Talented Women who were Overshadowed by their male relatives - BBC News
Summary
TLDRThis video script takes us on a journey through time and space to highlight the achievements of five remarkable women overshadowed by history. From 18th century England, Caroline Herschel, the first woman paid for her scientific contributions, is known for discovering comets and astronomical objects alongside her brother William. In 19th century Japan, Katsushika Oye, daughter of the famous artist Hokusai, was an accomplished painter whose works were often misattributed to her father. Fanny Mendelssohn, a Victorian composer, initially unrecognized, had her 'Easter Sonata' rightfully credited to her only in 2012. Malava, Einstein's first wife and a strong student, was a collaborator in his work but received little credit. Lastly, Simone Cousteau, an adventurer and ocean researcher, was a key figure in her husband Jacques' expeditions, known as the real captain of the Calypso. These stories bring to light the significant yet often overlooked contributions of these women to their respective fields.
Takeaways
- 🌌 Caroline Herschel was an 18th-century astronomer who discovered eight comets, a galaxy, and a nebula, and was the first woman in England to be paid for her scientific contributions.
- 🎵 Fanny Mendelssohn was a talented composer whose work was often mistakenly attributed to her brother Felix. Her 'Easter Sonata' was not premiered under her name until 2012.
- 🎨 Katsushika Oye was a 19th-century Japanese painter who created beautiful women paintings that even her famous father, Katsushika Hokusai, praised and admitted he couldn't compete with.
- 📚 Mileva Marić was Albert Einstein's first wife, a strong student who once outperformed Einstein in applied physics. She collaborated with him on studies, but received little credit.
- 🌊 Simone Cousteau was an adventurous woman who left her Parisian lifestyle to explore the oceans with her husband Jacques. She was the first woman acronaut, a diver, and a business partner.
- 👣 Caroline Herschel's dedication to her work led her to travel 30 miles on one hour's sleep to claim her discovery of an eighth comet before anyone else could.
- 🎼 Fanny Mendelssohn's father discouraged her from pursuing music as a profession, believing it should remain an ornament rather than the foundation of her daily life.
- 🏆 Mileva Marić and Albert Einstein had an agreement that if he ever received the Nobel Prize, she would get the money. After their divorce, it's believed she threatened to reveal her involvement in his work.
- 🌐 The script highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women in history, particularly in the fields of science and art, where their work was frequently overshadowed by male counterparts.
- 🎭 Despite Simone Cousteau's significant role in Jacques Cousteau's expeditions, she avoided the limelight and was not featured in his documentaries, yet she was known as 'the real captain of the Calypso'.
Q & A
Who was Caroline Herschel and what is her significance in astronomy?
-Caroline Herschel was an 18th-century English astronomer who discovered eight comets, one of which was named after her. She also discovered a galaxy and a nebula. She was the first woman in England to be paid for her contributions to science and worked alongside her brother William Herschel, with whom she discovered 2400 astronomical objects.
What was Caroline Herschel's approach to securing recognition for her discovery of the eighth comet?
-To ensure recognition for her discovery of the eighth comet, Caroline Herschel traveled 30 miles on only one hour's sleep to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to stake her claim before anyone else could.
Who was Katsushika Oye and how is she connected to the famous artist Katsushika Hokusai?
-Katsushika Oye was the daughter of the famous Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. She was an accomplished painter herself, known for her 'bijinga' paintings of beautiful women. Hokusai praised her work, admitting he couldn't compete with it. However, her name has often been left out of history books, and her art has sometimes been mistakenly attributed to Hokusai.
What is the significance of Fanny Mendelssohn's 'Easter Sonata'?
-Fanny Mendelssohn's 'Easter Sonata' was initially attributed to her brother Felix Mendelssohn. It was only premiered under her name in 2012, just before her 15th birthday. This highlights the gender biases of the time, as her music was often unpublished or published under her brother's name.
What was the relationship between Mileva Maric and Albert Einstein, and how did it affect their academic and personal lives?
-Mileva Maric was Albert Einstein's first wife, and they were both strong students at the university where they studied together. Maric once outperformed Einstein in applied physics. Their joint studies are believed to have been the start of years of collaboration, although she received little credit for it. After their divorce, there was an agreement that if Einstein received the Nobel Prize, Maric would get the money, but it ended up being given to their sons.
Who was Simone Cousteau and what was her role in the famous explorer Jacques Cousteau's expeditions?
-Simone Cousteau was Jacques Cousteau's wife who left her fashionable Parisian lifestyle to explore and research the oceans with him aboard their ship, the Calypso. She was the first woman acronaut, a diver, a business partner, and was known as 'la bager' or 'the shepherd' of the expeditions. Despite avoiding the limelight, she played a significant role and was described by her son Jean-Michel as the real captain of the Calypso.
What challenges did Caroline Herschel face in her pursuit of recognition in the field of astronomy?
