CSS 2016 Solved Essay | Frailty Thy Name Is Woman Essay | CSS and PMS Solved Essays by Sir Syed Kazim Ali Students
Minahil Mohsin has attempted the “Frailty Thy Name Is Woman Essay“, asked in CSS 1998 and 2016, on the given pattern, which Sir Syed Kazim Ali teaches his students, who have consistently been qualifying their CSS and PMS essays. Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been Pakistan’s top English writing and CSS, PMS essay and precis coach with the highest success rate of his students. The essay is uploaded to help other competitive aspirants learn and practice essay writing techniques and patterns.
Outline
1- Introduction
The frail gender, as women are often called, has achieved significant accomplishments in several fields of life, like administration, sports, and science. However, societal shackles still stand in the way of women’s empowerment, but they can be countered effectively with men’s support and a constructive role in education.
2- Origin of the Statement
3- Why Women Are Considered Frail
1. Biological Reasons
- ✓ Lesser Muscular Strength Compared to Men
2. Social Reasons
- ✓ Patriarchal Society Pushing Women to Subservient Roles
3. Political Reasons
- ✓ 24.5 per cent of women representation in parliaments, with only 8 per cent representation as national leaders
4- How Women Today Are Not Frail – Busting the Myth
1. Women’s Role in Politics
- ✓ Women Side by Side with Men in The Pakistan Movement
Example: Fatima Jinnah’s Front Line Participation in the Freedom Movement
2. Women as Administrators
- ✓ Headstrong Women Successfully Working in Non-Traditional Fields
Heads of State – Benazir Bhutto and Jacinda Ardern, Role Models for Women Balancing Work Life with Raising Children
3. Women Proving Their Mettle in Literature
- ✓ Women Using the Power of Words to Make a Name
Helen Keller – A Differently Abled Author Known Globally for Her Writings and Lectures
4. Women in the World of Science
- ✓ Women Proving Themselves in the Field of Research and Inventions
Marie Curie – The Only Person to Have Won a Nobel Prize in Two Different Fields
5. Women as Skillful Mountaineers
- ✓ Women Breaking Misconceptions and Reaching New Heights
Pakistani Mountaineer Samina Baig’s Climb on Everest
6. Women in Sports
- ✓ Women Going Beyond the Ordinary and Testing Their Limits in the Field
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova – World Renowned Tennis Champions
7. Women as Armed Personnel
- ✓ Women Breaking Misconceptions About Their Being Delicate Beings
Lieutenant (Lt.) General Nigar Johar, Tamgha e Imtiaz (TI) – Pakistan’s First Female Lt. General
5- What Are Some Hurdles to Women’s Empowerment in the Developing World?
- ✓ Lack of Education and Awareness in the Masses
- ✓ Prevalence of Stereotypes at Workplaces
- ✓ Unconscious Gender Biases and Casual Sexism
- ✓ Patriarchal Society
6- How Could the Myth of the Frailty of Women Be Countered?
- ✓ To Provide Education and Awareness to the Masses
- ✓ To Break the Gender Stereotypes in Work Places and Build Diversity
- ✓ To Break the Silence When Witnessing any Biased or Sexist Attitude
- ✓ To Encourage Men’s Role in Supporting Women Around Them
- ✓ To Help Marginalized Women Become Financially Independent
6- Critical Analysis
7- Conclusion
Undoubtedly, life owes its colour to the existence of women. As mothers, sisters, and wives, they are the builders and breakers of society, and if it is not for them, life will cease to exist. They hold so much importance that it would be incorrect to regard them as weak. Still, words like “frailty”, “weakness”, and “delicate” have stuck with women for centuries – as alluded to in Hamlet’s soliloquy – owing to their lesser bodily strength and the prevalence of patriarchy in society, primarily in the under-developed nations. Nevertheless, considering the achievements and accolades of women in the current century shatters the notion above. For instance, today, women have proved their mettle in politics and administration; Pakistan’s Fatima Jinnah and Benazir Bhutto and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern are shining examples. As Helen Keller has done, women are exceptional administrators and can bring about revolutions with their words. Over the years, they have built their strength, fighting against the ill norms of society and rising from the ashes of war-torn areas to win the Nobel Prize, climb the highest peaks, do the extraordinary in sports, and break gender stereotypes by serving at the highest posts in the armed forces. Still, a lack of education, a backward mindset of people, and unconscious gender biases, especially in the developing world, stand in the way of women’s empowerment. But this is not the end. Women of third-world countries could be given a helping hand by raising general awareness for their rights, encouraging men’s uplifting role, and becoming anti-sexist rather than non-sexist. This essay provides all the reasons why women are not what Shakespeare’s Hamlet has claimed, i.e. frail; instead, they are the pure depiction of what Mao Zedong has asserted, “Women hold up half the sky.”
