CONSIDERAÇÕES SOBRE A REPRESENTAÇÃO FEMININA A PARTIR DE CONCEPÇÕES FILOSÓFICAS E CULTURAIS NA GRÉCIA ANTIGA

Abstract

This paper explores the philosophical and cultural conceptions of the role of women in Ancient Greece, analyzing how these ideas were articulated by philosophers and poets, as well as how they influenced the formation of gender norms that have endured throughout Western history. The aim is to provide a deeper understanding of the historical roots of gender inequalities and to contribute to the current debate on the construction of a more just and inclusive society. This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating reflections on philosophical, literary and historical texts, with a focus on the works of Hesiod, Plato, Sappho and Euripides, investigating how their discourses reflected and, in some cases, challenged the gender norms of the time. Sappho, one of the few female voices in Antiquity, highlights the condition of women in the archaic period, where a certain degree of educational and cultural equality allowed her to flourish as a poet. Plato, in The Republic, presents a pioneering proposal for egalitarian education, arguing that men and women have similar natural capacities to govern and, therefore, should receive the same education. Greek literature and myths, such as Euripides’ tragedy Hippolytus, often associate women with destabilizing forces, contributing to their marginalization. This research explores the impact of these ancient conceptions on the formation of gender norms, as well as how these ideas continue to resonate in contemporary discussions of gender equality.