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Female Empowerment in Medieval Literature
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Female Empowerment in Medieval Literature
There was a fast decline of chivalry and feudalism during the fourteenth century because of drastic economic and social changes. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight has provided support and evidence for the feudal hierarchies that existed during the medieval years. In turn, this lead to the unfair treatment of women and their destruction, as well. Women were used as primary objects in the poem in many intriguing ways. The Virgin Mary was used as a representation of “death, lust, disobedience and courtly love, a symbol of a traditional female” (Tolkien 56). Gawain was sure to make it known that a conflict existed between spiritual and courtly love. This paper seeks to give a critical analysis of how women were subjected to misery because of the feudal system based upon religious values.
When an individual is reading the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight they view it to be a celebration of romantic chivalry. However, on further analysis of the poem, it becomes evident that there are more serious issues. There was a conflict between Christianity and traditional religions. For example, the knights had to undertake monastic vows of chastity, obedience and poverty (Tolkien 77). Also, they had to go for crusades as part of their duties to the church. Therefore, a rise of courtly love took place and the knights became extremely brave, and even devoted themselves to their mistresses other than God. At the time, the church had little trust for the flesh and women.
The church made it known that it did not trust women and that is what the poem meant to ensure that its readers became informed about. Most notably, women were seen to have extreme and great power (Tolkien 105). For example, Bertilak’s wife was trying to oppose Gawain’s bedroom activities in the role of an aggressor and hunter. The story’s instigator is also a woman known as Morgan who succeeds in entering the castle owned by Bertilak. Bertilak’s wife says “ but for love of your life I can hardly blame you” (Tolken 107). It is the intention of the poet to make sure that women will not be viewed as being powerful. They are meant to be constituted as metaphors for dangers and anti-social forces that are external to the control of chivalry and feudalism. Therefore in a medieval world, females are categorized by classical and biblical models that establish that feminine things are subversive.
Women have been identified through subversion accomplished by the various medieval archetypes. Bertilak’s wife is compared to the temptress in the Christian bible known as Eve. Eve is often seen as the symbol and source of lust as well as a danger to the flesh. She was responsible for leading Adam astray. Based upon the anti-feminist tirade that Gawain came up with, he compares Bertilak’s wife to Bathsheba and Delilah. She is a representation of courtly love that was often seen in most medieval literature.
In conclusion, it is only till recent years that women are treated in the same manner as their male counterparts. In the medieval years and in particular the fourteenth century, women were subordinate to the males. The poem has shown that Bartilak’s wife was assumed to be adulterous, yet if a man was in the same position the judgment would not be as harsh. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is a memorable tale that proves that in medieval times, power was in the hands of men.
Work Cited
Tolkien, R. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: with Pearl and Sir Orfeo. New York: Harper Collins, 2006.Print.
FARLEY MOWAT BIBLIOGRAPHY
FARLEY MOWAT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mowat, Farley. Lost in the Barrens; [1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1956. Print.
In this book Mowat uses two Orphaned boys who are in their teenage who set out in an adventure to show the Federal Government of Canada’s inaction towards its citizens. The young boys are on an adventure and escape from their village where they were starving.
Mowat, Farley. Never cry wolf. [1st American ed. Boston: Little, Brown, 1963. Print.
In this book Mowat has the character of an investigator who has been chosen by his department to investigate the large quantities of caribou being slaughtered in the arctic. On landing, Mowat is left in the middle of nowhere and he is not sure where to start. In his investigations he gets his fair share of encounters face-to-face with the wolves from which his perception of the wolves changes, he begins to see them as family oriented beings that are conservative as opposed to his earlier perception that they were murderous predictors.
Mowat, Farley. People of the deer. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2005. Print.
In this book Mowat has written about his explorations in northern Canada where he lived with Eskimo and studied caribou, the Barren lands visit and how he struggled to reach to the land. This books is about Mowats exploration and interactions with Native Americans and Eskimos.
Mowat, Farley. The dog who wouldn’t be. [1st ed. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1957. Print.
In this book, Mutt, a dog, is Mowats companion in his childhood. Mutt wore goggles and was quite playful. His pedigree raises a question as his behavior is quite unusual for a dog, climbing trees, walking on fences, playing with owls and even ridding on boats.
RUBIO, GERALD J. “FARLEY MOWAT”. The Canadian Encyclopedia. < http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com>
Born on 12th May 1921, Farley Mowat began writing just before his teenage. By then He was living with his family and then got his works published in the Star-Phoenix. He went to the University of Toronto to study and on his first trip he was angered by the problems of the Inuit. The observations of his first trip inspired his first book People of the Deer (1952) which led to his popularity.
His works are some of the most read in Canada and have been translated into different languages and sold millions of copies all over the world. His works enjoy both praise and criticism by readers. In his works he defends nature, he has also changed the perception of wolves of many who earlier thought of them as murderous predictors and came to think of them as family oriented beings.
He has also written about his life through some of his Autobiographic works: Owls in the Family (1961) and The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be (1957) just to name a few, this works are also for young readers.
Mowat now lives in Pope Hope, Ont. He continues to write about conserving the environment and his works still receive a fair amount of criticism. A ship has been named after me by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society; RV Farley Mowat is a tribute to Mowats activism against the whaling industry.
