Iranian Women free essay sample

However, not every place in the world is as lucky as the women here in the United States. Women of Middle Eastern descent from the ninetieth and twentieth century had it fairly different than their contemporary American counterparts. The lives of two Middle Eastern woman, Shemsigul, a Circassian slave and Bibi Maryam, a Bakhtiyari tribal woman exemplify the differences of growing up in the Middle East. Both women were born of complete opposite statures as well as living through different political and economical change.Shemsigul was born into a poor Circassian family, which led her family to sell her to slave dealers in hope of obtaining a better life and gain access into the Ottoman elite social structure. Although Shemsigul family’s intentions were favorable, â€Å"female slaves in an Ottoman-Egyptian elite harem were restricted in their freedom of movement, association and choice of partners† (Burke, 61). Shemsigul had no particular stature or known family to which her name was known from, but was better known as a â€Å"woman with a healthy sense of her own worth and a remarkable ability to utilize the system to her advantage† (Burke, 49). We will write a custom essay sample on Iranian Women or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Even though Shemsigul was a slave and of lower status, she was able to work through the legal system and prevail against her slave dealer who raped and impregnated her. Bibi Maryam on the other hand was born into a more identifiable life. Being the daughter of the paramount chief, she â€Å"played an important role of the anti-British politics in Iran during World War I in defiance of the Qajar government and the leading Bakhityari khans† (Burke, 103). The Bakhtiaris have been considered both a political and tribal unit.Unlike Semsigul who obtained her identity through legal compensations, Maryam’s â€Å"social identity was derived from her birth and marriage, which provided her with the capacity for undertaking initiatives in her own right† (Burke, 105). Both Shemsigul and Maryam’s lives were impacted by major political and economic change. Shemsigul lived under the Ottoman control where slavery was still widespread. Semsigul was bought by Deli Mehmet and taken overseas to Cairo, to where she was raped and became pregnant by Mehmet.In the nineteenth-century the Ottoman Empire was solid and the most substantial Muslim power in the world, thus leading Egypt to become one of the richest and most imperative regions of the empire. â€Å"Under Mehment Ali Pasha, Egypt experienced a period of military and economic expansion† (Burke, 53). It was in Egypt, where slavery became an essential part of their society. Shemsigul’s life was affected immensely while in Egypt as she was sold back and forth through slave dealers. Being a female white slave, Shemsigul became a minority in the midst of the slaves that resided in Egypt. Various slaves worked in the household, whereas others were brought into the harems to where they became part of the Ottoman-Egyptian elite. In contrast, Maryam being a part of the Bakhtiari tribe faced different political and economical change. The Bakhtiari are the largest tribe in Iran and with a history of about eight thousand years and a spatial dispersion over several provinces, they have played a major role in economic, social and political developments in Iran. The tribe has undergone changes in coping with political, social and environmental issues.During the Qajar period (1795-1925), when the central government was especially weak, the nomadic tribes formed tribal confederations and acquired a great deal of power and influence. In many areas these tribal confederations were virtually independent and negotiated with the local and national governments for extensive land rights. While the men were absent during this period, the women of the khans’ become commanders of t he household. â€Å"During the time of the khans’ absence, the bibis also gained an economic independence no know to previous generations of tribal women: (Burke, 108).This fabricated into an increase in independence of the Bakhtiyari women. The women also played in important role of facilitating a strong alliance with the Qajar government through marriage. This also aided in intervening with disputes during the constitutional revolution. â€Å"The efforts of the Bakhtiyari khans were successful, and they became known as the heroes who saved the constitution, in large part due to the efforts of the women. Shemsigul and Maryam both lived similar yet different lives. Both women were strong independent and fought for what they wanted. Shemsigul was a Circassian slave, that lived through many hardships, whereas Maryam being a Bakhtiari women had more status and freedom than most Iranian women. Many significant Iranian politicians, governors of provinces and other dignitaries are of Bakhtiari origin. They lived extremely polar opposite lives but both made their mark in Middle Eastern History. Source: Burke III, Edmund, and David Yaghoubian. Struggle and Survival in the Modern Middle East. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006 .