The Ascent of Woman

Photo from official website

Netflix has had a sad selection over the past few months, but BBC2’s mini-docu series is quite an exception. The Ascent of Woman, written and narrated by Dr. Amanda Foreman (who is kind of the shit), is brilliant. The series is a four-part, hour-long episode journey through a history that most of us know little about: the history of women.

Think back to your introductory history education (hell, probably your higher education too if you’re like me) and you will probably notice that something is missing. In my history education (which, on all accounts was pretty poor), women were there, definitely, but much of the information was centered on men. When women were mentioned, it was often a general, brief reference to their status in said time or place that excused further discussion, with the exception of a handful of exceptional women deemed worthy of a place in our history books. But here we have a history that centers on women: their varying status of power and oppression, their experiences, their strides. 

Photo from official website

The series is brief, but packed to the brim with information. I need to watch it at least two more times before it will all sink in. Despite being jam-packed, the flow of information, the transitions through thousands of years of history, is surprisingly easy to follow–even for a history novice like myself. In the first episode alone we learn about the fluctuations between equality and subjugation women experienced in societies from pre-civilization to the Roman Empire. I promise, no matter how much you already know, at least a few facts will surprise you.

We see experts sharing surprising, recent, and sometimes little-known research, as well as everyday modern women talking about and illustrating these histories. History is brought to life, but without the use of cheesy reenactments. On top of that, the cinematography is beautiful.

A lot of wonderful stuff is going on here. Honestly, I would just recommend changing the Netflix image–Dr. Foreman looking into the distance–to something more telling of the program. I originally clicked on this because I thought it would be something to roll my eyes at, and how wrong I was.

Photo from official website

Official website found here