Essay on The Veil - 2050 Words

The Veil Veiling: Hiding and Separating people, God, and the sexes throughout history THESIS: The veil has been used to hide and separate people, God, and the sexes throughout history. The idea of veiling started a long time ago, maybe from the beginning of human history. What has been changing is its meaning. In most cultures, it has disappeared today but not in the Islamic one. The question for researchers may be why veiling has continued to be so important for many Muslims. It might be natural to assume that veiling is a uniquely Islamic practice, but history proves otherwise. Nashat and Tucker say that it is difficult to state for sure why the veil was introduced in ancient times. Most likely, it was part of the attempt†¦show more content†¦The former is a woman of the outside, who offers her services at the door of the temple, the tavern, and the square. The latter stays indoors to protect her purity and shield it from evil influences that could defile her husband’s honor (32-33). The same writers add that the evidence from the Assyrian period indicates that by the mid-second millenium, free married women were required to comply with a dress code when they left their houses. The Assyrian code stated, Wives or (daughters as well as concubines) when (they go out) on the street, are to have their heads (covered). This same law forbade prostitutes from veiling themselves and even threatened them with punishment for veiling, since this would be an act of deception. Perhaps seclusion of women was developed for a similar reason. The Assyrian kings of the fourteenth to the eleventh centuries B.C. issued the first rules regulating life within the royal household and the duties of the palace officials. The women of the household lived in secluded quarters within the palace. This practice seems to have become standard in the following dynasties. The women of Achamenid dynasty (559-331 B.C.) were also secluded. By the seventh century A.D., respectable women in the Byzanti ne and Sasanian empires were secluded, and they appeared in public veiled (33). Also Parker says that the veil is not a uniquely Islamic convention as many people think. It has a long history withShow MoreRelatedEssay on Symbolism In The Veil1490 Words   |  6 PagesThe Veil The veil that the minister wears in The Ministers Black Veil, by Nathanial Hawthorne represents the emphasis on mans inner reality, and those thoughts and feelings which are not immediately obvious. As Hawthorne explored this inner nature, he found the source of dignity and virtue, and certain elements of darkness. When the minister first walks out of his home wearing the veil, everyone is astonished. This one man in this village decides to be a nonconformist and wear this veil withoutRead MoreThe Functions of the Veil for Muslims1359 Words   |  5 PagesThe Functions of the Veil The practice of veiling has been a topic of controversy amongst several Muslim and non-Muslim scholars (Ruby, 2006). The â€Å"new hijab phenomenon† originated in Cairo approximately two decades ago. Although not a common practice in Cairo, by the year 2000 over 80% of women adopted some form of veiling. The practice of veiling has also been embraced by several other Muslim societies around the world (Carvalho, 2013). The Western world has associated veiling as a form of oppressionRead MoreHijab, Veil Or Scarf?1983 Words   |  8 PagesHijab is mentioned in many different ways but, some of the most common names that are used are headscarf, veil or scarf. 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With the symbolism of the black veil, Hawthorne makes a statement on the involvement of society in personal matters and the â€Å"black veil† that is present over the heartRead MoreAnalysis on Behind the Veil by Dhu’l Nun Ayyoub Essay948 Words   |  4 PagesBehind the Veil,† written by Dhu’l Nun Ayyoub, the author changes how we feel about the main character throughout the sequencing of the plot. We as the readers learn more about how the protagonist really thinks coupled with what her motives are. The author also presents language that clearly expresses how the protagonist feels and uses examples to show an overall theme in the story. In the exposition we meet our protagonist who is a young women of Islam who wears the traditional veil that muslimRead More The Hidden Truth Under The Lifted Veil Essay1256 Words   |  6 PagesThe Hidden Truth Under The Lifted Veil Many stories involving the supernatural or the paranormal give way to the question of the reliability of the narrator. This question is brought forth in The Lifted Veil by the narrator himself. Being told in the first person, the debate is ever present, but this particular narrator highlights it even more than most. He tells a tale of precognizance, which heightens to madness, and the horror of his omniscience. Whether it is looked at from the standpointRead MoreAlienation in The Ministers Black Veil Essay484 Words   |  2 PagesAlienation in The Ministers Black Veil The Ministers Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story about one clergymans alienation due to his outward dressing. Reverend Hooper was a well-respected preacher who got along well with the townspeople until one day when he appeared wearing a black veil over his face that consisted of two folds of crape, which entirely concealed his features, except the mouth and chin (Hawthorne 253). From that day onward, he was alienated both socially and physically