Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Gender Studies and Sexuality
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Travel Literature: A Glance Over Nineteenth-Century Greek Women
Maria Kyriakidou
ABSTRACT:
At the time of its formation (after 1830s), the Modern Greek state consisted of heterogeneous social elements which composed a mosaic lacking uniformity. This mosaic was well noticed by the majority of foreign travelers to the country at the time. The present paper reports on the depiction of mid-nineteenth century Greek women status by the travelers as subordinate, dismal and oriental. Most of such travelers to Greece came from the upper income, urban social stratum of their respective countries and observed women’s place both in cities and the countryside. The scarcity of women in city streets, the hard and burdensome life for country women and the plight of marriage life which appeared unhappy and miserable were all reported by most western travelers with feelings of aversion. In addition, the conditions for laboring girls in the incepting, early Greek manufacturing sector came in dire contrast to the working conditions in the already industrialized western European countries, where the travelers came from. However, one woman amongst those travelers was able to discern changing patterns and hope for improvement placing education first among the necessary preconditions for the female emancipation in Greece.
keywords: education, family status, Greek history, social status, working girls