They are more understandable if exegeted properly; if that is done, they do not prohibut women from having authority. You also have to consider Paul's use of αυθεντηιν instead of εξωυσια - the latter is his usual word for 'authority', the former has distinct connotations of sexual seduction and should not really IMO be translated 'authority'.
The problem Timothy had was that he was in charge of Ephesus (amongst other places); we know that this was a centre of Diana-Artemis worship with various gnostic offshoots which were infiltrating the Church. One of these was the so-called 'Eve cult' which taught the following:
1. Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge first and therefore women were endowed with superior knowledge (particularly spiritual) and authority to men.
2. Men could partake of this knowledge by sexual relations with women.
3. Women used the above to seduce men and have them in their thrall.
Paul addresses all of the above in I Tim 2:9-14 thus:
1. Error #1 - the sex thing - Paul says women are to dress modestly and conduct themselves properly - vv.9-10
2. Error #2 - women have authority superior to men - Paul says women are to learn quietly - v.11
3. Error #3 - women have sexual power over men and can and should wield that - Paul expressly forbids this - v.12
4. Error ~4 - Eve was superior to Adam because she ate from the Tree first - Paul says no: if you want to argue 'firsts', then Adam was created first and Eve, far from gaining knowledge first, was deceived first vv.-13-14
So, the passage addresses a particular problem (very effectively) and is not intended to be a blanket prohibition for all time and in all cultures for the OOW.