The writer has prepared lessons for her daughters on how to conduct themselves as women. She gives several different keys to being a good woman. She wrote these lessons for her daughters, but for a larger audience. With these lessons women can conduct themselves as virtuous women within Chinese society.
2. The main point of view presented is:
MPOV
Ban Zhao
§ Author
§ Female
§ Advisor
§ Scholar
§ Widow
§ Historian
§ Writer
§ Mother
APOV
Confucius
§ Chinese
§ Male
§ Political Figure
§ Philosopher
§ Educator
3. The most important information is:
§ She starts her lesson by being humble, submissive to Chinese patriarchal way of life.
§ Wrote lessons to benefit her daughter
and other women of China.
§ Taught how a woman she e very modest, as well as very respectful unto others.
§ Instructed women to be hard workers, and to do their hard work without complaint.
§ Tells her daughters to serve their husband because it is a natural way of life.
§ Women are to be generous and caring in all aspects of life.
§ She advises to be very compliant to in-laws; forget your personal opinion when serving them.
4. The key questions are:
§ Was she persecuted for such writings?
§ Was she a respected figure in China?
§ How did the Chinese people take her lessons?
§ Do Chinese women follow these to this very day?
§ What have these lessons done for her legacy within Chinese history?
5. The main conclusion is:
Although she was writing these lessons for her daughters and the rest of women throughout China, she very much stayed modest and humble, as to not ruffle any feathers. These lessons carefully tackle a subject that may have been very controversial back in the Classical Era. She wrote a lesson that inspired a woman to do her womanly duty, and that not of her own desire.