메소아메리카 원주민 여성의 사회적 지위와 역할 －아스테카 제국을 중심으로－ (Rethinking the Status and Roles of Aztec Women)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국서양사학회
· 수록지 정보 : 서양사론 / 114호 / 112 ~ 140페이지
· 저자명 : 김윤경

초록

This article aims to analyze the status and roles of Aztec women and to criticize both theories of complementarity and gender hierarchy. First, to approach the status of Aztec women within the categories of “public and private” distorts the reciprocal relationship between men and women. Aztec men did “women’s work” (such as weaving) in the private domain and women participated in the public domain. Although women were excluded from the highest positions of authority, they played key roles in political and economic realms.
Second, Aztec women held inheritance rights and had access to property. That allowed them to function independently of their husbands. However, the status and roles of Aztec women depended on their class. Non-elite women (women of pipiltin) didn’t gain property from inheritance, even though they had a legal inheritance right. Third, women and men were treated equally in discourses on marriage and sexuality. Husbands and wives had an essential obligation to obey each other. If a husband or wife committed adultery, both of them were punished by death. Nevertheless, the status and roles of Aztec women declined by the end of the pre-Hispanic period. With the “House of Joy”, supervised by the state, gender antagonism emerged. In conclusion, Aztec women were somewhat independent, but the principle of mutual respect between the genders was weakened and gender antagonism emerged during the late period of the Aztec empire.

영어초록

This article aims to analyze the status and roles of Aztec women and to criticize both theories of complementarity and gender hierarchy. First, to approach the status of Aztec women within the categories of “public and private” distorts the reciprocal relationship between men and women. Aztec men did “women’s work” (such as weaving) in the private domain and women participated in the public domain. Although women were excluded from the highest positions of authority, they played key roles in political and economic realms.
Second, Aztec women held inheritance rights and had access to property. That allowed them to function independently of their husbands. However, the status and roles of Aztec women depended on their class. Non-elite women (women of pipiltin) didn’t gain property from inheritance, even though they had a legal inheritance right. Third, women and men were treated equally in discourses on marriage and sexuality. Husbands and wives had an essential obligation to obey each other. If a husband or wife committed adultery, both of them were punished by death. Nevertheless, the status and roles of Aztec women declined by the end of the pre-Hispanic period. With the “House of Joy”, supervised by the state, gender antagonism emerged. In conclusion, Aztec women were somewhat independent, but the principle of mutual respect between the genders was weakened and gender antagonism emerged during the late period of the Aztec empire.

참고자료

· 없음