One needs to peek into ancient times to understand precisely what the statement “Frailty thy name is a woman” means. Back when women held the traditional roles of homemakers and child bearers, they were considered creatures born for little cause because of their soft nature. Shakespeare was also a playwright of that time and held similar beliefs, evident in his writings. For example, in his play “Hamlet”, the main character Hamlet calls out his mother to be weak because she had married her husband’s brother just a month after his demise. This is where the statement originates.
After getting an understanding of the source of the statement, it is essential to determine whether or not it holds true today. So, there is a need to weigh the weaknesses and strengths of the women of the 21st century. In this era, the developing world has seen significant achievements regarding women’s empowerment and respect. However, the developing world is still far behind in this matter. There, women are judged for biological, social, and political reasons. The biggest reason is that women have been built differently, possibly weaker, than men as they have much lesser muscular strength than men. Nevertheless, the proponents of this belief fail to explain how a woman’s body endures the painful process of childbirth. So, women are rendered weak just because they look weak.
Women’s value has been under-recognized for far too long.
Cher, Actor and Women’s Rights Activist
Another reason women are considered lesser beings than men is that of a social nature. The society humans have developed over the centuries is predominantly patriarchal. Men hold prominent roles of breadwinning, and women are mere objects of their honour. Thus, they are pushed to play a subservient role in family life. It is evident from a common Pakistani housewife’s routine; cooking, laundry, and bringing up children. Thus, women in Pakistani households and other developing nations do not usually get the opportunity to play a productive role in society, leading to the development of a common perception of them as being of low stature.
The third reason why women are rendered weak is their lesser representation in the political arena. In most developing nations, women are not given enough seats in parliament, and because of this, their issues are not vocalized as much as needed; it also undermines the problems women face around the globe. According to a report, there is only 24.5 per cent representation of women in parliaments around the world, with only 8 per cent serving as national leaders. It indicates the lack of women’s presence in the most crucial policy-making sphere of the world. Thus, women are considered less important than men because they lack political presence.
Despite the differential attitude of the developing nations towards women, they have risen in several parts of the world and become politically more potent. Especially in the 21st century, women have started getting into more decisive leadership and administrative roles. A pretty helpful example could be seen in the Pakistan Movement, where women worked side by side with their male counterparts to help the then Muslims on their way towards a separate homeland. For instance, Fatima Jinnah is a notable name for women’s front-line leadership in guiding Muslims back in the mid-20th century. She worked side by side with her brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah and proved that women have never stood behind in matters of national importance. Thus, women undoubtedly possess the capabilities to lead from the front independently, and they have started doing so in the political arena.
Similar to politics, women have also taken up administrative roles worldwide. Their solid political growth has earned them a place in the mainstream leadership of even some developing countries like Pakistan. Examples of women role models in the administrative troika are Benazir Bhutto, who has served as the first female Prime Minister in the Muslim world, and Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, hailed for being the head of the government who has given birth during her office tenure. Such women have definitely raised the bars of leadership roles and made a space for women in non-traditional fields. So, women today are firm administrators as well.
In addition to administrative roles, women have also proved their mettle in literature. They have earned a reputable place in the literary world by using their power of words and expressions to spread meaningful messages. For instance, Helen Keller, who was blind from a young age, learned to communicate through her words and is known globally for her books and lectures. She has travelled around the globe to spread the wisdom her disability taught her and is quite well known for saying, “the seeing see little”. Thus, even being differently abled than normal human beings, the depth of Keller’s literary work has reiterated that women are second to none.
Not only have women made a name in literature, but also have they earned accolades in the world of science. The ever-growing area of science and technology could not progress at the current pace had it not been for women’s input and efforts. A shining example of such a woman is Marie Curie, the scientist who discovered the elements Radium and Polonium while working with her husband, Pierre Curie. She is the only person to have won a Nobel Prize in two fields. In addition, her constant hard work and service for the cause of humanity are what have helped man develop critical cancer treatment regimens today. Thus, women have also emerged as strong scientists.
The apparently frail gender has not limited itself to working within boundaries; instead, women have broken misconceptions about them and shattered the barriers to becoming the greatest mountaineers the world has ever seen. They have undergone rigorous training and exercise in the field considered appropriate only for men to show how they are equally capable of achieving great things. To illustrate, the Pakistani mountaineer Samina Baig has proven that women are not to be considered weak by climbing the highest peak, Mount Everest. Walking in her footsteps, many young women have begun to pursue this career. So, by reaching new heights, women have shown that they are not as weak creatures as is commonly perceived.
Besides rocky and snowy terrains, women have also made it into esteemed sports arenas worldwide. They have gone beyond the ordinary and tested their limits in the fields that were earlier considered men’s fields. For example, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova are world-renowned tennis champions who have won many sports accolades. These medals, trophies, and recognition awards are not merely praised for the two athletes but an honour for all the women today. Sports have not remained a men-only ground, and females have also proved themselves in this area.
