Ideal womanhood
Ideal womanhood is a subjective evaluation of idealised feminine traits in women.
The concept of the "ideal woman"
[edit]The term is applied in the context of various times and cultures, for example:
- The "Four Women of Paradise" are considered ideal models of virtue in Islam. They are Khadijah, first wife of Muhammad; Fatima, daughter of Muhammad and Khadijah, and wife of Ali; Mary, mother of Jesus; and Asiya, wife of the Pharaoh and adoptive mother of Moses.[1]
- Some others often upheld as models of ideal womanhood include the matriarch Hagar, mother of Ishmael[2]; Bilqis, the Queen of Sheba; and Eve.
- For Sunni Muslims, Aisha is revered as a figure of particular importance. However, Aisha is generally viewed unfavourably by Shia Muslims.
- Sita as the ideal Hindu or Indian woman[3][4]
- Penelope, wife of Odysseus in the Odyssey, described as the ideal woman of ancient Greek society, "the embodiment of chastity, generosity, cunning, and intelligence"[5]
- The concept of the English rose, which refer to ideals of feminine beauty, manners, and temperament as they relate to concepts of Englishness or Britishness.
- Queen Victoria as the ideal Victorian era woman[6]
- Proverbs 31 woman: "wife of noble character", as described in the Old Testament book of Proverbs, skilled in both household management and trade[7][8]
- Mary, mother of Jesus as an ideal of both virgin and mother - a concept with some pervasiveness in Latin America (see Marianismo).[9]
- 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"[citation needed]
- The concept of the Yamato nadeshiko in pre-modern Japan.
Examples
[edit]A great deal of writing has been done on the subject. The subject of the Ideal Woman has been treated humorously,[10][11] theologically,[12] and musically.[13]
Examples of "ideal women" are portrayed in literature, for example:
- Sophie, a character in Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Emile: or, On Education (book V) who is raised to be the perfect wife.[14]
- Lucretia as depicted by Benjamin Britten in The Rape of Lucretia.[15]
- Sylvia, in William Shakespeare's poem Who is Sylvia?[16]
Many books have been written on the subject of the Ideal Woman.[17][18][19]
See also
[edit]- The Angel in the House – 1854 narrative poem by Coventry Patmore
- Culture of Domesticity – 19th-century value system for American women
- Good Wife, Wise Mother – Traditional ideal for womanhood in East Asia
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl – Female stock character who acts as a love interest
- María Clara – Fictional character
- Mary Sue – Overly competent fictional character
- Role engulfment
- Yamato nadeshiko – Term for an ideal Japanese woman
References
[edit]- ^ Sandisi, Zahratur Rofiqah Binte Mochamad. "4 women of Paradise". MuslimSG.
- ^ Muhammad Ashraf Chheenah (2016). Hagar the Princess, the Mother of the Arabs and Ishmael the Father of Twelve Princes (2nd ed.). Islamabad: Interfaith Studies and Research Centre. ISBN 9789699704000. Archived from the original on June 29, 2020.
- ^ Bhargava, Anju. "A contemporary perspective on Sita - Sita character". www.sitayanam.com. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- ^ Richman, Paula (2001). Questioning Ramayanas: A South Asian Tradition. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 285–308. ISBN 0520220749.
- ^ "women". minerva.union.edu. Archived from the original on 2016-11-02. Retrieved 2020-03-13.
- ^ Abrams, Lynn. "Ideals of Womanhood in Victorian Britain". History Trails - Victorian Britain. BBC. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- ^ Mundey, Paul (November 1, 2019). "Words of Faith: What About Women In Ministry?". The Frederick News-Post.
- ^ "Why it's OK if You Are Not the Proverbs 31 Woman".
- ^ "Marina Warner". Contemporary Writers. British Council. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- ^ Sunday Times, September 28, 2008[dead link]
- ^ "Dating". AskMen.
- ^ "The Ideal Woman is a Precious Treasure, by Pope John Paul II".
- ^ "The Ideal Woman by Adrian Bellew". Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
- ^ Lierheimer, Linda. "Review of 'Convents and Nuns in Eighteenth-Century French Politics and Culture,' by Mita Choudhury". Catholic Historical Review - hosted at Britannica.com. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
- ^ Picard, Anna (18 June 2001). "The Rape of Lucretia, Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh". The Independent. Retrieved 27 July 2010.[dead link]
- ^ ""Who Is Sylvia?" by William Shakespeare". www.poemtree.com.
- ^ Teunissen, José (March 13, 2004). The Ideal Woman. SUN. ISBN 9789058751362 – via Google Books.
- ^ Mcfarland, Syreeta Renee (May 1, 2005). The Ideal Woman. Protea Publishing. ISBN 9781593441159 – via Google Books.
- ^ Hubbard, Elbert (September 1, 2006). The Ideal Woman. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 9781428696211 – via Google Books.