I am just about to finish a book entitled Luigi Zoja - The Father - Historical Psychological Amazon Link Scribd Link

I've been looking into books which define Masculinity for some time now. This eventually led me to look into Fatherhood. Again, I am highlighting key ideas, if you want to go in depth, please read the book.

Here are some concepts that stood out significantly from reading this book.

1) Manhood/Fatherhood initially established two separate mental states Prior to our species entering civilizations; both Men and Women lived freely in nature. At a certain stage, it was found to be more beneficial for a Man and a Woman to pair with each other; both gained benefits for pairing with one-another. Man for access to the woman's body and woman for man's protection. A mark distinction suddenly appeared between both sexes. Women were confined to the role of mother and left to hold the "house". Man on the other hand created a split in his own mental faculties. One which lead him outside into the unknown where he went hunting for food; the other which was to stay at home, raise and care for his mate and offspring. Men had to keep both worlds apart as one did not go with the other. His mind was split into two: one which was adapted at facing the unpredictable, at having a state of readiness, a truly wild man; while his other state which is Fatherhood was slowly constructed to maintain a healthy and strong family, and eventually further extending into the larger community.

2) Manhood/Fatherhood is an artificial/social construct and is not based in nature This then goes to say that Fatherhood had to be invented and elaborately sketched out to form the civil body of society. Fatherhood is closely attached to civilization itself. In ancient times such as Greece and Rome, for a Man to be considered part of Society, he had to become a father. The Father then, was a body of knowledge which formed a mental state which was passed down from generation to generation. In turn, a father had to be responsible for the task of raising his son and provide for him to eventually join the great lineage of the patriarchy. Failure to do so, that is, failure to provide guidance to the future generations and to maintain a continuity with the ancient traditions equated with a collapse of the Father in his artificial role and in turn, at large, with greater society if all members were in this state. (May I say that this is what we are seeing today?) Once more, Manhood/Fatherhood is the memory of the past passed down from Father to Son in order not to return to an animal state; where a return to an animal state of being is both a failure and a regression in society.

3) Manhood/Fatherhood is defined by wearing the "armor" In his book, the author attempts to portray Fatherhood as being the person who wears the armor. The Father, as seen from the eyes of a son is an invincible figure. Failure for the father to maintain this invincibility in the eyes of his son would create a form of contempt. The Father in itself is the link from the family to the larger society. A father which fails within society looses all respect and in turn his role as a Father, for if the Father does not succeed, what is his role again? The author illustrates his point by relating it with the story of Achilles and Hector from the Lliad. Hector is demonstrated as being the ideal Father in ancient Greek mythology. Hector knew he was to face defeat at the hands of Achilles if he was to face him; but it was his duty for him to do so. Him not doing so, would mean the cessation of his role within Society, he represents it. His alternative was to return with the Women and flee the scene.

The Author shows a scene where Hector rejoins his wife and son. Hector, wearing his full armor, approaches his son rapidly and immediately the son cries. Hector then realizes his mistake and removes his helmet, the son rejoices at the sight of his Father. Why is this so? This is an allusion to the facts stated above that a Father has two states: One outside the family and one inside. If he is to return to his family with his outside figure, he will frignen his relatives, he must be able to slightly remove his armor amongst them; though not fully, for he must remain both the Man and the Father. The Father or Man, must always wear his armor, outside and inside the family, though once returned to his relatives, he must reveal himself occasionally as one of them.

Fatherhood is a social construct and must be instructed by the Father to the Son; the torch must be passed. The continuation of this body of knowledge is what builds society, failure to do so means the total collapse of all our establishments, where it be institutional or even more closely related to the personal character of the Man himself.

Failure for a father to remove his armor in front of his son will annihilate his son to access the greater society.

Already said in other books; Males must be initiated into Manhood. Women have two great marks in their lives which naturally initiates them further (Menstrual Cycle and Pregnancy); Men do not have this. Men of our ancient times had to invent artificial means for the uninitiated Male to past from a former state to the next.

tldr: Review of some highlights from the book "Luigi Zoja - The Father - Historical Psychological"