History is how we have learnt to think about ourselves. It's not as though the Greeks and Romans are static entities out there to be discovered and translated. We make them speak, we talk to them, and they inform what we say.
Mary BeardRead
I do not think that the lives of women of my generation, as a class, were blighted by the way the power differentials between men and women operated. We wanted to change those power differentials; we also had a good time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the experiences of women, acknowledging the challenges posed by gender power imbalances while also highlighting their resilience and enjoyment of life.
Mary Beard's quote speaks to the experiences of women in her generation, suggesting that, despite the existing power imbalances between men and women, they were not solely defined by these challenges. Instead, she emphasizes that women sought to change these disparities while still leading fulfilling and enjoyable lives, showcasing their strength and determination in the face of societal norms.
Themes
GenderEqualityWomenPowerResilience
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about women's rights, one could use this quote to emphasize the progress made despite ongoing challenges.
More from Mary Beard
All quotes →I don't think that we are completely dominated by what we have inherited from the past, but it is the case that as far back as you can go - just to Homer, but also to the literature of Rome, the literature of the Middle Ages and Renaissance - what you will find is that women's voices are not taken seriously.
Mary BeardRead
What politicians do is they never get the rhetoric wrong, and the price they pay is they don't speak the truth as they see it. Now, I will speak truth as I see it, and sometimes I don't get the rhetoric right. I think that's a fair trade-off.
Mary BeardRead
I'd quite like to be in Caligula's court - living in the back room somewhere and just being able to observe.
Mary BeardRead
Whatever you say about popular culture, people like people who know things, who are experts, and it doesn't particularly matter what they look like.
Mary BeardRead
There is no way, absolutely no way, that I would want people to stop reading the 'Odyssey.' But I want them to read it with their eyes open. To notice it and then to think what it says about us.
Mary BeardRead
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