Hypatia - The Intellectual

There is very little that is known for sure about this Greek heroine as she lived so long ago, and those who have written her story are usually religiously biased. With this in mind, I intend to create an open minded version of this story, as I have no wish to misrepresent her.

The exact year of Hypatia's birth is unknown, though it is believed to have been between 350 and 370 AD. She grew up in Alexandria with her father, Theon, who was a mathematician. Alexandria was, at the time, a part of the Eastern Roman Empire, and home to Greeks, Romans, Jews and Christians. Christianity was on the rise, and there was much tension between religious groups. Women in these times were not as oppressed as some in other times, but it was still very unusual for women to achieve the status that Hypatia did. She was most likely educated by her father to become a great scholar, a teacher, and head of the Neoplatonic school in Alexandria.

The burning of the Library of Alexandria
Illustration c.1910

Hypatia was a mathematician, an inventor, an astronomer and a philosopher. She was a considered a child prodigy, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. She spent much of her childhood in the Great Library of Alexandria, which supposedly housed the world's greatest collection of papyrus scrolls, some of which were written by the greatest minds in the world. It is believed that the library was destroyed, along with all the other pagan temples, when paganism was outlawed in 391 AD. As the library existed long before there was such thing as a printing press, it did not contain books, but hand written scrolls. When the library was burned, the knowledge within it was lost forever. This would have been devastating for Hypatia and the other scholars of Alexandria, though the best of the information in the library was all contained in Hypatia's mind.

Synesius attends the
lectures of Hypatia

Hypatia was a firm believer in the Neoplatonic philosophy that she taught. No matter her own beliefs, she was happy to teach anyone who was willing to learn. She taught philosophy and astronomy and took on students of all cultures and faiths, and would even hold public lectures in the city centre for anyone who would listen. One of her students, Synesius, later became a Christian bishop, and incorporated Neoplatonic ideas in the Christian doctrine.

Orestes

Another former student of Hypatia was Orestes, the prefect (governor) of Alexandria. Orestes apparently often sought Hypatia's counsel, and it is said she was held in high respect and had some influence with Oresetes' government. This was highly unusual for a woman. By all accounts, Hypatia was a very beautiful woman, but it was through the balance of confidence and humility that she is said to have commanded the respect of powerful men. Later Christian writers portrayed Hypatia as an evil seductress who had bewitched Orestes to do her bidding, but the account of Socrates Scholasticus (which was written closer to the time of Hypatia's death, and appears unbiased) describes her as a woman who had earned her influential position by her great 'dignity and virtue'. It is believed that she was unmarried, and remained a virgin, which would have been in line with her Platonic beliefs.

Bishop Cyril

According to Scholasticus, Hypatia's friendship with Orestes proved fatal. Cyril, the Bishop of Alexandria, was working to flush the remaining Jews and Pagans out of the city, and though Orestes was a Christian man, he was more tolerant of those of other faiths and desired all to live peacefully in the city.Their feud came to a head in 415 AD, when fundamentalist Christian monks entered the city and began abusing Orestes, calling him a pagan and an idolater. Orestes protested, explaining that he was a baptised Christian, but his complaints fell on deaf ears. One of the monks threw a stone and hit Orestes in the head. The monk, named Ammonius, was captured and tortured, which resulted in his death. Cyril proclaimed him a martyr.

'So, what has all this to do with a pagan philosopher?' you may ask. Perhaps absolutely nothing. Nevertheless, rumours circulated that Hypatia was responsible for the irreconcilable differences between Cyril and Orestes. Hypatia was captured by a mob of Christian fanatics, taken to a church, and skinned alive with roof tiles. Her body was torn apart and burned.

Hypatia, being dragged through the streets
of Alexandria by her murderers

Scholasticus writes that the news of Hypatia's murder was met with outrage against Cyril and his followers. The scholars are said to have left Alexandria in disgust. Scholasticus, himself a Christian, lamented that the whole affair, including Hypatia's murder, was far from being in 'the spirit of Christianity'.

