Q True feminism, as we know it, was not really inaugurated until the twentieth century. It was only then, in a favorably liberal political climate, that the argument for equal treatment of women was made. That is not to say, though, that historically, there have not been moments, in even the most patriarchal societies, where we can glimpse moments of quasi-feminist insight. Review the readings that I had you consult for the "Women in Ancient Greece" lecture, and tell me whether you think there are any proto-feminist ideas or impulses contained in any of them. To develop the conversation further, keep in mind that one of the most integral aspects of any definition of literature is that that it in some way encodes important social values. Within these play excerpts and poems what social values do you see that are transformed so that women are seen on equal footing as men? Or, possibly, is there no feminist tendency here at all?
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