-Caroline Herschel faced the challenge of being overshadowed by her brother William, who was more well-known for discovering Uranus. She also had to overcome societal norms and expectations as a woman in a male-dominated field. Herschel had to be determined and assertive, as evidenced by her journey to the Royal Observatory to claim her discovery.
How did societal attitudes towards women in the 19th century impact Katsushika Oye's recognition as an artist?
-Societal attitudes in the 19th century often relegated women's contributions to the background. As a result, Katsushika Oye's artwork was sometimes hung under her father's name in galleries, and her name was left out of history books, leading to her accomplishments being underappreciated.
What was the role of Fanny Mendelssohn's father in shaping her musical career?
-Fanny Mendelssohn's father played a significant role in shaping her musical career by discouraging her from pursuing music as a profession, stating that it could become a profession for her brother Felix but would remain only an ornament for her, never the foundation of her daily life.
How did Mileva Maric's academic achievements compare to Albert Einstein's during their time at university?
-Mileva Maric was a strong student and, on one occasion, she outperformed Albert Einstein by receiving the top mark in applied physics, earning a five compared to his one.
What were some of the unique experiences and challenges Simone Cousteau faced while living underwater during the expeditions?
-Simone Cousteau experienced living underwater for days at a time, which likely presented unique challenges such as adapting to the underwater environment, managing the logistics of living in such conditions, and contributing to the research and exploration efforts.
Outlines
🌌 Astronomical Discoveries of Caroline Herschel
Caroline Herschel was an 18th-century English astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy. She discovered eight comets, one of which was named after her, and also identified a galaxy and a nebula. Herschel was the first woman in England to be financially compensated for her scientific work. Despite her brother William's fame for discovering Uranus, Caroline's work was often overshadowed by his. She dedicated much of her time to cataloguing William's work, but together they discovered 2400 astronomical objects. Determined to gain recognition, Caroline once traveled 30 miles on an hour's sleep to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich to claim her discovery of an eighth comet before anyone else could.
🎨 The Overlooked Art of Katsushika Oye
In 19th-century Japan, Katsushika Hokusai, known for his iconic artwork 'The Great Wave of Kanagawa', was not the only artist in his family. His daughter, Katsushika Oye, was also an accomplished painter, particularly praised by Hokusai for her 'bijinga' paintings of beautiful women, which he admitted he couldn't compete with. Unfortunately, Oye's name has often been omitted from history books, and many of her works have been misattributed to Hokusai. However, Oye has gained a cult following, with anime, documentaries, and graphic novels being created to tell her story, and she has been referred to as 'the next wave' in the art world.
🎵 Fanny Mendelssohn's Musical Legacy
Fanny Mendelssohn, sister of the famous composer Felix Mendelssohn, was a talented composer in her own right. Her 'Easter Sonata' was initially attributed to her brother and only premiered under her name in 2012, just before her 15th birthday. Despite her father's belief that music could only be an ornament and not the foundation of a woman's life, Fanny composed many pieces, most of which remained unpublished during her lifetime. Some of her works were even published under Felix's name. Ironically, when Felix met Queen Victoria, she chose one of Fanny's pieces, 'Italian,' as her favorite, mistakenly believing it to be his composition.
🧐 The Intellectual Partnership of Mileva Maric and Albert Einstein
Mileva Maric, Albert Einstein's first wife, was a strong student at the university they both attended, even outperforming Einstein in applied physics. Their joint studies are believed to have been the beginning of years of collaboration, although Maric received little credit for her contributions. At a British committee dinner in London honoring Professor Einstein, 43 letters between them were mentioned, with one from Albert expressing his happiness at the prospect of them concluding their work on relative motion together. After their divorce, it was agreed that if Einstein ever received the Nobel Prize, Maric would receive the money. However, after his death, his will gave the money to their sons. Maric was later advised by Einstein to remain modest and silent, suggesting a strained relationship between them.
🌊 Simone Cousteau: The Unsung Heroine of Ocean Exploration
Simone Cousteau, wife of the famous ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, left behind a fashionable Parisian lifestyle to embark on oceanographic adventures with her husband aboard their ship, the Calypso. Simone experienced living underwater for extended periods and was known as 'la bager' or 'the bag lady' of the explorer. She was the first woman acronaut, a diver, a business partner, and was described by her son Jean-Michel as the real captain of the Calypso. Despite avoiding the limelight and not appearing in Jacques' documentaries, Simone's contributions to their expeditions were significant. She cooked for the crew, helped save the Calypso when it lost its moorings, and was an integral part of the team, choosing a life of adventure over a life of leisure.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Caroline Herschel
💡Katsushika Oye
💡Fanny Mendelssohn
💡Mileva Maric
💡Simone Cousteau
💡Recognition
💡Astronomy
💡Art
💡Music
💡Physics
💡Exploration
Highlights
Caroline Herschel discovered eight comets and was the first woman in England to be paid for her contributions to science.
Caroline Herschel's work as an astronomer is less known than her brother William's, who discovered Uranus.
Together, Caroline and William Herschel discovered 2400 astronomical objects.
Caroline dedicated time to cataloguing William's work, often overshadowing her own contributions.