Some historians believe that along with Hypatia's death came the death of the age of Classical Antiquity, which was followed by an age of religion, blind faith and ignorance (sometimes referred to as the 'dark ages'). The sciences and philosophies Hypatia taught were all but forgotten until the Renaissance, when her legend was revived and she was revered as an intellectual heroine.

Hypatia has become a role model and idol for feminists, scientists, pagans and atheists. She has been recreated in many theatrical and literary works, even in modern times. In particular, she is revered for her unwavering strength of character and her readiness to stand up for her beliefs, for wisdom and reason.

Sources:

http://www.feministezine.com/feminist/philosophy/Hypatia.html

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/womens-history/hypatia-ancient-alexandrias-great-female-scholar-10942888/?no-ist=&page=2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypatia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria

Queen Elizabeth I

A young Elizabeth

Elizabeth I is one of the most famous monarchs in English history, having reigned for over 44 years, placing her in the top ten longest reigning monarchs in the history of the UK. Many of her achievements brought about great and lasting change in England and the rest of Europe.

Elizabeth was born in 1533, the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Anne was a protestant, and had influenced Henry to break from the Catholic Church so that he could divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and marry her.

Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII

When Elizabeth was two years old, her mother was executed on her father's orders for adultery and treason (which were most likely false charges). The King very quickly remarried and his new wife, Jane Seymour, produced a much longed for male heir. Elizabeth, who had been first in line to the throne (over her older sister, Mary), was declared illegitimate and removed from the succession. Following her father's death, her half brother Edward acceeded the throne. He lived only another six years. Attempts were made to pass the throne to their cousin, Lady Jane Grey, but within little more than a week, Mary was proclaimed Queen.

Queen Mary

Mary, a devout Catholic, sought to reunite England with the Catholic Church. During her five year reign she earned the title 'Bloody Mary', as she restored medieval heresy laws, and burned over 280 protestants. Protestant Thomas Wyatt attempted to raise a rebellion against Mary in 1554, with the goal of placing Elizabeth (raised a protestant, like her mother) on the throne.The rebellion was suppressed, and though Elizabeth claimed she was not personally involved, she was imprisoned for a year. Though Mary could have had her executed for treason, she chose to spare her sister's life. As Mary left no heir, Elizabeth became queen when she died in 1558.

Coronation portrait of Elizabeth I

Elizabeth was 25 when her reign began. England was at war with France, which had drained the economy, and the religious reformation was creating conflict internally. Almost immediately, Elizabeth sought to repair the rift between the Catholics and Protestants of her country. Though she was a Christian woman, she had no desire to 'dispute over trifles', and would not tolerate fundamentalism. The heresy laws that applied under Mary's reign were abolished, and though there were laws created pertaining to the compulsory use of the Book of Common Prayer and attendance at Church, the punishment for failing to do so was not severe. The burning of heretics at the stake became a thing of the past.

Mary, Queen of Scots
being led to the scaffold

Regardless of her moderate rule, there was still Catholic opposition, with many Catholics believing that Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots had a greater claim to the throne. Rebellions and assassination attempts were raised in her name, and whilst none were successful, Mary spent the greater part of 20 years imprisoned. Though Mary's very presence was a threat to her own life, Elizabeth appeared reluctant to follow through with a death sentence for her cousin. Eventually, however, having been shown irrefutable evidence of Mary's involvement in plots to overthrow her, Elizabeth caved and sanctioned Mary's trial and execution (though she said later that it was not done on her orders).

The Hampden portrait,
made shortly before the 'Virgin Queen'
iconography began

Throughout her reign, Elizabeth was put under pressure to marry and produce an heir to the throne, to avoid civil war between would-be successors in the event of her death. Publicly, Elizabeth neither agreed nor refused to marry, though it seems her observations of her father's and her sister's marriages caused her to avoid the stresses and troubles of a royal marriage. King Henry VIII married six times, and his wives were all put under pressure to bear sons, with the prospect of execution of they lost the King's favour. Mary had married Phillip II of Spain, which had obviously been an unpopular choice among her people, and though they shared a passion for their Catholic faith, it seemed they had little passion for each other. It was also speculated that Thomas Seymour and his wife (Elizabeth's former step-mother Catherine Parr), whom she had lived with during her early adolescence, had behaved in an inappropriate sexual way with Elizabeth, which had put her off sexual relationships in her adulthood.

