A woman in the current life has few options to be progressive and influential in the society. It is either you are wise or beautiful. Queen Sheba has it all since birth; his compatriots and father, king Abera, notice the dominant personality that Makeda has and fall in love with it (Greenberg 9). The role of women has always been a tug of war between men and women. Queen Sheba hears stories of wise King Solomon, and she cannot wait to see him. She assembles a caravan to journey to Jerusalem, and on arrival, Solomon is waiting only to see for himself stories he has heard about Queen Sheba. Eventually, Solomon tricks queen Sheba, and they get married. However, this does not stop Queen Sheba from traveling back to Ethiopia to continue with his birth rite as queen. She later gives birth to a son when in her homeland. The battle has been there for ages, and women such as Bathsheba as explained by Cushman, and Queen of Sheba have fought to maintain their status, family relevance, and power in the society.
The beauty of Queen of Sheba and Bathsheba is a reliable weapon that controls the hearts of men in inclusive King Solomon and King David, despite being wise (Finkelstein 339). Similarly, the same is experience in our current living where women use their beauty to gather favors and places within the control of men. This can be noticed by the growing rate of sales of beauty products in the market. The possibility of having women leadership has always been rare for centuries a familiar narrative even by the narration of female monarch leadership. Men still have significant influences on the roles of decision-making more than women do (Harding). Basing the arguments with facts from,’ The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek’ and ‘The Politics the Royal Harem and the Case of Bat-Sheba’ this paper is going to discuss significant challenges, contribution, and achievements that the Queen of Sheba had in relation with the contemporary issues today.
Women, Family, and Power
The commonplace for women during the times of Solomon and the BC were queens, but it is rare to have a queen without a king. This is a typical scenario even today, where many women are vice presidents but few have the presidential seats. The truth is that the strength of a woman is undefined and not many people have probable explanation on how one to explain it (Cushman 339)
The love of the people to Makeda and that of his father plays a considerable role to claim the throne against his brothers. Queen Sheba is intelligent and humble, contrary to his elder brother whom Abera feels is cruel to the people (Greenberg 8). Being a girl makes it difficult for her to claim the throne but her inner beauty is stronger than man’s idea of who should be the rightful era. She has a choice to request a throne as queen in Solomon’s kingdom, but she sees as a more great course for his nation and son, for being the topmost in leadership at Ethiopia as she had promised King Abera (Greenberg 41). Having to raise a son without a father has been a difficult challenge to many women.
In the current livelihood, single mothers are rising in numbers, and together they are having accumulated issues such as providing for their families, assist their sons with advice and finally helping during marriage conflicts (Kaveh). Bathsheba is not an exception as she plays roles of the Great Lady (Cushman 339). A Great Lady by the Hebrew Bible is denoted with g’bird. Being in this position, Bathsheba at the time commands of respect from his stepsons and King David listens to his plight as her beauty supplements her arguments (Cushman 339). This explains the current fight for women respects in the society as leaders.
According to the journal for the study of the Old Testament (pg. 340), Bathsheba is entitled to do the following: to guide his son’s political career and choose a wife for his son. Also, Bathsheba is allowed to maintain the integrity of the royal household by overseeing access to the king by ensuring smooth flow of information throughout the throne. These tasks are not easy for a concubine to handle if she is not strong. Realizing that Bathsheba is facing enormous opposition from rival against the throne makes the job even more difficult. However, Bathsheba can claim the throne for his son Solomon by directly confronting King David. The story is similar to the experiences of Queen Sheba. Later after giving birth to a son, Makeda takes the obligation to claim a place for his son in the society and tries to reunite his family together by sending his son to his father Solomon (Greenberg 43). The decision turns out to be one of the most challenging decisions that Queen Sheba faces for being both a parent and a leader. She has to let his son decide on what he wants for himself and to choose his path. This step is difficult for a woman who has raised a son single-handedly.
Correspondingly, the task is equivalently tricky today as women have to play both the roles entitled to a husband and those of a wife due to the reason of being single parents. The social status of single parents are less valued, less validly recognized, and the only way to claim a place for their sons is being strong and intelligent. The story of both Bathsheba and Queen of Sheba show the ability of women to claim respect in the community by demanding there rights and value amongst male contenders. Many women activists have been strong enough to walk on their path, the likes of Wangari Mathai and Hillary Clinton to secure leadership opportunities.
The Role and Value of Beauty
When a man looks at the woman, he first falls in love with what he sees in her. It is true that the beauty of a woman can control the reasoning of man and to some extent; it can make him do anything for them. The story of Bathsheba and David explains a lot about this claim. According to the book King Solomon and Queen Sheba, we are told that Queen Sheba has a strong personality although not much of her beauty is spoken of (Greenberg 18). This allows her to do massive civilization in Ethiopia as she gathers wisdom and knowledge from King Solomon. King Solomon commands his servants to direct Queen Sheba to the pool where he could trick her to reveal her feet. King Solomon has heard stories that the feet of Queen Sheba is like Goat feet and he wants to prove this with his own eyes (Greenberg 23). The strength of rumors concerning the extraordinarily look of Makeda blindfolds Solomon to an extent he invites her to Jerusalem. The inner beauty of Makade secures a place for her son as a prince, and she acquires her desired knowledge for her nation (Finkelstein 141). This is where the saying that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder acquires its relevance.
Similarly, the story of Bathsheba and David is another proof of the relevance of beauty in women. David has a man killed so that he can have his beautiful wife whom he notices bathing. Bathsheba then continues to use her beauty to negotiate for a place in the throne for his son despite not being the Great Lady. Bathsheba’s beauty is considered her most robust personality all through her life history (Cushman 338). The value of beauty in the narrative of Queen Sheba and Bathsheba has contributed in seeking of favors and social relevance for their siblings and their own. In current years, a woman has also developed the sense of understanding that they can use beauty to control men for favors and money (Kaveh).