Last but not least, women have worked to the top of the armed forces hierarchy. They have broken the misconceptions about their being delicate beings and have done so gracefully, as seen in the example of Lieutenant (Lt.) General Nigar Johar, Tamgha e Imtiaz (TI) – Pakistan’s First Female Lt. General. She has proved that no matter how hard the field is, whether at home or outside, women can handle it with great courage and grace. Moreover, such women have definitely opened new doorways for their fellow females by enduring pain and taking the first steps. Thus, even the armed forces have found women equally strong as men.
“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish”.
Michelle Obama
Even though women have endured a fair share of pains to get equal recognition as men in various parts of the world, there remains a considerable gap between how the two genders are treated, especially in less developed nations. The first and most significant reason is the masses’ lack of education and awareness. On the one hand, unaware people fail to recognize women’s work; on the other hand, they do not give them the respect they deserve. Thus, women are marginalized in several sectors of life. Second, workplace stereotypes also stand in the way of women’s progress. Either the men feel insecure or ashamed if a woman makes a great leap, or they do not believe in women’s skills, and women are hence barred from taking over specific tasks like leadership roles in major projects.
Sadly, if a lack of workplace ethics has not done enough harm to women, there is a high prevalence of unconscious gender biases in our society as well. For example, men casually joke about their wives and female colleagues, passing sexist remarks and not even considering it wrong. This attitude has made developing societies quite toxic for women and made them lose confidence in themselves. Even worse is that if a woman stands up against such misbehaviour, little heed is paid to her voice because of the patriarchal nature of society. Instead, women are asked to endure in silence every stone that comes their way as if they are entitled to the misconduct. Such are the miseries women of the third world face today.
Nevertheless, despite all the hurdles mentioned earlier, one cannot assert that women are frail because they have achieved as high a status as men have and still have not given up the effort. The myth of women being weak can be busted by working on some practicable measures. For instance, the most crucial task is to raise awareness and educate the masses. It would help broaden people’s horizons, and they would be able to respect and appreciate women’s hard work, leading to women’s empowerment around the globe.
Next to it, gender stereotypes need to be broken in workplaces by allowing women to lead non-traditional projects like fieldwork. Moreover, businesses should be made more inclusive and diverse so that more female workforce is inducted, which would help further ease the way for young women to walk on the path to empowerment.
Another important step is to break the silence. No matter the gender, while living in society, every human being should look out for every other, especially for women; sexist remarks, biased behaviour, or any such act should be called out publically. This is the only way that the sexist and racist faction of society could be kept in check.
As much as general awareness and collective action are important, men’s supporting role for women around them is equally critical. Thus, if all men stand up to back the women of their household, the backlash from the patriarchal society against women’s empowerment would be greatly reduced. Hence, the need of the hour is that of an encouraging and favourable role of the male community.
Finally, women can help other women by providing them with financial support. When women with strong personalities and power come forth to help the marginalized, it would create a huge impact, for financially independent women would not be a burden on the country. Rather, they would help take developing countries’ economies to new heights.
“We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back”.
Malala Yousafzai
In a strong analysis of the situation, it can be claimed that women undoubtedly are holders of strong personalities, both physically and mentally. Therefore, they can achieve greatness if given the opportunity and can even snatch chances when societal hurdles stand in their way. One stroke at a time, women have swum across the ocean of difficulties over the years, and they have made progress in several areas of life. Specifically, their hard work in the field, sports and armed forces is commendable because it has presented them with dual hurdles – first, getting into the field while going against norms and second, making progress in it in a patriarchal society. Although the way ahead of them is not any easier even now, the path discovered by the brave women today will indeed assist the new generation in the future.
In a nutshell, women have been regarded as weak for most recorded history, with several mentions in literature and art. Misconceptions about their bodily and mental strength and persistence are unfamiliar to none. Nevertheless, they have not let such criticism be the force that stops them from pursuing what they want to. They have achieved everything men have and even more so by striking a perfect balance between their roles as mothers, homemakers, and working women. To illustrate, women like Bhutto have been witnessed as acclaimed politicians, Keller as top-notch authors, and Lt. General Nigar Johar as the first of her stature in the armed forces. Though a general lack of education, deeply entrenched gender biases, and a patriarchal mindset slow down their progress, women’s empowerment could be brought about by increasing awareness about their roles, breaking gender stereotypes at workplaces, and pushing men to give a helping hand for the cause. And it is imperative to do so because women make up half the world’s population, with the whole of humanity owing its existence to their presence.
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CSS 2016 Solved Essays
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| 1- | World as a global village: learning to live together. |
| 2- | We have to learn to be our own best friend, because we fall top easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. |
| 3- | Water crisis and national unity. |
| 4- | The place of Urdu in Pakistan and supreme court’s ruling on making Urdu the official language of the country. |
| 5- | Crisis of good governance in Pakistan: need for reforms and institution building. |
| 6- | Promotion of Tax culture in Pakistan: perspective, prospects and challenges. |
| 7- | Gender equality is a myth. |
| 8- | The creation of New province in Pakistan: implications far an integrated country |
| 9- | Does foreign aid help to achieve economic stability. |
| 10- | Frailty, thy name is women. |
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