Miniatures of Elizabeth and Robert Dudley

Elizabeth favoured Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who had been a childhood friend. Gossip circulated about the pair. The trouble was that he was already married. When his wife was killed in a fall down a flight of stairs, both Elizabeth and Dudley were suspected of foul play. They never married, however, which left Elizabeth free to 'consider' other foreign suitors. Her availability seemed to become a way for her to achieve diplomatic and political ends. Until she was around 50 years old, Elizabeth considered the suit of several influential foreigners, including her sister's husband, Phillip II of Spain, King Eric XIV of Sweden, Archduke Charles of Austria, and Henry, Duke of Anjou, and later Francis, Duke of Anjou. Still she remained unmarried, and said that instead she was married to her kingdom and her people.

The Rainbow Portrait, c.1600

Elizabeth was fiercely independent and desired to remain sole ruler of her realm. She cultivated her image as the 'Virgin Queen', and she was idolised by many. Being a single female and holding so much power meant that she was idolised as a goddess, something more than human. What added to this image was her heavy use of cosmetics and wigs following her illness with smallpox, which left her badly scarred. She created herself as she wished to be seen. The make-up concoction that made her look so pale was made of white lead and vinegar, which must have impacted her health, but even as she aged, portraits of her became more and more idealistic, as evidenced by the 'Rainbow Portrait' (displayed to the right), which was painted when she was 67 years old. She appears ageless.

The defeat of the Spanish Armada

Over the course of her reign, Elizabeth displayed a reluctance to send her people to war, but she dealt successfully with several internal rebellions, and assisted the Dutch against their Spanish invaders. This was necessary, since control of the Netherlands would make it easy for Phillip II to invade England. Philip II was building a large Armada for just such a purpose. He intended to use the ships to transport his main force from the Netherlands to England, but the Armada was intercepted before it reached the Netherlands. The English Navy, under the command of the veteran Sir Francis Drake, earned England one of the most famous military victories in history, dispersing the Spanish fleet using fire ships. This victory was a turning point in the balance of power in Europe. Phillip II was humbled by such a decisive defeat. Pope Sixtus V wrote 'She is only a woman. Only mistress of half an island. And yet she makes herself feared by Spain, by France, by the empire, by all.'

Elizabeth at age 62

In the later years of Elizabeth's reign there was a marked decline in her popularity, due to the strain on the economy that war had inflicted, failed crops food shortages and dramatic changes to her privy council. Many of the members of her original privy council had passed away by the 1590s and it was then made up of ambitious men, who struggled between themselves for the most powerful positions. Elizabeth's personal power in matters of state grew less and less.

As Elizabeth's power declined, the culture of her country flourished. With the consistency and stability of Elizabeth's reign, and the people no longer under pressure to subscribe to one belief or another, the doors were opened for a creative revolution. The period is known for its advances in fashion (Elizabeth herself was a fashion icon), literature, theatre, painting and music.

Upon Elizabeth's death, James VI of Scotland (the son of Elizabeth's past rival Mary, Queen of Scots) inherited her throne, becoming James I of England. Though he was also a protestant, he was accused of being a Catholic sympathiser and was generally unpopular, which prompted a cultural show of nostalgaia for Elizabeth. She was remembered as the heroine of her people, virtuous and strong. A leader who had brought England from turmoil into a golden age of prosperity. Her memory has been revived many times since, when England faces adversity. She has become an enduring symbol of progress, and Great Britain's pride and strength.

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/queen-elizabeth-i-9286133#related-video-gallery

http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/uk/armada/back/backd.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England

The Trung Sisters

I must admit, I know very little about Asian history. Having grown up in the Western world, I have had a rather ethno-centric education. I only recently came across the story of the Vietnamese Trung sisters, and I am fascinated to learn more. This blog has become a fantastic excuse for me to satisfy my urge to learn more about our history. Yes, I'm a nerd. And I love it.

