Does Pakistan Society Regard Women as an Angel in the House or the Source of All Evils?
(English Essay – CSS & PMS)
“Women are the books, the arts, the academies, that show, contain, and nourish all the world.” — Shakespeare
Outline
- Introduction
- The Position of Women in Society
- Civilization and the Status of Women
- The Cultural Diversity in Pakistan
- Urban Women: A Shift in Freedom and Role
- Rural Women: Bound by Tradition and Dependency
- Women as Angels or Sources of Evil: A Comparative View
- Women in Lower-Class Society
- Women in Middle-Class Society
- Women in Upper-Class Society
- Established Religious and Cultural Norms
- The Dual Perception of Women
- Conclusion
Introduction
The position of women in the scale of public opinion varies from society to society. In some societies, they are mere chattels, while in others they are deemed assets. In some, they are regarded as Angels while in others, they are just the source of evil.
The Position of Women in Society
The level of civilization can be gauged in a society by the respect and position women enjoy there. If women are held in high esteem and are not the victims of discrimination in a male chauvinistic society, civilization must be on a higher plane in such societies.
Civilization and the Status of Women
Pakistan society is not comprised of a singular culture. It is a hodgepodge of different races and cultures that is divided along ethnic, linguistic, and cultural lines. Every culture has its own history and peculiar way of life. Arabia, Afghanistan, Persia, English, and Hindu cultures have had their sway over different segments of cultures. Women’s position varies largely in the context of other cultures. Urban people view women in quite a different light than the rural mentality.
Urban Women: A Shift in Freedom and Role
In urban society, women are enjoying more freedom than in rural areas. They are free to choose their occupations, their life partners, and their style of life. People are becoming liberal in terms of letting their wives and daughters work in public offices. Girls are joining the Army, and some of them are the pilots of Fighter aircraft, of the first rank.
Thus, the views of the urban people are undergoing a radical change, and they don’t see any difference between their sons and daughters. Women are going abroad to get higher education, and they are living in hostels in other cities, while their parents are not so much afraid of the “stigma” as they were in the past. It goes to show that they tend to view women as a potential asset, rather than a source of evil.
Rural Women: Bound by Tradition and Dependency
In rural societies, women are more dependent on their families. Most of them are denied the basic right to education. They have less say in ordering their own lives. When they are girls, they have less say in ordering their own lives.
When they get married, they are supposed to serve their husbands and family with devotion, but when they become old, they feel themselves an indispensable member of society. In all three stages of their lives, they are totally dependent on their fathers, husbands, and sons, respectively.
Ironically, in spite of the social, religious, and financial constraints, they enjoy more respect than their counterparts in the urban society. In urban society, respect is something cosmetic, while in rural areas, it is embedded in the social psyche.
Women as Angels or Sources of Evil: A Comparative View
Either women are angels or the source of all evils is too difficult a question to answer, objectively. In the same society, some women are regarded as the source of all evils, while some are styled as angels.
Women in Lower-Class Society
In Pakistani society, perception varies from class to class; usually, there are three classes in the country: the upper, the middle, and the lower.
In the lower, women are merely regarded as chattels. They have no social standing in society. Most of the women act as maidservants and give a helping hand in agriculture. Due to illiteracy and backwardness, women are generally regarded as the source of all evil.
The perception of men regarding women may well be judged by the reaction of men to the birth of a female child. The fathers of the lower class usually look disconsolate at the news of the birth of a female child. They feel shame and turn pale at the thought of how they are going to bring them up.
If in the course of a girl’s life, some scandal is attached to them, they are in for trouble. The ample leisure enjoyed by the lower class provides an opportunity to whisper about the scandal. Familial hostilities jump into the arena and try to denigrate their rivals as vigorously as they can. Owing to the societal pressure, most of the men resort to honour killings.
Women in Middle-Class Society
The women of the middle class are generally regarded as the angels in the house. The majority of the women devote themselves to bringing up their families.
Most of the women are educated, if not highly educated. They know the knack of how to raise a family. If they are mothers, they are considered soothing balm by their children.
These women are the kernel of the home, and without them, life can fall apart at the seams. If they are playing the part of wives, they are regarded as helpers and friends by their spouses.
Women in Upper-Class Society
In the upper class, the response is a mixed one. Most of the men, owing to their higher education, regard women as angels. Still, many who usually belong to the business class tend to view the fair sex as the source of evil.
Even in the same family, the views may vary from person to person. So we can’t say with certainty, but the easy access of higher education makes them tilt towards the view of the “angels in the house”.
Established Religious and Cultural Norms
In Pakistani society, it is an established notion that paradise lies under the feet of a mother. That is to say, by serving mothers wholeheartedly, we can get paradise.
So the influence of Islam is clearly visible in the lives of the majority of Pakistanis. Islam exhorts paying respect to women, and most Pakistanis abide by its injunctions in this regard.
The Dual Perception of Women
Besides, there is a feeling in us that our mothers spend their whole lives rearing their children. Thankless task as it is, they don’t bother to expect any return for their services. They consider it their sacred duty.
They never express remorse at the life-long drudgery. They work day in and day out on the domestic chores. They sacrifice their personal wishes and dream only to give a better future to their children.
On the contrary, women are also regarded as the source of evil due to the following facts:
- Most disputes arise and murders are committed for the sake of women.
- The Indian and European cultures are making inroads into the impressionable minds of the young girls.
- The movies sway the teenagers.
- Extra-marital alliance is on the increase.
- Wives induce husbands to take a bribe due to their constant cajoling.
Thus, ethics and morality are nowhere to be seen, and it is the mothers who are blamed for raising such a generation.
Conclusion
As a whole, Pakistani society regards women as Angels in the house. Now it is up to them to verify or falsify this assertion.
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