Ignorance & "Oedipus"

Many women in Ethiopia are unaware of educational opportunities around them, which prevents them from going to school.  This ignorance is largely due to culture.  In Ethiopia, “women are responsible for domestic work and looking after the children” ("Ethiopian Treasures" 1).  Most girls begin work around the house at age six, so they do not have the time to go to school.  Since daily housework was common among females, no one made an effort to search for an education.  Also, “The majority of girls fail to attend school because of early marriages, pregnancies and sexual harassment” (Ruphael 1).  The rush to help raise a family leaves them no time for education. Women do not consider going to school when they believe that their most important job is to take of children, cooking, and other housework.  This situation is similar to that of Oedipus, whose ignorance led him to unknowingly make decisions that harmed him, such as murdering his father.  He states, “Ah, it’s so clear now,” as he realizes what he has done (Sophocles 20).  Ignorance prevents one from understanding how the real world is by not allowing them to get a feel for reality.  Women in Ethiopia, because they are only familiar with their own culture and ways of life, will find it difficult to comprehend the rest of the world.  Education will allow them to make wise decisions when they are in the midst of trouble.  It will also encourage them to have less children, so they will have more time to look for a job and be able to participate in community affairs.  The ignorance of education certainly alters the future of Ethiopian women, and restrains them from having the freedom to accomplish higher.

• "A Challenge To Girls Education In Ethiopia." A Challenge To Girls Education In Ethiopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2013.
• "Ethiopian Treasures." Ethiopian Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 May 2013.
• Sophocles, and R. D. Dawe. Oedipus Rex. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1982. Print.
• Picture Source: http://www.fawe.org/Pictures/1357884626.jpg