O Roark Roman Family Analysis

512 Words3 Pages
Each of the historians has a solid central argument, and their essays are laid out well. Shaw seeks to show the structure and the functions of the Roman family in late antiquity. He also seeks to clear up misconceptions of the Roman family. O'Roark's argument seeks to show the closeness of the parents and children in the Roman family. The important thing to realize is that both of these essays are looking at the Roman family in the same period, late antiquity, after the advent of Christianity. Also important to note is both of these essays to not specifically talk about the impact of Christianity on the family. The essays can be used to reference against each other and against the Roman family in the Classical period. Information on the Classical…show more content…
First, children can provide is economic support to the family. Shaw recognizes that weather intended or not, children were often needed to contribute to the family income . O'Roark in a similar way says there is a "common desire for many children" . After a general read of the article I have concluded that one of the reasons he says this is the fact children could be an economic resource to the family. O'Roark provides more detail, saying that to few children can hurt the economy of the family, while to many can drain it . Clearly he recognizes children's economic advantage. This economic contribution of children was also very valued in the Classical period . Shaw points out the other valuable role of the child was to care for the parents in old age. This is the idea that children would be the ones who helped aging parents, and eventually buried them . O'roark points out that for parents in old age who had nothing to fall back on . Children were their supporters in old age . In the classical period children were to support the parents in old age and deal with their burial . Through these examples the reader can see that children always had some important role in the Roman
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