"The Subordinated Sex" traces the enduring, powerful legacy of male attitudes toward women, their sexuality, and their roles as wives and mothers. Traditionally the creators and chroniclers of opinion, men have until recently written a history that reflects only their own convictions and impressions--a history rarely punctuated by a female voice and founded on an almost universal belief in women's inferiority.

Acclaimed as a pioneering study when first published in 1973, Vern Bullough's work has since established itself as a standard in historical literature on women. Updated and revised...