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How does Aristotle, in “On a Good Wife”, describe the role of women within Greek society? Link for “On a Good Wife” (Read the article) The most important thing for you to do in this paper is to present an argument as a specific answer to the question given above. This paper must also focus on the primary source texts. This means that you should read your document carefully, think about it, and form your own point of view about the topic. Once you have your argument, you will want to organize your essay as follows: an introduction, supporting or body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction be sure to clearly state your thesis statement. The thesis statement clearly states your argument and is the central idea that organizes the rest of your essay. In the supporting or body paragraphs you will prove your thesis statement and support your argument with evidence. Be sure to start each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the main point of the paragraph. Clearly explain to the reader how the evidence you provide supports your argument. All evidence you use in your paper, whether directly quoted or paraphrased, must be cited properly. For this assignment, please use the Chicago Style for citing sources. Do not use any outside sources (encyclopedias, internet); this assignment assesses your critical thinking and writing skills. Evidence should be based on course material only, especially primary sources.

Ancient History Sourcebook:
Aristotle: On a Good Wife,
from Oikonomikos, c. 330 BCE
A good wife should be the mistress of her home, having under her care all that is within it, according to
the rules we have laid down. She should allow none to enter without her husband’s knowledge,
dreading above all things the gossip of gadding women, which tends to poison the soul. She alone
should have knowledge of what happens within. She must exercise control of the money spent on
such festivities as her husband has approved—keeping, moreover, within the limit set by law upon
expenditure, dress, and ornament—and remembering that beauty depends not on costliness of
raiment. Nor does abundance of gold so conduce to the praise of a woman as self-control in all that
she does. This, then, is the province over which a woman should be minded to bear an orderly rule;
for it seems not fitting that a man should know all that passes within the house. But in all other
matters, let it be her aim to obey her husband; giving no heed to public affairs, nor having any part in
arranging the marriages of her children. Rather, when the time shall come to give or receive in
marriage sons or daughters, let her then hearken to her husband in all respects, and agreeing with
him obey his wishes. It is fitting that a woman of a well-ordered life should consider that her husband’s
wishes are as laws appointed for her by divine will, along with the marriage state and the fortune she
shares. If she endures them with patience and gentleness, she will rule her home with ease;
otherwise, not so easily. Therefore not only when her husband is in prosperity and good report must
she be in agreement with him, and to render him the service he wills, but also in times of adversity. If,
through sickness or fault of judgement, his good fortune fails, then must she show her quality,
encouraging him ever with words of cheer and yielding him obedience in all fitting ways—only let her
do nothing base or unworthy. Let her refrain from all complaint, nor charge him with the wrong, but
rather attribute everything of this kind to sickness or ignorance or accidental errors. Therefore, she will
serve him more assiduously than if she had been a slave bought and taken home. For he has indeed
bought her with a great price–with partnership in his life and in the procreation of children….Let her
bethink herself how Alcestis would never have attained such renown nor Penelope have deserved all
the high praises bestowed on her had not their husbands known adversity. To find partners in
prosperity is easy enough; but only the best women are ready to share in adversity.Such then is the
pattern of the rules and ways of living which a good wife will observe. And the rules which a good
husband will follow in treatment of his wife will be similar; seeing that she has entered his home like a
suppliant from without, and is pledged to be the partner of his life and parenthood; and that the
offspring she leaves behind her will bear the names of their parents, her name as well as his. And
what could be more divine than this, or more desired by a man of sound mind, than to beget by a
noble and honored wife children who shall be the most loyal supporters and discreet guardians of their
parents in old age, and the preservers of the whole house? Rightly reared by father and mother,
children will grow up virtuous, as those who have treated them piously and righteously deserve that
they should; but parents who observe not these precepts will be losers thereby. For unless parents
have given their children an example how to live, the children in their turn will be able to offer a fair
and specious excuse for undutifulness. Such parents will risk being rejected by their offspring for their
evil lives, and thus bring destruction upon their own heads. Therefore his wife’s training should be the
object of a man’s unstinting care; that so far as is possible their children may spring from the noblest of
stock. For it is only by this means that each mortal, successively produced, participates in immortality;
and that petitions and prayers continue to be offered to ancestral gods. So that he who thinks lightly of
this would seem also to be slighting the gods. For their sake then, in whose presence he offered
sacrifice and led his wife home, promising to honor her far above all others saving his parents, a man
must have care for wife and children. Now a virtuous wife is best honored when she sees that her
husband is faithful to her, and has no preference for another woman; but before all others loves and
trusts her and holds her as his own. And so much the more will the woman seek to be what he
accounts her. If she perceives that her husband’s affection for her is faithful and righteous, she too will
be faithful and righteous towards him. Therefore it befits not a man of sound mind to bestow his
person promiscuously, or have random intercourse with women; for otherwise the base-born will share
in the rights of his lawful children, and his wife will be robbed of her honor due, and shame be
attached to his sons.And it is fitting that he should approach his wife in honor, full of self-restraint and
awe; and in his conversation with her, should use only the words of a right-minded man, suggesting
only such acts as are themselves lawful and honorable. And if through ignorance she has done wrong,
he should advise her of it in a courteous and modest manner. For of fear there are two kinds. The fear
which virtuous and honorable sons feel towards their fathers, and loyal citizens towards right-minded
rulers, has for its companions reverence and modesty; but the other kind, felt by slaves for masters
and by subjects for despots who treat them with injustice and wrong, is associated with hostility and
hatred. By choosing the better of all these alternatives a husband should secure the agreement,
loyalty, and devotion of his wife, so that whether he himself is present or not, there may be no
difference in her attitude towards him, since she realizes that they are alike guardians of the common
interests; and so when he is away she may feel that to her no man is kinder or more virtuous or more
truly hers than her own husband. And if the husband learns first to master himself, he will thereby
become his wife’s best guide in all the affairs of life, and will teach her to follow his example.
Source:
from Aristotle, The Politics & Economics of Aristotle , Edward English Walford & John Gillies, trans.,
(London: G. Bell & Sons, 1908).Scanned by: J. S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton.
Prof. Arkenberg has modernized the text.
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