Stereotypical bases on sociology explain that “beauty-status exchange” influences an attractive person to stand higher chances to marry a wealthy and influential person (Catalyst). Different facts clarify that an old polymath-billionaire who has sustained burns on his face holds a prospect with a swimsuit model, who is noneducated and may find it is challenging to locate known countries in a map, but after all, she is romantic (Catalyst). An argument that can be actualized by the reason why David married Bathsheba, or why Solomon took Queen Sheba for his wife despite having tons of wives. This fact drives the argument to the reasons why many women wear make-up today, and whether it builds their confidence. Women feel that Makeup is a mask that one can secure himself within, to get ready to face the world. At times is something you deploy as a weapon, so that captures and attracts a targeted individual to intimidate and amaze them (Cosslett). Makeup is part of a religion that allows a woman align themselves with a culture and a given social group (Cosslett).
Sociologists explain that makeup hides the insecurities of a woman and enhance the sight of love and confidence within them (Cosslett). The understanding of women has influenced the growth rate of use of makeup and the idea of beauty about social status and value of love. In the earlier time, Makade may not have had make-ups, but she had a personality that acted as her pillar. Likewise, Bathsheba may not be the first wife of King David, but her beauty claims a place for him as being more powerful to the extent that she does not bow before kings (Cushman 339). Both arguments explain that each man values the sight of what he sees and one man’s idea is not another. Makade is believed to have goat feet, but Solomon falls in love with the beauty inside her.
Looks and style are overthrowing the capability of inner beauty and personality. Women feel that men judge what they say before even listening to the views of their partners this is on the contrary to people such as Solomon. The likes of men who love strong hearts and occasionally assess an added advantage to the family security. The difference between Solomon and his father David explain the different version of men. David falls in love with the beauty of Bathsheba physically, but Solomon falls in love with the personality of Queen of Sheba. The
The scenario of this kind of men is even present today, and this may have been one reason why some men love makeups and why others view it as fake and over exaggerated. Excellent fashion designers explain that the world sees makeup in categories of a pinch of patriarchy, a dusting of sex enhancement or a smattering of fun. Women believe that make-up is a charm that hides the misplaced insecurity. The idea of other conservative men to make-up is that women who wear makeup are less confident and less intelligent. This might have originated from Solomon who feels that the look of Queen Sheba values a little less than her strong heart to look at him and question him.
Women and Independence
Gender-based stereotyping in leadership and power has caused a lot of control over women and their decisions. Psychology suggests that men always tend to be dominant over the ideas of women both in the society and politically. The marriage of Queen Sheba to Solomon is questionable regarding decision making mostly on how it will influence whether Makeda will travel back to his home over the will of Solomon (Finkelstein 141). Likewise, the forceful marriage of Bathsheba to David explains the limited decisions that women have over men. Contrary to the story of Bathsheba, Queen Sheba can fight her way through to her throne rather than being a queen in Solomon’s palace (Finkelstein 141). The will of being active from her childhood and her dominant trait always creates a place for him in the throne over men. The father of Adela chooses her over his brothers, and she does not prove herself a failure by letting her pregnancy stop her from being the supreme ruler of her nation (Greenberg 41). Being independent is not easy for many women, but those with a strong personality can access their rights and that of their sons.
Many women deny their boyfriends to pursue their dreams and achieve a place where they are less questioned (Kaveh). Being governed is not a usual place for Makade the very same way pleading is not a way for Bathsheba to ask for what is rightfully his. Women feel strong when they are in control and independent a possible reason why Queen of Sheba rejected King Solomon continually. Similar counter-evidence is the tendency of Bathsheba walking in the king's chambers when she knows she is not the Great Lady (Cushman 339). This expresses the will of women to gain control of their rights and independence on decisions and advice. The trends today also carry the same meaning as for these two stories. Research has revealed that many women do not want to lose their independence and work as cooks and dinners for someone rather than be professionals in given fields. This is similar to Queen Sheba who does not want to just be a mother but also a Queen of her people (Greenberg 41). Also, Bathsheba does not want to be just a wife she claims a say in the advisory of his husband and claims roles of leadership too.
In conclusion, the roles of beauty, societal view of women and the fight for women relevance in the community has always been a huge question. The capability of women to have control over men due to their looks has been demonstrated although different people have a different personality. The reality is that different people express beauty in their ways, some value looks while others value characteristic traits. The idea of women and makeup is based on their mentality to bring closer to their attention and to magnify their beauty.
Works Cited
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Cosslett, Rhiannon Lucy. Why do girls wear makeup? 21 October 2015. Electronic. 28 February 2018.
Cushman, Beverly W. " The politics of the royal harem and the case of Bat-Sheba." ." Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 30.3 (2006): 327-343. Document.
Finkelstein, Israel, and Neil Asher Silberman. "Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 30.3." "Temple and dynasty: Hezekiah, the remaking of Judah and the rise of the pan-Israelite ideology (2006): 335-366. Document.
Gillmayr-Bucher, Susanne. "She Came to Test Him with Hard Questions." Foreign Women and Their View on Israel: Biblical Interpretation 15.2 (2007): 135-150. Document.
Greenberg, Blu, " Linda Tarry. King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. New York: Devora Publishing, 1997. Document.
Harding, Sandra G., ed. Feminism and methodology: Social science issues. Indiana University Press, 1987. Electronic.
Kaveh, Kathy. Seven reasons Marriage is on the Decline. 12 December 2015. Electronic. 28 February 2018.
