Men and women of Iran are segregated in society, such as restaurants, buses, and schools. The whole aspect of defined gender roles relates to the subject of maintaining patriarchy. Islam fundamentals focus on traditional values of Arab society. In this case, men have always been in control throughout time. Historical context before and after the Islamic revolution provides a realization of how Iranian society and ideology was beginning to favor women compared to their traditional role. A society in the aspect of the patriarchy can “survive only by creating institutions that foster male dominance through sexual segregation” (Mernissi 32). Having established gender roles is the epitome of these created institutions, where women are seen as less and oppressed by society. They are seen to have fitna, inducing chaos and disorder amongst men and …show more content…
Women are “destructive to the social order,” and are considered “outside of humanity, but a threat to it as well” (Mernissi 44-45).
Due to social order and the perceived threat of women against men, social classes function differently between men and women in Iran. Social classes define an individual's social and economic status within a society. There are two main types of class mobility within varying societies; vertical and horizontal mobility. An individual can change between social class, either going upper or lower, depending on certain impacts like marriage or getting a new job in respect to vertical mobility. Horizontal mobility is the where an individual can change in positions without moving out of. Iran’s society has a sense of horizontal mobility. “The Letter” in Persepolis highlights aspects of social class and horizontal mobility. This part of the graphic novel focuses on Mehri, the Satrapi’s family maid. When she was eight years old, the Satrapi’s took her in. Mehri took care of Marjane and acted as if she were a part of the Satrapi family. Eventually, Mehri begins to fall in
Women's rights in the Middle East have always been a controversial issue. Although the rights of women have changed over the years, they have never really been equal to the rights of a man. This poses a threat on Iran because women have very limited options when it comes to labor, marriage and other aspects of their culture. I believe that equal treatment for women and men is a fundamental principal of international human rights standards. Yet, in some places like Iran, discriminatory practices against women are not only prevalent, but in some cases, required by law. In this essay I will explain to you the every day life of an every day Islamic woman living in Iran. You will be astonished by what these women have endured through the
There are many political, religious, and cultural factors that shape the lives of Islamic women many of them are completely different than factors in the lives of American women. Islam is one of the world’s fastest growing religions; however, Brooks argues that “Islam’s holiest texts have been misused to justify the repression of women, and how male pride and power have warped the original message of this once liberating faith.” The book also shows these factors have slowly been taking away women’s rights, rather than furthering them.
Merchant’s representations claim that “both nature and women are subordinate and essentially passive” furthering the proof that women are held at a lower standard than men (Merchant 9).
It must be said that men of power create the structure of life--which is not necessarily profitable or fitting to women, nor to the human race in its entirety. Women do not live in this structure:“They lead beautiful lives--women. Lives not only divorced from, but irrevocably excommunicated from, all reality” (156).
In the graphic memoir Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi, the citizens of Iran are divided into three separate classes; the lower, middle, and upper class. These distinct social classes determine the citizen’s life opportunities and freedoms. For instance, Iranians are advised to stay within their social classes and not interact with the lower class. The story takes place while Iran is engulfed in a war with Iraq and also facing a national rebellion. In times of war, it is important that a country must remain unified and fight for the greater cause; however, social classes divide the country which causes a break in society.
Marjane Satrapi uses different techniques to effect the reality of occurring events and culture in the graphic novel, Persepolis. The author uses social class, gender, and racial differences within the graphic novel to effect the reality of occurring events such as the Iranian revolution during 1979. Social class differences are effective in the graphic novel Persepolis because the way Marjane presents the information shows how everyone is treated differently depending on their social class. There are many events that occur during the graphic novel that give example of the difference in treatment of social classes. Even during the 20th century, men and women were not seen equally.
From prehistory to 1450 CE, in many different and complex civilizations, religion has influenced the gender roles of many societies. From prehistory to 600 BCE, in Mesopotamia, women could own property, maintain their dowry, and even trade. However, from 600 BCE to 600 CE, in Rome, women were completely under the control of their paterfamilias. Than, from 600 to 1450 CE, in the Byzantine Empire, women were constrained to their homes, and when they went out, they had to wear veils over their faces. Religion influenced the gender roles of many societies and civilizations from prehistory to 1450 CE.