Trung Trac and Trung Nhi were sisters born in Vietnam during a time of Chinese domination. There are only a couple of sources which document the uprising of the Trung sisters, and they were written long after they sisters died, so much of their story is passed on by word of mouth. Traditionally, it is believed that the sisters were born into a well respected military family, and were taught the skills of martial arts and warfare from an early age. Trung Trac married Thi Sach, the son of a prefect from a neighbouring region. 

The Chinese Han dynasty had held control over all of Vietnam for almost 250 years, and their rule was oppressive. The Vietnamese people were being forced to assimilate with the Chinese way of life. Thi Sach made a stand against the Chinese, and was executed as an example to all those who would rebel. Enraged, Trung Trac began gathering warriors to lead an uprising. According to legend, the majority of these warriors were women. 

The sisters are often pictured riding elephants into battle. Their impression must have been fearsome. Within months they had taken approximately 65 citadels from the Chinese, and liberated Vietnam. They became co-rulers of their country, and resisted further attacks from the Chinese for three years. What happened next is very fuzzy indeed...

There are many and varied accounts of what happened to the Trung sisters following their eventual defeat at the hands of the Chinese. Some say they were executed by the Chinese general Ma Yuan, some say they died in battle, others say they committed suicide rather than yield to the Chinese (as suggested in the picture above, they threw themselves into a river). There are also very fanciful stories. In one of them, for example, the sisters vanished into the sky.

It's not difficult to see why these women have been so idolised and mythologised. With their dedication and ferocity they saved their people, at least for a time, from the tyranny of their Chinese overlords. For this feat they have been immortalised in statues all over Vietnam, they have had many temples dedicated to them, and places named after them. Once a year a festival is held in remembrance of the Trung sisters, honouring their courage, leadership and fighting skills. 

Apparently, some historians believe that the story of the Trung sisters, and that of a later freedom fighter, Lady Trieu, may have been evidence that Vietnam was a matriarchal society before the Chinese invaded and forced the people to assimilate. It's a pretty cool idea, but I'm not sure I believe it. I think it's impressive enough that at the time, Vietnamese women were trained in combat and accepted as leaders and rulers. And I think it possible that without these ferocious warriors, Vietnam would have been absorbed into China, and its culture would be forgotten.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C6%B0ng_Sisters

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/heroine10.html

http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/hell-hath-no-fury-trung-sister-freedom-fighters-002199

http://blindlight.org/index.php/component/k2/item/127-ten-powerful-and-fearsome-women-of-the-ancient-world

Frida Kahlo - The brutal realist

'Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress'
1926

So, for this blog, I'm just going to be choosing women somewhat at random to write a little bit about. Some will real women, some will be characters from stories and myth, some will be famous, and others will not. Usually she will just be someone I feel particularly connected with at the time, for whatever reason. Today, with my creative flow in full swing, the woman that comes to mind is my artistic idol, Frida Kahlo.

To be honest, I'm finding it a slightly intimidating task to tell a story about Frida in a single blog post. There were so many amazing aspects to Frida's life and art that I don't know where to start. Rather than try to put her life story in order, I think I will simply focus on some inspiring points.

Art

Frida was a talented painter. She learned to paint self-portraits when she was young, being bedridden for the better part of two years following a bus accident. She had a mirror in the canopy of her bed and an easel she could place on her lap. From there she painted the portrait to the right.The horrific injuries she sustained in the accident meant that she was in physical pain for a lot of her adult life, and she was unable to bear children. Her paintings became a means for her to express her pain. She was called a surrealist by some, but she rejected the label, saying that her paintings were of her reality, not her dreams. Her paintings illustrate heatbreak and physical exhaustion and agony in a brutally honest way. When asked why she painted so many self portraits, Frida replied 'I paint myself because I am so often alone, and because I am the subject I know best.'

