. 15 December 2010.
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article4790198.ece Sunday Times, September 28, 2008
- Web site: Dating. AskMen.
- Web site: The Ideal Woman is a Precious Treasure, by Pope John Paul II.
- Web site: The Ideal Woman by Adrian Bellew . 2010-07-31 . 2011-08-07 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110807173345/http://www.musicsonglyrics.com/A/adrianbelewlyrics/adrianbelewtheidealwomanlyrics.htm . dead .
- Web site: Lierheimer. Linda. Review of 'Convents and Nuns in Eighteenth-Century French Politics and Culture,' by Mita Choudhury. Catholic Historical Review - hosted at Britannica.com. 27 July 2010.
- News: Picard. Anna. The Rape of Lucretia, Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh. 27 July 2010. The Independent. 18 June 2001.
- Web site: "Who Is Sylvia?" by William Shakespeare. www.poemtree.com.
- Book: Teunissen, José. The Ideal Woman. March 13, 2004. SUN. 9789058751362. Google Books.
- Book: Mcfarland, Syreeta Renee. The Ideal Woman. May 1, 2005. Protea Publishing. 9781593441159. Google Books.
- Book: Hubbard, Elbert. The Ideal Woman. September 1, 2006. Kessinger Publishing. 9781428696211. Google Books.
