Sapho & Aspasia

Sapho and Aspasia were both exceptional women in their time. They both had the opportunity to study which was not common for women of the era. Aspasia was especially fortunate not having to comply with the customs of aristocratic Athenian women because she was a foreigner. Although not much is known of these two women, their writings have traveled through history at least in some way or another.

The difference I see between them, is based on their public image. Sapho was believed to be a lesbian and discredited for that by men, her works were burned and destroyed and her name was linked to shame. What little is left, has been translated in the aftermath, that is, without her approval or review. If you read a poem by Sapho that was translated by two different people, the meaning can change completely, leaving us no doubt that we will never know what she really meant.

On the other hand from Aspasia, all we have is through men's accounts, men like Plato and Cicero. Her works were orated by men of the era who in turn celebrated her as a great speech writer and a teacher of men. Her reputation, although debated by many, was that of a prostitute which situates her in a better place than Sapho.

I believe their rhetoric is very different; Sapho is more of a romantic writer and her words come out as feminine some way. Aspasia's is more of a direct message, well thought for the masses, political rhetoric, meant to be read and heard by men. In a way both women were silenced, one by men destroying her work and the other by being present only through the voice of men.

WGS310 – Posting 2

For this assignment I chose a speech by Sheryl Sandberg who is the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. She spoke to professional women about the percentage of women that reach the top of their professions compared to men. Sandberg is well known in the professional community as a successful business woman which gives her ample credibility on the subject. She also begins her speech recognizing that we have come a long way and that today we (professional women) have many opportunities. She establishes a good rapport with the audience by walking around the stage as if she is having a conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. She also tells a couple of funny anecdotes that women in the business world can really relate to. She gives a very convincing speech in which she connects self-esteem and the lack of personhood from the past that we still as women need to work at. A great speech overall, one that I can relate to personally, she emphasizes that success and credibility is positively correlated for men and negative correlated to women. This statement was very eye opening for me and one that immediately connected me to Sandberg. I felt she knew exactly what professional women go through to get a promotion and in many cases raise children at the same time. She ends her speech by connecting even more her the audience by identifying herself as a mother of two young children and a successful professional. Great speech! If you are thinking about your future as a professional once you graduate from college, listen to it, she gives great advice for the future generations. Here is the link: http://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders.html

Peralta WGS310 Posting 1 Rhetoric

I understand that Rhetoric refers to the method one uses to communicate something through language. It involves focusing on the Ethos, the communicator, the Pathos, the audience and the Logos, the message itself. These three things need to connect so that the message is communicated. As simple as it sounds, in order to connect all three, we need to first have to right to speak or to express ourselves. For women for example, this has been a struggle. The right to speak has not come easily and therefore their message has not been conveyed in this organized manner. Women have had to create their own method of rhetoric in order to let their voices be heard. I once read a good example of this in a wonderful book by a woman that communicated her message through the food she prepared; She made you feel the texture, smell the aromas and taste the difference spices to describe love, hate, frustration and sadness. Women have been recreating rhetoric to fit their struggle for the right to speak. Often their political and social rhetoric is hidden under many layers of daily lives and it is a pleasure to try to decifer their message.