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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A paper which looks at the role of women in Hindu society, based on religious texts such as the Laws of Manu, and considers the socio-cultural reasons why they should have a subordinate role.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JL5_JLmanu.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
favourably of the nature of women, depicting them as subordinate to men, corrupt, untrustworthy and so on. The Laws of Manu, for example, state that women were created false, and
fickle, and must be kept under constant guard by men in order to stop them reverting to their true nature, which is promiscuous and malicious. Virtuous qualities are assigned to
men, but women are portrayed as false - one gets the impression that men are the "true" human beings, whereas women are ugly imitations of reality. The Laws of Manu
asserts, in fact, that "women, who have no virile strength and no Vedic verse, are falsehood". (Manusmrti 9: 14 - 18)
Manusmrti 5 sets out in great detail the role of women within society. They are not to separate themselves from the
male members of the family: a woman is first under the jurisdiction of her father, then her husband, and if left widowed, her sons. Her submission to her husband is
total - his behaviour, even if it is violent and unfaithful, must not be challenged by the wife: she is to serve him "like a god", whatever his failings. Women
are not to be allowed any form of independence - they cannot even undertake religious fasts on their own initiative, but must join in with their husbands religious rituals. The
wifes commitment to her husband effectively extends beyond death; a widow is not permitted to take another husband, and any children of a second marriage are declared illegitimate.
The Visnusmrti takes a very similar perspective on the duties of women, stating that
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