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Oppression Of Women

Decent Essays

The actions of Delilah in Judges toward Samson accurately depicts that of a woman who has woven her way into the heart of a man only to expose and exploit him for personal gain. This is, perhaps, a founding basis for Milton’s view of women as a naturally inevitable source of weakness for men. But the persona of Delilah created by Milton in Samson Agonistes as she presents an insincere, haughty, and prideful “apology” to Samson is a reflection of what can be seen as Milton’s fear of a deceptive woman in the life of a man. To put it plainly, women left unchecked by a man have potential danger that is unparalleled and it must be kept in check. Although Milton clearly illustrates his view of women as being the lesser of the sexes and as a potential …show more content…

Therefore, the women presented in Miltonic Literature are deceptive, prideful, and ultimately a source of weakness for men. According to Professor Zuckerman, the notion of a “good woman” found in Proverbs 31 can be directly tied to the Hebrew phrase “eshet chayil”. This phrase means “a woman of valour”. The actions of a woman of valour are not the same as the actions of a man formed in valour as previously discussed in this paper. However, the actions a woman of valour are clearly detailed in the following verses of Proverbs 31. The scripture states that a good woman will have the trust of her husband while doing him good, and no harm, for the rest of her life. This entails that a woman should be concerned, first and foremost, with the successes of her husband. She is to consistently support him and provide him with the help he needs while never crossing swords or creating conflict with him. This is an interesting observation because, according to Professor Zuckerman, if one looks further into the meaning of “eshet chayil”, it is found that the phrase comes in reference to a woman that gives a man

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