Essay Topics on Comparing the Romantic Era to Sappho

Essay Topics on Comparing the Romantic Era to SapphoEssay topics on comparing the romantic era to Sappho can be difficult to write, because of the difference in perspectives and emotions that Sappho experiences and those that are involved in romantic relationships. Even though most students in English composition courses will have some knowledge of Sappho, it can be difficult to write about this relationship between a poet and his lover, particularly since many students may feel a disconnect between this relationship and the romantic era.It is helpful to be aware of the differences between Sappho's relationship with Ovidus and the one she had with Eurydice, who was a member of the Greek aristocracy. Sappho had been recently widowed when she first met Ovidus, whom she thought was a god, not realizing that he was actually just a mortal. Ovidus encouraged her to write poetry, which she did, so she would no longer need to rely on men for love and intimacy.Essay topics on comparing the ro mantic era to Sappho must also take into account how unique her relationship was in the context of that time. Sappho's relationship with Ovidus was an unusual one that allowed her to become emotionally and intellectually connected to the world around her. However, the ancient Greek culture placed a very high value on personal relationships between lovers. This value was built upon a series of social conventions which in turn created and reinforced the myth of the 'inferior' social status of women.Essay topics on comparing the romantic era to Sappho must also consider how rigid and conservative the society was at the time. This society's beliefs about female relationships were very strict, and there was a cultural expectation that a woman's emotional involvement with a man was very limited. Unlike the modern view of a romantic era as one that encourages intimacy and communication, in the ancient world romantic relationships were almost always associated with lust and eroticism.Essay topics on comparing the romantic era to Sappho must also consider how contradictory these beliefs were to the emotions and relationships of those who lived in that era. These beliefs included that a man's love was more valuable than that of a woman. Love was only ever viewed as a tool for social power, rather than as a feeling of true emotion.Essay topics on comparing the romantic era to Sappho must also consider how women in this era were expected to be completely subservient to their men. While the Greek word 'psyche' literally means 'mind,' the meaning of the word 'psyche' in the context of the times was not the same as the meaning today. Those who wrote about the women in this era often believed that female minds were not equal to those of men.Essay topics on comparing the romantic era to Sappho must also consider the religious beliefs of the ancient world. The ideals that many ancient Greeks held to as romantic and religious ideals were often at odds with the realities of that time. This resulted in the widely-held belief that women were not really human beings, but rather, were 'animal' characteristics.Essay topics on comparing the romantic era to Sappho should be written carefully and compassionately, because it can be difficult to write about relationships that are based on personal and sexual class differences. If you choose to write about this subject matter, it is important to be sensitive to the views of those who came before you, and understand that these ideas and beliefs can be extremely difficult to change and understand when studying this time period.