English Literature Women\'s Issues in Renaissance England

English Literature

Women's issues in Renaissance England

What are activities today that we still consider more appropriate for men than for women or for women more than men? Why do you think this is the case?

Gender equality is something that has been debated for many years. There are two sides to the argument about the equality of men and women. There are those that believe that men are superior to women, while on the other side there are those that believe that women can do anything that men can. In the reading Female Orations by Margaret Cavendish she tries to show both sides of this argument. She points out that women shouldn't do certain things because it is men's work, but that women do some things better than men because that is the way nature is.

There are many activities today that are still considered as things that are better done by men than women. One of these is fighting on the front line during a war. This is still an activity that has been deemed to be something that can only be done by men. There are many women that believe that they should be able to risk their lives for their country the same way that men can. But the side of this debate that believes that women need to be protected still presides.

There are many occupations that have traditionally been known as women's work and to this day still have this stigma. These include being nurses, teachers and stay at home parents. Although there are more and more men becoming nurses and teachers and even stay at home dads these roles have traditionally been seen as nurturing roles and better carried out by women. Just because women are more nurturing by nature does not mean that they should be relegated to just these types of occupations. Women should not have to suffer for the way that they are just because they are women. This notion can be seen in the poem Eve's Apology in Defense of Women by Amelia Lanier. In the poem Lanier says that Eve was just trying to share something good that she found with Adam and that he should have known better than to take it so why should Eve be put down for just doing what women do best -- be kind and nurture others.

In the end the whole concept of gender equality should be put aside and people should be judged on whom they are -- just people. Whether a person is male or female should have no bearing on anything. When it comes to jobs and occupations people should be allowed to pursue what ever they feel like they can accomplish. Now if a person gets into something and can't handle it then they should be put out but the rest of the world should not be judged for their failures.

If women want to fight on the front lines then they should be allowed. And if men want to be stay at home dad's then no one should chastise them for that. Everyone on this earth has been given a unique set of qualities that can not be duplicated by another and each should be able to contribute to their full potential. Some people are good at certain things while others are not. Everybody, regardless of their gender should be allowed to follow their calling and give their all in a society that expects everyone for who they are.