Talented Women who were Overshadowed by their male relatives - BBC News

Summary

This 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.