A Patriachal Society

Having studied how gender is represented through music covers, I learned that even today we live in a world where men have more power and control, and women have a disadvantaged subordinate status, this is generally known as a Patriarchal society. This theme is supported by the theory of the ‘glass ceiling’, meaning that the progress of a qualified person within the hierarchy of an organisation is stopped at a lower level because of a form of sexism. Patriarchy therefore refers to a structure whereby men are dominant not in numbers, but due to status-related power. This leads on to the argument that the society has always had a misogynistic approach, where men have displayed prejudice against or looked down upon women.

This War poster reveals that men had an misogynistic approach to all women, as they degrade their status, referring to the women as 'gals'.

However, in the 1960’s – 70’s a feminist act was launched, this was a movement in which women questioned their position within the ‘patriarchal society’ and the ‘private society’ of home, children, and domestic bliss. Women began to debate the restricted range of stereotypes present across the media, such as:

• Women as virgins, mothers or whores.
• Women as sex objects.
• Women as inferior to men.
• Women as domestic.

  

This revealed that in the past men saw women as either seen as angels or whores. This is established by Coventry Patmore’s poem ‘The angel in the house’. In this poem he expresses his joy that he has the ideal wife, however the name "Angel in the house" refers to a women who embodied the Victorian feminine ideal. A wife and mother who was devoted to her children and submissive to her husband.

Man must be pleased; but him to please
Is woman's pleasure; down the gulf
Of his condoled necessities
She casts her best, she flings herself.
How often flings for nought, and yokes
Her heart to an icicle or whim,
Whose each impatient word provokes
Another, not from her, but him;
While she, too gentle even to force
His penitence by kind replies,
Waits by, expecting his remorse,
With pardon in her pitying eyes;
And if he once, by shame oppress'd,
A comfortable word confers,
She leans and weeps against his breast,
And seems to think the sin was hers;
Or any eye to see her charms,
At any time, she's still his wife,
Dearly devoted to his arms;
She loves with love that cannot tire;
And when, ah woe, she loves alone,
Through passionate duty love springs higher,
As grass grows taller round a stone.