The Rise of Patriarchy

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the history of a male-dominated society. It reviews Riane Eisler?s classic, "The Chalice and the Blade". The paper explains that, in matriarchy, fighting was to defend self and home, whereas in patriarchy, fighting was to take territory and possessions, to increase that which was owned, and to prove dominance. It is this dominance that is at the heart of the changes described in Eisler?s book.

From the Paper:

"Even after much of the overt worship of goddesses had been changed and surpressed, the forms remain in the Shekhina of Hebrew tradition and of course, the Catholic Virgin Mary. The Mother remains, in disguise. For about 5000 years, society has been run on increasingly male-dominated and patriarchal lines with, it seems increasingly destructive results. When societies honored the earth as the supplier of all that was needed, it would have been impossible "even if the technology had been present" for people to mindlessly destroy the very foundations of all life."

More papers on The Rise of Patriarchy:

• Analytical Essay # 69866 : "Patriarchy and Clytemnestra"
• Analytical Essay # 64714 : "The Rise of Silas Lapham"
• Essay # 49263 : "Colonial Slavery"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: