Feminism In Colombia

Many historians assert that Colombia was a patriarchal society in which women were dominated by men and relegated to the domestic sphere. The text One Hundred Years of Solitude challenges this assumption as women are portrayed as having control in sexual relationships with men. Furthermore, the text also documents that in some cases women exercised control within the public sphere. Although the source is written by a man, it provides an in-depth account of the lives of the successive generations of women in the Buendia family and the women in the village of Macando. Within the patriarchal system at this time women were still able to maintain great deal of autonomy and independence from their male counterparts. However, for most female characters
Women at this time were primarily responsible for childrearing, cooking and cleaning. As women had to remain at home to look after their children, most economic contributions that women made were within the home or in close proximity to their home. For instance, the matriarch of the Buendia family Ursula kept up a small candy business from the household. She did not venture outside of her home to seek different type of employment that would require her to leave the house frequently. Work within the home allowed women to be self-sufficient and reduced their dependence on the men in their families. With her savings, Ursula was able to undertake the renovation of the Buendia household “she took up the money she had accumulated over the years of hard labour, made arrangements with some customers and undertook the enlargement of the house” . Before making this decision Ursula did not consult her husband until the renovations are almost complete and about to be painted. Thus, she does not have to seek permission in matters relating to the household. Furthermore, Ursula’s business allows her certain degree of economic autonomy as she does not have to depend on Jose Arcadio’s income and her extra funds allow her to make such decisions without interference. Ursula recognises her own economic self-sufficiency when she declares “as long as God gives me life there will be money in this madhouse” Despite being relegated to the private sphere women in this time still make substantial economic contributions for the family and are aware of the vital contributions they