“FARLEY MOWAT”. Canada`s Walk of Fame. < http://www.canadaswalkoffame.com>
In his early teenage Mowat was the founder of a nature newsletter, Nature Lore, which he wrote weekly for the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. He used his earnings to feed ducks and geese that did not migrate to the south in winter. Mowat made his first trip at the age of 15 with his uncle Frank who worked at the museum. In 1981 Mowat was made an officer of the Order of Canada. In his honor a ship was named after him, RV Farley Mowat, by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a conservation group which he supports financially and helps them with their mission.
Mowat joined the army when the second Word War was declared at the age of 18. After the war it was hard for him to fit back into society so he went on adventure in the barren lands. This is where his affection for nature was greatly inspires and he went back to writing about nature and environmental conservation using a style of creative non-fiction.
He has written over 40 books which have been translated to over 50 languages and been sold worldwide.
Articles commenting on the authors Works
Marq de Villiers. “Farley Mowat at 87”.Quill&Quire. < http://www.quillandquire.com>
Querengesser Tim. “Farley Mowat: Liar or Saint?”. Uphere. < http://www.uphere.ca>
MacLulich.T.D. “The Alien Role: Farley Mowats Northern Pastorals”. < http://journals.hil.unb.ca>
Female Circumcision
Female Circumcision
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Introduction
Female circumcision is one practice that has been in existence for a long time. This practice has been said to be a passage rite by those who practice it. It has brought a lot of range from those who oppose the practice. This practice is seen as one of the most inhumane acts in the world. Circumcision is only allowed to male, but has escalated to the female gender. Mainly practiced in the African continent, this practice is seen as one of the ways of culture in Africa. This practice is also known as the genital mutilation. This involves removal of some of the external or even the whole parts which are external. This practice is said to have no anesthesia given to the victim, and the use of tools like knives and razors are used. This practice is grouped into four. They include clitoridectomy, excision, infibulation and practices like the vagina cutting with a motive of enlarging it.
This practice is said to have a lot of consequences to the female gender. Some of these complications include infertility, epidermoid cyst, vaginal infections, chronic pains and fatal hemorrhage. This practice is also associated with complications that are associated with pregnancy. This practice has continued to gain popularity in its rejections as many of the professionals claim that this practice has a lot of health complications and consequences and is a violation of the rights of the female gender. These professionals also claim that those who practice it have no information about its consequences. This practice is deemed to be bad and a ban imposing its rejection is imposed.
Female genital mutilation is as explained in the article to be very prevalent in Africa. The article explains that this practice is deemed by many to be a traditional and religious practice. This practice is also said to be prevalent since women look up on their male counterparts for advice and other necessities. This practice as explained by the article states that women are said to lead the practice to continuation. The article also states that this practice also has become one that is very hard to eliminate. Elimination of the practice has been met by protests mainly led by women. This states that the practice is very imminent in the lives of these people. This states that a considerable measure must be taken to ensure that it is curbed. The article also states that lack of education and other amenities have led women to this practice. The hard economic times also acts as a propellant to this practice.
The practice of female circumcision is said very imminent in many African and some western states. This practice is basically practice on basis of culture and traditions. This practice cannot be deemed unsafe or bad based on practice. This practice was practiced as per the rules of traditions and culture. This practice was practiced by different cultures who deemed the practice as on their important ways of ushering a person into adulthood. The rejection faced as the other western countries tries to bring it to an end may seem as very useless. This is based on the fact that it is their culture. This practice may only end after a longer period since not many of the African states are as civilized and improved in comparison to many western states. This means that based on these African countries, female circumcision is bad and is considered a tradition that should not be broken.
Critical cultural relativism states that if a practice is a tradition, then it cannot be changed or judged. This states that these traditions cannot be judged by another. This implies that the western countries should not judge the African communities that practice female circumcision. This is because it is their tradition which they hold from a very long time. Those judging these people would be considered ethnocentrism. This means they judge others based on their practices which is not very good. This implies that those practicing it view it as a way that helps those who pass the practice. This means that in the eyes of the western states, they view this practice as very consequential. This practice on the eyes of the African people is sacred, and a tradition, and should be respected by those who are the members or not. Based on this relativism, it is important for each state and community to respect the practices of the other. This also means that they should also respect the views and all what they do.
Female circumcision is one practice that should be judged. This is because the practice is not very helpful as those who practice it claim. Based on the effects that this practice has to those who have undergone it, it should be abolished. This is also based on the fact that it plays and dehumanizes the rights of the female gender. This practice should not be viewed as a tradition as it also engraves the rights of the female people. This means that the dangers which include infertility, epidermoid cyst, vaginal infections, chronic pains and fatal hemorrhage are very harmful to the practitioner. This is also attributed to the fact that death is also another consequence that can be imminent. These dangers mean that they lead and make the life of the female in compromise. This practice should be disregarded as also many tend to do it facing pressure from their family members. This practice should be free and fair and no measures should be issued to those who willingly want to do it.
The way that the practice is also carried also signifies that it is done as a secret. This implies to the fact that it is done mostly at night and in very awkward places. This practice also is never carried out in hospitals entailing that is not fit for practice. This practice should be rejected and special measures taken to those who use and practice female circumcision. This practice is deemed to be unfit as these complications are very complicated to ladies.
Conclusion
Female circumcision is very imminent in many African communities as a tradition and also as a religious practice. This tradition as explained in the essay proves and has proved to be very disastrous to those it is imposed to. The fact that this practice is forced to the female gender makes it very harmful and also very bad. Measures to end this practice should be put in place to ensure that considerable time is taken to end it. For those who believe that it is tradition, other ways to substitute it should be put in place.
References
Momoh, C. (2005). Female genital mutilation. Oxford: Radcliffe Pub.