5.4 Visual portrayal of women in Textbook C 144
5.4.4 Roles and activities in which women are portrayed 148
The semiotic analysis of the visual images revealed the portrayal of women in a variety of roles and activities. Some were depicted in a traditional family role as mothers while others were seen in economic and political activities. I provide
149
evidence for these, based on my analysis of the visual images, in the proceeding paragraphs.
The analysis revealed two visual images which portrayed women as mothers. See Figure 5.19 below.
Figure 5.19 Women as mothers (p. 25)
Figure 5.19 shows two visual images which depict women as mothers. The visual image captioned “The Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci” depicts two women sitting together with babies and attending to them. The second visual image captioned “The Pietá by Michelangelo” depicts the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, sitting on a chair cradling the body of Jesus Christ in her lap after his death on the cross. She is shown as a mother who is mourning the death of her son. These two visual images portray women in traditional reproductive roles as mothers responsible for raising and cradling children and for mourning their death. This reflects some of the primary roles ascribed to women namely birthing and nurturing children.
Women were also depicted in economic activities in the visual images in Textbook C.
However, it was noted that women were largely portrayed as labourers or workers in the public sphere of employment. For instance some women were shown as wage labourers in a cotton plantation who were depicted picking cotton. Refer to figure 5.18 above where two women are shown picking cotton together with men. In a
150
related activity, other women were depicted working in a textile mill as spinners of wool or cotton in the 19th century Europe as illustrated in figure 5.20 below.
Figure 5.20 Women in an economic activity as spinners (p. 47)
An analysis of the work of the women in Figures 5.18 and 5.20 indicates that they are portrayed in menial wage labour both of which are related to textile production.
However, in another economic context, women are portrayed in unpaid labour as slaves working on a sugar cane plantation. See figure 5.21 below.
Figure 5.21 Female slaves harvesting sugar cane (p. 74)
As shown in Figure 5.21, the two slave women are portrayed, together with men, harvesting sugar cane in a plantation. It could be argued therefore that in terms of
151
economic activities, women in the visual images in Textbook C are portrayed as performing, as historical characters, menial wage labour and as subjects of economic exploitation through slave labour.
Besides the economic activities, women were also shown in political activities in the visual images in Textbook C. For instance, some women were depicted attending a Pan-African Conference. See Figure 5.22.
Figure 5.22 Women attending a Pan-African Conference (p. 119)
Figure 5.22 shows two women attending the Pan-African conference held in Manchester in 1945 which was addressed by W.E.B. du Bois. The two women are seated at the bottom left hand side of the picture. However, the women are depicted in an administrative and supportive role at the conference. This is indicated by the fact the women are portrayed as secretaries who are busy recording notes of the deliberations and not as decision makers. I would therefore argue that though women in figure 5.22 are portrayed as participants at the conference, they are portrayed performing a supportive role to the men who are depicted in serious deliberations.
Women were also depicted participating in a political activity in which people were shown celebrating the opening of the Stockton-Darlington railway in Britain during the period of the Industrial Revolution. See figure 5.23 below.
152
Figure 5.23 Women involved in celebrating the opening of the Stockton- Darlington railway in Britain (p. 51)
The women in Figure 5.23 participate in the opening ceremony in different ways.
Some are dancing as part of the mob; others are spectators of the event; some women are on the train and one woman is shown in authority as a leader who is controlling the crowd and directing the man riding the horse. This therefore shows that at this important political event women are depicted as participating both in leadership and supportive roles.
Similarly, in a different geographical context, women were depicted in a political event celebrating the attainment of freedom and justice in an African state but it is difficult to determine the specific country because no signifiers are provided to this effect in the visual image. What is evident is that the people depicted are black African people. See figure 5.24 below.
Figure 5.24 Women involved in a celebration for freedom and justice (front cover page)
153
The four young women depicted in figure 5.24 are shown actively involved in the celebration alongside the young men through their jubilation and dancing. However, although the number of young women and men is equal in the visual image, (four women and four men), none of the women is shown in a leadership position. Instead it is the young man carrying the placard “Freedom and Justice” who is fore grounded. The young women are portrayed as followers and supporters in the historical activity.