Discuss the socio-economic, philosophic and theological bases for the Essay

Discuss the socio-economic, philosophic and theological bases for the status of women in the middle ages - Essay Example The middle ages run from 1066 through 1485. The lives of women during these times were dependent on their roles and social status. It was a societal expectation that all women were subservient to men in their families and society. Women were required to serve and please men. The middle ages era was a male dominated one. The women were completely dominated by the men in their families. It was required of women to instantly obey their fathers, brothers and all other males in the family. Socially, women had no say over any matter. Any girl who dared to be unruly was beaten and forced into submission. In fact, disobedience was seen as a serious crime. The freedoms and entitlements for women and girls were grossly abused, suppressed or ignored in many places (Gordon, 2002). Economically, women were the least empowered humans. The English common law of the 12th century required that a wife submits all the property owned by her to her husband when she is married. All her property became the possession of her husband. Women’s wages and real estate were controlled by their husbands once they got married. In some regions, they were not even allowed to work outside their homes. They only remained at home to serve the males in their families. ... Women later on began to challenge this and demand for their property rights. Socially, women were not allowed to engage in politics or hold leadership position unless the belonged to royal families. Leadership and politics were male dominated. No woman could be allowed to stand against a man for leadership positions. Initially, women were also not allowed to vote or participate in making laws. According to ancient Roman law for example, women could only be citizens. They were not allowed to vote or run for political office. The women had no political freedom in their society. Women had no power to exercise their birth control rights like the contemporary woman. The number of children that a woman would bear would all depend on the choice made by their husbands. It was for the husbands to decide how many children they want (Gordon, 2002). The work of the women was only to sire and take care of these children. The situation later changed but there were still a lot of restrictions and r eservations from society. The women who dared to stand for leadership positions were viewed as rebels who had no respect for men. This took a different twist later on with more and more women seeking to empower and free themselves from bondage. Later on, women began to demand for their right to vote and participate in constituting of laws in their countries. Women’s legal rights were grossly abused and violated. Women could not defend themselves in courts of law without the consent of their husbands. Women could also not engage others in legal suits. French women who were married are known to have suffered from numerous restrictions on their legal capacities until recent reforms. In some parts of the East, women were treated as untouchable. They had little or no rights