Han+and+Gupta+2+(Naomi+and+Rachel)

Although the roles of women in the Han and Gupta empire compare by being viewed as property of men and their traditional roles at home, they contrast in the education of women in the Han Empire and the option for divorce in the Gupta Empire. Roles of women in the han and Gupta empires differed in the education of women in the Han empire and the choice for divorce in the Gupta empire. Ban Zhai's "Lessons for Women" from the Han Empire state that "only to teach men and not to teach women" is "ignoring the essiential relation between them." Ban Zhao believed that by teaching women, they are culturally trained and thereby better prepared for being a wife and mother. The "Laws of Manu" from the Gupta Empire mention nothing of the education of women. They do, however, mention divorce as a possibility for a woman. One divorce option for a woman is stated by saying that if a woman has a mad husband who is a criminal and diseased, she has rights to a divorce, She "shall neither be cast off nor be dprived of her property..." A mention of divorce is unheard of in Ban Zhao's traditional-toned "Lessons for Women." . Differences in education and married life are just two of the many differences between the Han and Gupta Empires. The woman in the Han and Gupta Empires were viewed as property of their men and both had fairly traditional roles at home. Ban Zhao's "Lessons For Women" gives a view into the lives of the relationship between husband and wife in the Han Empire. According to Ban Zhao, The men "only know that wives must be controlled", which is exactly the way that they want it to be. Ban Zhao also states in this document how women are confined to their domestic duties and roles in society. On the other hand, in the Gupta Empire have more defined rules and expectations for the people in their empire. The "Laws of Manu" of the Gupta Empire state that "if a wife obeys her husband, she will for that reason alone be exalted in heaven" which is a norm during these times. Because of this, the women of the Gupta Empire were viewed as property of thier man and had a more domestic role in society. The Gupta and Han Empires both have good sources which show that the women in both Empires were viewed as property of their men and both had fairly traditional roles at home.