Diego Rivera

At the age of 22, Frida married fellow painter, Diego Rivera. He was over twenty years her senior. They seemed an odd couple, and they had a turbulent relationship. Both had extra-marital affairs, and Frida took both male and female lovers. Seeing other people seemed to be an acceptable situation for them both, until Diego was caught having an affair with Frida's sister, Cristina. They divorced in 1939, but remarried a year later. Frida's art was heavily influenced by Diego, whose work she had always admired. Diego was also often the subject of her work, whether it be her love for him or the pain he had caused her. She once said 'There have been two great accidents in my life. One was the trolley (bus), the other was Diego. Diego was by far the worst.'

Fashion and style

I remember my art teacher telling me that Frida's style was so colourful and unique that she literally stopped traffic while she was living in New York. Whilst I don't know if that was actually true, the idea is indicative of Frida's very individual sense of style. She grew up surrounded by females, having five sisters and no brothers. Perhaps as a way to balance out her household, as an adolescent Frida would often be seen dressed as a boy. Androgyny was part of her style for most of her life. Though she dressed in very feminine jewellery and traditional Mexican dress, she made no attempt to hide her 'unibrow' or dark moustache. Following her divorce from Diego, she cut off her hair and started again to dress in men's clothes. Perhaps this was her way of warding off men who might hurt her again.

Communism

To the right, Frida is pictured wearing one of the casts that she often had to wear to support her back, probably following a correctional operation. She often painted her casts, and several of them display the hammer and sickle, a communist symbol. She and Diego were well known communists. Though she was born 1907, Frida liked to say she was born in 1910, along with the Mexican revolution, and shortly before the creation of the Socialist Worker's Party. In 1937, Frida and Diego took Leon Trotsky and his wife into their home. Trotsky was a political refugee, having been exiled by Josef Stalin. Frida is said to have had an affair with Trotsky in the years that he stayed with she and Diego. After Trotsky was assassinated, Frida and Diego openly supported Stalin.


During her life, Frida must have been a force to be reckoned with. She was a strong woman, but she was not afraid to show her weaker side. She can be related to and admired in so many aspects of her life. Fashion, expression, sexuality, individuality and strength in adversity to name a few. Her raw representations of her own life experiences can be heartbreaking, and her attitude inspiring. She was in pain for most of her life, but she still managed to live it to a fuller extent than many more able bodied people manage. Her face is one of the most recognisable faces in our society, and she is often represented in pop art.

I now know why Frida was first on my list. She is my favourite female idol. She's the kind of woman we all wish we were.

Herstory

In the past, the role of women has swung backwards and forwards between being worshiped and enslaved. Sometimes both at once. Some historians believe there were matriarchal societies in ancient human history, but others dispute the theory, arguing that it there is very little evidence. At the dawn of human existence, people were not able to write, so archaeologists have had free reign to 'fill in the blanks'. I personally like the idea that women were once the leaders of their communities, but part of me thinks it's nothing more than a nice fantasy.

The Venus of Willendorf.
Believed to have been sculpted
between 25000 and 28000 B.C

 Regardless of whether  or not matriarchal societies existed, women were certainly revered for several of their feminine qualities. The ability to bleed and not die, the ability to bring forth life and to nurture it, and sometimes for their seductive power. To the left is pictured the 'Venus of Willendorf'. She is a paleolithic creation, approximately 30,000 years old. There have been many other similar figurines found originating from this period, so it seems clear that this particular image of a woman was of some cultural significance. Her large breasts and round belly appear to indicate that she was perhaps a symbol of fertility, perhaps even a representation of a goddess. She is among the first known pieces of artwork created, at a time when humans were supposedly only beginning to use stone tools and engage in spiritual behaviour. 

Humans began learning to write a lot later, at around 3200 B.C. Since people were able to record events and mythologies after this time, there is a lot less guesswork involved in understanding the culture of the times. From this point until relatively recently, the vast majority of communities were patriarchal. Most women had very few legal rights, and were viewed as property themselves. They were not viewed as real citizens, and were represented by a male 'guardian', usually their father or their husband. Their role was to marry and to bear children.

