Traditional Gender Roles and Confucianism

Discussion - Traditional Gender Roles
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March 23, 2022
Question 1: What do the readings tell us about the status of daughters-in-law?
1. What does Ban Zhao tell us about the status of daughters-in-law? What does she mean when she states, "Now and hereafter,...I know how to escape from such fears"?
Understanding the background context of literature is essential for any reader. It allows him to better appreciate how the text relates to its medium, delivery, and the societal circumstances under which it was created.
In the article written by Ban Zhao entitled Lessons for Women, one of the notable contents was that about the role of daughters-in-law in society. Notably, the author said that the daughters-in-law should agree and be obedient to the whims and wishes of their parents-in-law. In fact, the author even said that this unconditional agreement should be complied with regardless of whether the latter's decisions are right or wrong. In addition to this, it is also notable that respect for daughters-in-law during those times would be much accorded to them for having the virtue of being obedient than being assertive.
In line with this, I believe that this feature of society is highly characteristic of the early days of human civilization. Note that the Lessons for Women was written in the early Han Dynasty, which was characterized by a strict differentiation of gender roles between men and women. This was exemplified in Ban Zhao's quote telling us about her fear of causing disgrace to her family, particularly with this quote:
No woman who observes these three fundamentals of life has ever had a bad reputation or has fallen into disgrace. If a woman fails to observe them, how can her name be honored; how can she but bri...