Changes of Women Roles in the Society

Over long period of time, women are generally not treated equal to men. However the lives, roles and statuses of women have changed over years in many ways. The lives and roles of women have continuously changed with time from the Paleolithic age, Neolithic age, ancient Persian Empire to the Mesopotamian era (Baker, 2011, Pg. 32). During the prehistoric Paleolithic times, one of the roles of the women was the gathering of wild fruits while the men were the main hunters of that time. The women were able to contribute a large percentage of the family’s food hence there was a possibility that the women of these times were independent when it came to feeding themselves as they could not have relied on their men for food. With time women in their roles of gathering food stuffs invented weaving and pottery making. The women of these times were also magicians, storytellers and wise women.

            The neolithic period was the second era. During this period, agriculture was invented. It is in this period that women’s life started changing and they started enjoying equality with men unlike in the earlier period. Women are believed to be the inventors of domestication of plants and animals in this period (Baker, 2011, Pg. 49). They are also believed to have led to the establishment of agriculture as the main source of food production and the ones who recognized the best soils for growing crops. As more land was put under farming, there was need to give birth to more children to provide labor in the farms hence women of this time started spending more time giving birth and taking care of the children. Women no longer contributed much to the economic world. Looking after the animals added other duties to the women though few animals were kept by then.

            The lives and roles of women continued to change during the ancient Persia period. Their status was determined by the relationship between them and men. They started enjoying economic independence and started being involved in administrative issues as well. They also started getting responsibilities in workplaces and could now travel extensively to visit their estates and to administer their wealth. They participated in festivals and even organized their own feasts. The women of this period were able to be employed and earned wages hence becoming economically independent (Fuchs, R. G., & Thompson, 2005, Pg. 92).

            During the Mesopotamia period, women’s roles were well defined. The role of a woman changed to the daughter to her father and the wife to her husband. Most girls were trained from childhood for the traditional roles of wife, mother, and housekeeper they learned also how to spin and weave cloth for clothing their families. Soon after puberty, a young girl was ready for marriage. From the Mesopotamia period to the date the lives of women have changed for the better leading to new lives among the modern woman.

References

Baker, S., & Brown, B. J. (2011).Mothers, Wives and Changing Lives Women in Mid-Twentieth    Century Rural Wales.. Cardiff: University of Wales Press.

Fuchs, R. G., & Thompson, V. E. (2005).Women in nineteenth-century Europe.Houndmills,          Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.

Jacobson, D. (1982). Studying The Changing Roles Of Women In Rural India. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 8(1), 132.

Wallis, H. (1969). The Role Of Women In Changing Society. Community Development Journal, 4(1), 24-26.

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