Anyanka said

Cultural norms were different then…women’s sphere of influence was expected to be totally domestic. well, amongst the higher classes anyway.

That made the exceptional women who were endowed with power highly visible, then as now. Look at the vemon spewed out at Hillary Clinton and compare it to what was said about Anne Boleyn or Cleopatra IX. The words may have changed but the sentiment is still “get back to your knitting and let the men rule the world”.

This is so true, Anyanka. It seems many people still hold the sentiment that a women’s place is in the kitchen. How sad, really! When I was reading Stacy Schiff’s bio about Cleopatra, I was amazed at the similarities between people’s views of Cleopatra, and how it mirrored opinions about Anne. They may be separated by centuries and cultures, but people still did not know what to do with powerful, intelligent, and opinionated woman.

I must say though, even people within my own family, tend to view me with some distain (and sympathy). You know, poor me: nearing 30, unmarried and no children . What will I do with my life? I I don’t know..move to Paris, maybe!?

I think part of the fascination in all these women from times gone by is that though we do not know muchabout them really we do know something and that catches our imaginations, our emotions and our perceptions of women through time. We know very little about Mrs Baker whosold bread from ahovel in a village in 1550 or Miss Scullion who plucked chickens in a dank, cold kitchen in 1460 or whatever. We do have the beginningsof herstory as opposed to history in the lives of queensand the mothers of rulers or even the mistresses, not much but at least theyare documented. All through history there have beenwomen right there just as weare today but little is knownabout them except in some instances. 500 years from now who do you think people will be enthusingover or talking about? It is all there now for the world tosee and sometimes more than wewant to see. Will future generations set up forums to share their enthusiasm for Katie Price or Beyonce or the first female police commisioner or bank manager, or will they too go back to the Tudors, Plantaganets et all looking for strongwomen who really didsomething, suffered for something (even if itwas religion).
I think that ispartly why we are so fascinated by all these women now.
(I know what I was trying to say I hope you too got the gist of it )