How to train your wife
- Created by: Hannah Jeffery
- Created on: 18-05-14 09:47
View mindmap
- How to train your wife
- Xenophon is writing a dialogue about Socrates meeting Ischomachus,
- he is writing in the 4th century BC
- Socrates is the first person
- Xenophon is writing about how he thinks women should behave in the household
- Socrates praises him for having so much free time
- this because he has trained his wife to be able to run his indoor affairs
- she came to him knowing little about household affairs
- Ischomachus and his wife pray to the gods to make her a good housewife
- this will make her work harder because she is obeying the gods as well as him
- if she disobeys they gods will notice and will punish her
- their is a clear theme that Ischomachus is teaching her her responsibilities
- he talks to her in a patronising way- 'my dear do you know why...'
- he says that he chose her and her parents chose him so they might share a home and children
- he creates the idea of a partnership
- that they will share children, a household, dowry
- he brought they house and she brought her dowry
- the better partner is not the one with the largest assets but the one who makes the most worthy contribution
- the wife feels she has little to contribute but her tells her her duty is to keep the property as well as possible
- the better partner is not the one with the largest assets but the one who makes the most worthy contribution
- he brought they house and she brought her dowry
- that they will share children, a household, dowry
- this because he has trained his wife to be able to run his indoor affairs
- it is important that the okios is run well so the man can do activites outside
- her duty Is to be the Queen bee
- he backs up his points by referring the gods and how female and male are supposed to be in partnership
- when he brings provisions into the household she should keep them safe
- it s her duty to rear children, make food out of the harvest and make clothing from wool
- the gods gave men s body fit to endue the heat and cold of travel and military service and so their role is to work outside
- the female body is not fir for this and so they are suited to working inside
- and so the females body is fit for nursing, an indoor activity
- the female body is not fir for this and so they are suited to working inside
- they both rely on each other
- males were made more fearful because they need to protect the household and their produce
- the queen bee's duty is also to make sure the other bee's aren't lazy
- she send the right bee's to work outside and know what each of them brings into the household and keeps is safely
- she gives everyone there fair share
- by building a relationship they will be more inclined to serve her
- look after slaves if they're ill
- by building a relationship they will be more inclined to serve her
- she supervises and makes sure each slave weaves well and efficiently
- to finance and make sure the expenditure for a year is not used up in a month
- the wife thinks he is more suited to the role of Queen Bee
- but he says that his work would be inconsequential if I wasn't for her
- complementary roles
- but he says that his work would be inconsequential if I wasn't for her
- she should turn her slaves into skilled wool workers and make them twice as valuable
- he found that if she made a mistake she would be upset
- the greatest pleasure will be if she is more worthy than him
- makeup
- more admirable personalities than beauty
- he doesn't want her to wear makeup or other men will fine her attractive
- he tell her that by wearing make-up she is deceiving him
- it is like him telling her that he had more money than he actually did
- he would rather see her natural healthy face
- why would he deceive him as they live together so he knows what her nakedd face looks like
- actors put on makeup to pretend they're something their not
- she never puts on makeup again
- he tells her t be active and not to sit around, this way she can keep an eye on the slaves
- and keep fit
- this way she is more sexually stimulating
- if the slaves are more sexual stimulating the he will have sex with them
- his reasons
- makes sure she doesn't cheat
- increases his wealth
- protecting his family
- ensures he's not disgraced
- the longer he spends outside the more risk that she will have an affair
- Xenophon is writing a dialogue about Socrates meeting Ischomachus,
Similar Classical Civilization resources:
Teacher recommended
Comments
No comments have yet been made