In a society, gender roles are the roles that are restricted to males or females on the basis of their sexism. Conventionally, in numerous societies including the western society, it is supposed that females are more encouraged at any platform than the males. It is believed that for the development of a society, females should be treated in an encouraged way because encouragement of the females help in the betterment of society. Earlier, it was considered that females should remain at home and they should maintain the household things rather than working outside because outside work is only for the males, but it was a traditional way of treating women, which has been changed now.
Women’s rights in Iran or the Middle East has always been an arguable issue. Although there rights have been changed throughout the centuries they were never really compared equal to men or noone really accepted them. Specially for women in Iran, they barely had any rights in culture, marriage or other aspects of their lives. In the following essay you will read about the everday lives of Middle Eastern women.
Gender role goes beyond biological sex, it is more based to identify leadership as masculine and feminine gender stereotypes. In the middle east, women viewed as housewives, they can not be open with men, and they are not freely to wear what they want. That is because of the tradition, the culture, and the religion that everyone takes very serious. The patriarchy is well known in the Arab World It is getting better over time, but very slowly. Leadership, the final dissections, and all the power belongs to men. They have the freedom to do anything at any time. In the books of Season of Migration to the North and Miramar, genders play an important role in both of the novels.
He was honored like a martyr. A crowd gathered to take him to the Baheshte Zahra cemetery” (31). This graphic image and detail that Satrapi included in her graphic novel exhibits the way that fellow protesters honored each other. This specific man was also referred to as “ ...a hero” (31). By including the two details of the violent demonstration and the army killing a protester, Satrapi effectively portrays the revolution in her country.This small picture demonstrates another prominent theme in the story, social classes. In this picture, all three people represent the three main social classes. All of them have the same goal, to make it to the top of the building, or to make it to live lavishly and happily. The rich man has the easiest way to the top, he has an elevator, which symbolizes his money and social standing, and will be there shortly. The middle class woman has the ability to reach the top with her rope, but it won’t be as easy or as fast as the rich man’s journey. Again, in this situation, her money and social power are symbolized by the rope. Lastly, the poor man doesn’t even stand a chance to make it to the top, his ladder is not nearly long enough for him to be able to make it. He simply doesn’t have enough money or social power to make it. As one can see, these three social classes are well-defined, and in the graphic novel, Persepolis, they’re heavily implemented in daily life. An example of this is on pages 36 and 37 where the love affair
Throughout the various texts and films we observed this semester, there were a multitude of underlying themes associated with each. These themes do not live in a textual or film related vacuum, but rather offer major implications on given Middle Eastern cultures. In the fictional film Offside, directed by Jafar Panahi, he decides to zero in on the complex culture within Iran. He illustrates the culture within Iran by employing the 2006 World Cup qualifying soccer match between Iran and Bahrain as a metaphor of the various social dynamics attached to this sporting event and the country as a whole. That said, there are numerous underlying themes associated with this film. In this paper, however, I will
Accustomed to stereotypical depictions, Westerners are told that Middle Eastern women are passive, weak, and always veiled. It is often assumed that the severe conditions in Saudi Arabia—where women are not even allowed to drive cars—represent the norm for women throughout the Middle East and in the larger Muslim world. In reality, Saudi Arabia’s versions of both Islam and sexism are rather unique in their severities, although the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan is now emulating the sexist Saudi model. Women enjoy political and social rights in many Muslim countries, and Egypt has recently granted women the right to divorce their husbands. In Tunisia, abortion is legal, and polygamy is prohibited. Women have served as ministers in the Syrian, Jordanian, Egyptian, Iraqi, and Tunisian governments, and as Vice President in Iran.
This is a significant aspect of the course because the article examines the strengths and weaknesses of femininity through a cultural Muslim perspective and the reading is a prime example of how ideologies regarding race affect those involved. In class we have discussed the significances of social constructs and how assumptions are made on the basis of physical characteristics. In this situation, identity is related to gender as Muslim women are categorized as both good/respectful and rebellious/evil individuals because they are apart of a culture where they are both oppressed and liberated simultaneously.
Fazileh employed the use of questionnaires to conduct his study in the rural population of Iran (Dadvar,68). The questionnaires contained 64 items and were geared towards; gender rights and duties and the attitudes of men and women towards the same,