Ancient Egyptian couple

There were, however exceptions to this rule. If a girl was growing up in ancient society, she'd best be an Egyptian, Spartan, Scandinavian or a Celt, Things were a little different in these societies. Though they were essentially patriarchal societies, women were respected more or less as equals, and had most of the same legal rights, including being able to buy, sell and own property. In Egypt, great emphasis was placed on the happiness of a marriage and family, meaning that Egyptian girls and women were treated with love and respect. In Spartan Greece women were renowned for being physically strong, owing to training they went through in order to be fit mothers. Being a warrior society, Spartans valued strong women (both physically and mentally) who would bear strong sons. In Celtic society, it is believed by some that girls were allowed to train as warriors and rulers beside their brothers, and there were definitely female druids. Celtic women were recognised as a force to be feared in battle. Some of their fiercest warrior legends are in fact women. One example is Queen Boadicea (or Boudica), who was a warrior chieftain. She united several previously warring British tribes in an uprising against the Romans. It was initially very successful because the Romans (being Romans) had severely underestimated her.

Young Spartan girl, running. c. 500 B.C

Through the medieval and renaissance periods, women were mostly kept subordinate in their home and family environment. In Catholic Europe, women's legal rights were few to none. Noblewomen were often treated with more respect and exempted from doing chores and housework, but the poorer women usually worked very hard alongside the men, and were paid a lot less.

It may surprise you that East and south of Europe, Islamic law was more respectful of women. It is suggested that between the 7th and 18th centuries, women were given roles of importance in Islamic society, there were even female Muftis (legal advisors) and spiritual teachers. These sorts of rights were not afforded Western women until relatively recently. The Catholic Church persists to bar women from the clergy even today. Don't get me wrong, I understand they have their religious reasons, and I respect their right to their beliefs, but it doesn't stop me from disagreeing with them.

An 18th century depiction of
Queen Boadicea by John Opie

In the last century, the status of women in Western society has changed rapidly and dramatically. Thanks to fearless campaigning of suffragettes and feminists, women in most countries were awarded the vote in the early 20th century, and women have subsequently had a greater ability to improve their situations. Now in the Western world women have more or less equal status with men, and are mostly allowed to pursue the same career paths, own and inherit just as much property, and earn the same wages. It is not the same for women in all areas of the world, but increasing recognition of a 'global community' perhaps means that a better situation for those women still oppressed may be expected in the near future (is that too optimistic?). 

Suffragettes at a demonstration
in London

Modern feminism is helpful in campaigning for the rights of women across the globe, but does it go a little too far in some regards? My personal opinion is yes, they can go a little too far. Feminists today seem to portray men as evil and/or stupid. Admittedly, I am generalising, I do not assume this is all feminists, but it is the extremist feminists that seem to be making themselves heard. They appear obsessed by the continuing idea that women are oppressed, and they attempt to ridicule women who have taken on traditionally female roles of their own free choice. Essentially, modern feminism has become a contradiction of what feminism was initially intended to achieve. The goal of having equal rights with men has been twisted into having power men. Having to right to choose one's role in society has been twisted into the expectation that women should choose traditionally male roles and behave like males,

I don't consider myself a feminist because I like the equilibrium that masculine and feminine energy appears to have reached for the moment. Perhaps I am an equalist? I'm not sure. I believe that men and women are not the same, they are supposed to be different, but their roles in the world compliment each other. Trying to be more masculine is to me the very opposite of self-empowerment. Self empowerment comes from acknowledging and honouring who we truly are, whether we be masculine, feminine, or a little of both. Women are still discovering how they can use their  more feminine strengths in a more diverse range of roles, some of which have been male dominated for a very long time. Our society is growing further and further from its patriarchal roots, and there are so many possibilities! Our recent ancestors have thrown open the floodgates of opportunity, and women living in western society today are perhaps able to live fuller lives than any other woman throughout history.

The chains are broken. It is up to us now to make the best of our freedom.