Summary
The Position of Woman in Primitive Society: A Study of the Matriarchy by C.
Gasquoine Hartley is a groundbreaking early feminist work that challenges long-held assumptions about women's roles in ancient and "primitive" societies.
Drawing on anthropological research and cultural studies of the early 20th century, Hartley argues that matriarchal social structures—where women held central roles in religion, lineage, and governance—were not only real but once widespread.
Far from being consistently subordinate to men, Hartley asserts that women in early human communities often enjoyed respect, autonomy, and authority—particularly in spiritual and familial life.
She critiques the male-dominated lens of much historical scholarship and calls for a reevaluation of gender dynamics in both past and present societies.
Thought-provoking and richly detailed, The Position of Woman in Primitive Society is both a scholarly inquiry and a bold feminist statement—one that paved the way for future explorations of gender, power, and history.