"Concubinage is the state of a woman or youth in an ongoing, quasi-matrimonial relationship with a man of higher social status. Typically, the man has an official wife and, in addition, one or more concubines. Concubines have limited rights of support from the man, and their offspring are publicly acknowledged as the man's children, albeit of lower status than children born by the official wife or wives; these legal rights distinguish a concubine from a mistress.
The term concubine generally signifies ongoing, quasi-matrimonial relationships where the woman is of lower social status than the man or the official wife or wives. Some historical Asian and European rulers maintained concubines as well as wives.
Historically, concubinage was frequently voluntary (by the girl and/or her family's arrangement), as it provided a measure of economic security for the woman involved. Involuntary, or servile, concubinage sometimes involves sexual slavery of one member of the relationship, typically the woman, being a pleasure slave to the man." --Wikipedia
In An-Mei Hsu's story, her mother was a concubine to a wealthy man. She talks about the man's other 4 wives/concubines. Talk about how you feel about concubinage. Should it still be legal today? Do you think it is fair? Consider religions and the role of the women (for pleasure or for children). Read http://thetruth.atspace.com/concubines.html and discuss.
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3 comments:
I think concubinage is fair. It seems mutual enough. The concubine goes into it looking to get something out of it. And the person with the concubine gets a concubine. I don't see the point of having a concubine. I guess it could be a symbol of power and their wealth.
Concubinage is sexisms at the highest point. It shouldn't even be legal today, there is no morals in it. I question the fact that "concubinage was frequently voluntary," how could someone degrade themselves to do such a thing. An-Mei Hsu's story served a purpose in showing the sexism faced in China. This sexism is also appears in America, Waverly asking to play chess; they tell her they do not want to play with dolls and express surprise at her skill in a game at which men excel.
Why are we connecting this to the Bible again? Sure it has a religious aspect, but I believe the Pope frowns upon it now. I think it's fine. It makes sense. The wife gets to move up in society. She gets rights and some form of money (jewelry, money to send back home). It's not a bad deal if her family was originally poor. The man's happy since he gets to show his power and he can have more babies. Plus he doesn't have to go through the shame of being accused of being with a prostitute if he has a concubine.
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