Katsushika Oye, daughter of Katsushika Hokusai, was an accomplished painter of beautiful women.
Many of Katsushika Oye's paintings were attributed to her father, leaving her name out of history books.
Fanny Mendelson's 'Easter Sonata' was initially attributed to her brother Felix and only premiered under her name in 2012.
Fanny's father discouraged her music career, stating it should remain an ornament rather than a profession.
Malavath Malava, Albert Einstein's first wife, was a strong student who once outperformed him in applied physics.
Malava and Einstein collaborated on studies, but she received little credit for her contributions.
After their divorce, Malava was to receive the Nobel Prize money if Einstein won, but it went to their sons instead.
Simone Cousteau left a fashionable Parisian lifestyle to explore and research the oceans with her husband Jacques.
Simone was the first woman acronaut, diver, business partner, and was known as 'La Bager' of the Calypso.
Simone's son Jean-Michel described her as the real captain of the Calypso, despite her avoiding the limelight.
Simone helped save the Calypso when it snapped its moorings with no officers aboard, showcasing her adventurous spirit.
Transcripts
this year
100 women is taking you on a journey
through time
and space to bring five incredible women
out of the shadows of history
we start in 18th century england way up
in the sky
[Music]
that sound you're hearing is the song of
a comet when its electromagnetic waves
are converted
into sound waves caroline herschel
discovered eight comets one was named
after her
she also discovered a galaxy and a
nebula
[Music]
herschel was the first woman in england
to be paid for her contributions to
science
but her work as an astronomer is less
known about than her brother williams
who discovered uranus
[Music]
caroline dedicated a lot of time
cataloguing william's work
rather than focusing on her own
together they discovered 2400
astronomical objects
she was determined to have recognition
for her work in her lifetime
so when she discovered her eighth comet
she traveled 30 miles on one hour's
sleep
to the royal observatory in greenwich to
stake her claim to it
before anyone else could
now off to 19th century japan
[Music]
a huge wave is breaking to the left to
the right
boats struggle to stay afloat on a sea
of choppy white water
in the distance mount fuji's blue and
white peak
blends into the sea below
this iconic image of the great wave of
kanagawa by katsushika hokusai
is one of the most recognizable pieces
of japanese art
but hokusai wasn't the only artistic
katsushika
in 19th century japan
daughter katsushika oye was an
accomplished painter
hokusai praised her for her bajingar
paintings of beautiful women that he
said he couldn't compete with
her name has been left out from the
history books galleries hang pieces
under his name
which art historians believe to be hers
now oi has developed a cult following
anime documentaries and graphic novels
have been made about her life
and one writer has described her as the
next wave
and now it's time for a victorian tale
the piece you've been listening to is
fanny mendelson's easter sonata
when it was discovered it was attributed
to the other f
mendelssohn her brother felix it was
only premiered under her name
in 2012.
just before funny's 15th birthday her
father wrote to her
saying that music could become a
profession for felix
but for her it would always remain but
an ornament
and never the foundation of her daily
life
most of her pieces were unpublished in
her lifetime
and some of those that were were
published under her brother's name
embarrassingly for felix when he met
queen victoria
she announced her favorite piece of his
but she picked one of fanny's
called italian
let's travel on to the 20th century
two intellectual an old hag
these were just some of the comments
made by albert einstein's family
about his first wife malava
at the university they studied at
together they were both strong students
and one time malava got the top mark in
applied physics
a five as opposed to a one for albert
[Music]
biographies of malava suggest their
joint studies were the start of many
years of collaboration
[Music]
which she got little credit for joined
british committee
dinner in london in honor of professor
einstein
43 letters between them remain one from
albert
speaks of how happy he will be when the
two of us together
will have brought our work on relative
motion to a victorious conclusion
when they divorced they agreed that if
he ever received the nobel prize
she would get the money
after his will gave the money to their
sons it's thought she threatened to
reveal her involvement in his work
albert wrote to her when someone is
completely insignificant
there is nothing else to say to this
person but to remain modest and silent
this is what i advise you to do
[Music]
and last but not least let's take to the
high seas
i live with adventure and what woman
given the chance
would choose otherwise these are the
words of simone cousteau
she left a fashionable parisian
lifestyle to explore and research the
oceans with her husband jacques aboard
their ship
the calypso
[Music]
she even experienced living underwater
for days at a time
the first woman acronaut a diver a
business partner
and known as la bager the shepherd s of
the explorer jacques cousteau's famous
expeditions
her son jean-michel described simone as
the real captain of the calypso
despite always avoiding the limelight
and never featuring in jacques
documentaries about their life at sea
150s newspaper clipping speaks of how
she could have been pouring tea
in her elegant studio flat in paris or
lazing by a swimming pool in the
mediterranean
but instead she has ridden on the backs
of giant land turtles
and danced in a ball gown in tropical
residencies she's also cooked for 23 men
and helped save the calypso when it
snapped its moorings with no officers
aboard
[Music]
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