Gender Roles, Subject and Power

Throughout history, gender roles have played an integral part in forming a social hierarchy in which men mostly had all the power and women had virtually none. In most places, the power men had over women led to women being viewed as property and objects to men. This view of women being property and objects to men would establish a justification for men to restrict the opportunities for most women to only do housework and serving a man. This view led to women being confined within the domestic sphere of society and nothing else. The thought of women expanding upon this domestic sphere was considered ridiculous and in some time periods not even possible. Even with these obstacles, some women faced these challenges and looked to defy the constraints of gender roles in order to attain some kind of equality to men.

Hildegard of Bingen, Scivas c1142-52
This painting shows Hildegard having a vision from God and relaying it to man.
This painting illustrates how at the time most woman to have power
they would need God by there side to be taken seriously.  

In the Middle Ages, women's roles were defined within the context of biblical text and teachings. During this time period, gender roles were mainly established through the biblical story of "Adam and Eve." Men represented Adam who was strong and listened to God, while women were represented by Eve who was made by Adam's rib and who also tempted Adam to eat the forbidden fruit that gets them both punished by God. This biblical story was taught and reinforced within this time period to justify women as inferior sex to men. Due to women being looked at as inferior their only role in society was constrained within the domestic sphere of motherhood and housework with the exception of being involved with the church as a nun. Women being viewed only for the purpose of motherhood led to them being uneducated and illiterate, which The Guerrilla girls mention by stating, “education was thought to interfere with a woman’s ability to be a good wife and mother. Almost no women were taught to read and write.” (Guerrilla Girls 22). This quote shows how the main role of a woman was lock within the domestic walls of motherhood. The one exception though like previously mentioned was to be a nun for the church. Being a nun for the church was an exception because it allowed women to have some freedom from the constraints of motherhood and the risk of childbearing, as well as even allowed for some women to be in a position of power (i.e an abbess). One example of a woman being in power during the Middle Ages is Hildegard of Bingen. She was a nun who had visions from God which gave her the power to transcend the constraints of the social norms at the time. As illustrated in Hildegard of Bingen's painting "Scivas" she illustrates herself having a vision and relaying it to a man. Even with her visions she still views herself as a weak women and blessed enough to receive visions from God which Chadwick reiterates, “She herself claimed  to be nothing more than a receptor, ‘a feather on the breath of God.’ A gift from God to a weak but chosen woman, the vision circumvents the medieval Church’s denial of power or authority to women. It disrupts masculine control over knowledge by separating the body of a woman from thought.” (Chadwick 59). This quote showcases how even with her visions from God, Hildegard in some way must still conform with gender roles within the church because she is still viewed as a weak woman being blessed and privileged by God to see these visions and nothing more. Her visions are seen separate from her, her visions are viewed as God's thoughts not her own, while she herself is viewed as just a weak woman receiving gods thoughts and nothing more. Hildegard's power to receive these visions as a woman threatens the male patriarchy of the Middle Ages and is only accepted due to the power and belief of God's doing and not her own doing, which would go against the social norm and be problematic for the time.

Elisabetta Siriani, Portia Wounding her Thigh, 1664
This painting illustrates Portia wounding her thigh and separating herself from other females to signify
how she is a strong and trustworthy woman. Portia wounding herself is the center of attention
for this piece and the act of wounding herself is a masculine thing portraying how
she wants to be recognized as more than just another woman.  

In the Renaissance Age, women were still confined within the domestic sphere. Women were still oppressed by a patriarchal society where they were only viewed within the lens of being a daughter (owned by their father), then becoming a wife (owned by their husband), then becoming a mother (still owned by their husband). Even with these views of women, there were some rare exceptions for women to be involved in other lines of work only if their help was needed (i.e a wife of a merchant who helps out at the store). During this period most women still lacked opportunities outside the domestic sphere as mentioned in Gurriel Girls which states, “In most cities, women were barred from painters’ guilds or academies (except for the lace and silk makers’ guilds). They couldn’t receive commissions or legally own an atelier. Most were illiterate.  One of the few ways a woman can work as an artist was to be born into a family of artists that needed assistance in the family workshop.” (Guerrilla Girls 29). Even if women did their own works of art or own work, in general, it was still owned by their father or husband, which shows how low a woman was viewed at the time. It was hard for a woman to be something more or recognized as something more as a painting by Elisabetta Siriana "Portia Wounding her Thigh" depicts. Chadwick states “Sirani chose the moment at which Portia wounded herself to test her strength of character before asking Brutus to confide in her...Stabbing herself deeply in the thigh, Portia has to prove herself virtuous and worthy of political trust by separating herself from the rest of her sex.”(Chadwick 101). This painting focuses on Portia wounding her own thigh showcasing a masculine act, while also showing Portia separating herself from other women showcasing how she is more than just another woman she is strong, she is trustworthy. This painting symbolizes a woman who transcends the depiction of the average woman at the time and in doing so rejects her feminity in order to feel accepted by Brutus but more importantly feel accepted by society.   

Mary Cassatt, Woman in Black at the Opera, 1880
This painting illustrates a woman going to an Opera without a man wearing black. The black clothes symbolize a person not wanting to be noticed and the view of a male looking at this woman without a man by her side showcases the male gaze, which the male gaze can also be seen as how society views this woman who is going against social norms. 

 In the 19th-century gender roles were more defined than ever due to men always commuting to work and women restricted to housework all day. A woman's importance in this time relied once again within the domestic sphere, but even more importantly taking care of the next generation, her children. A woman's life was tied to the man she was with and there little she could do about it because the power and control lied within men, which the Guerrilla Girls mention by stating, "You could be used to symbolize democracy-E.G., The Statue of Liberty-but you weren’t allowed to vote... You could not be the legal guardian of your own children or hold a job without your husband’s permission." (Guerrilla Girls 52). In all aspects of society, a woman had no power, even legally. Women had no power and if they tried to go against these social norms they judged and criticized by society as can be seen in Mary Cassatt's painting "Women in Black at the Opera". This painting focuses on a woman who goes against social norms by going to an opera be herself without a man and becoming a spectator just like men. She is being watched by another guy across the opera, which shows the male gaze but not only just the male gaze but also society as a whole watching her and judging her. Another important aspect of the painting is the black the woman is wearing, this symbolizes that she doesn't want to be noticed by anyone and just wants to blend in, but as mention, before there is a guy staring at her, she is still the object for that man, for the male gaze and for the patriotical society.

In summary, women have always been constrained within the domestic sphere thanks to patriotical ideas reinforcing gender roles. Women have always been viewed as objects and properties to men and this kind of view of women still has prominence even today. Even though the times have changed gender roles and the view of women and their power in society is still lacking, even though it appears women may not be constrainted by gender roles nowadays, that is not the case, gender roles are more subtle nowadays and are represent within double standards for men. Even at a subtle level gender roles is still enforced in some households and is still deep in the roots of society. 

Works Cited
The Guerrilla Girls' beside Companion to the History of Western Art. 1998.

Chadwick, Whitney. Women, Art, and Society: Fourth Edition. Thames & Hudson, 2007.

“Women in Medieval Society.” The British Library, The British Library, 17 Jan. 2014, www.bl.uk/the-middle-ages/articles/women-in-medieval-society.

Renaissance, "Women in the, and Reformation.". “Women in the Renaissance and Reformation.” The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th Ed, Encyclopedia.com, 2002, www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/women-renaissance-and-reformation.

“Gender Roles in the 19th Century.” The British Library, The British Library, 13 Feb. 2014, www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/gender-roles-in-the-19th-century.