Early civilizations considered strength the most important characteristic in a man. It was he, who outstood among every other male, being the most powerful and the one able to defeat anyone in a physical fight. This person would be treated like a king, being the leader of the clan, having sexual relations with, perhaps, every woman there. It was a challenge for survival, and the most apt were the ones to make it through.
However, just as technology and resources grew, so did the essence of the so-called beauty. In renascent times, people thought the planets revolved around earth, meaning humans were the center of the universe. Now, attractiveness was like in ancient Greece, a balance between one’s “inside” beauty and the “outside” beauty. It was just as important having a good heart and true convictions as having a pretty face and a muscled body. Proof of this is all the gay cases among renascent artists and rulers. The great Leonardo da Vinci was homosexual just as Michelangelo. The maker of ‘La Gioconda’ was totally a genius, with outstanding discoveries and big ideas. Nevertheless, he was very ugly, with a long white beard covering his face.
In this times, it was also important the only fact of being male. The same da Vinci would have men posing for all of his women portraits. He believed there was everything in a man, including sentimental values, strength, and most important, intelligence. Women were incapable of reading and doing intellectual things such as philosophy and sciences.
The Term Paper on Beauty Myth Women Men Wolf
Both Virginia Woolf, in a speech addressing a graduating all women class, and Naomi Wolf, in her text The Beauty Myth, contemplate feminism from an economic viewpoint. While Woolf believes women need money and a room of their own to have economic independence, Wolf gives credence to the fact that the beauty industry is hindering the independence of women. Through male pomposity, the conventional ...
But, as said, as time changes, so does the concept of beauty. The aesthetic features in a body were becoming more and more important. Art was flourishing, and looking pretty was a significant characteristic in a person. Now the “outside” of a person was becoming more important
This way of thinking has led until today the minds of most of the people in this planet. For many, the perfect and attractive man is now a strong man, with lots of muscles to show. A perfect body means beauty, but, as I said, times are changing and so is this concept.
We are now entering a time where, I believe, intellect and strong values are becoming, again, more significant. Superficiality is now decaying, because the need of success is vital. Without the “inside” beauty, it is very difficult for one to outstand among others like it did thousands of years ago.
