The Woman. Its not always her fault.

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The image of the woman in the Proverb “the seductress” is a highly negative depiction of a woman, “She is utterly open to the lover, inviting him and encouraging him to commit adultery with her… she not only breaks the commandants… she perverts them by using the sacrifice of her well-being as a part of her seduction.” (99) This image of a woman implies that she desires ensures that she sleeps with any man who comes near her, especially if she is already married. The negative promiscuous woman depicted in the proverbs and supported by some of the rabbis, heavily contracts with the biological evidence that Dr. Herz discussed in class regarding women and their choice of men.  She explained that, for women, the smell of a man is particularly important, no matter how aesthetically pleasing he maybe, if the woman does not find his smell appealing, she loses interest in him. This demonstrates that ‘biologically speaking’ women are the choosy ones; they are not wandering the streets making themselves available and irresistible to any man that comes by. This description of women back at a time before biology was well understood left a multitude of doors open for sexism and an excuse for men to control and dominate them.

Some of our modern stereotypes of men and women show the opposite situation that is described in the Bible and Proverb. Young attractive men are often stereotyped as ‘a player’, ‘the man’ or ‘a douchebag’ for sleeping with many women. Douchebag is the only offensive term out of these three, the other two are generally taken with pride or admiration from other men. This is where the ideals at the time of Bible and Proverb contrast fiercely with our ideals today. This promiscuous behavior of men is completely acceptable.Cologne commercials are just one example of media encouraging men to seek the attraction of many women. 
(This video has almost the exact same story-line as the description Green discussed. Women luring men with their smell, becoming completely irresistible. However, it differs slightly in that the men were not described as being completely naked and seductive themselves.)

Even when a woman gets hurt, it is often she who is blamed for involving herself in the first place, where it be her use of perfume, clothing or behavior.  Somewhere in history, this behavior became acceptable for men but is still much less acceptable for women a woman is still seen as perverted seductress or “dirty” and immodest if ever she eludes a desire for sex. Which means that not all of our modern culture has changed to contrast with the ideas from the Bible; the perfectly acceptable promiscuous behavior of men today is still blamed on women as it was back in ancient times.

Clearly time has yet to change the image of women... 



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