Women in the Illiad and the Odyssey - 1331 Words

Sarah Kirkus ENG 2423 8A March 21, 2013 Roles of Women in The Iliad and The Odyssey Homer wrote two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Iliad is a tragedy that tells about the battles of the Trojan War. The Odyssey is somewhat of a sequel, the story of Odysseus s travels home after the Trojan War. An article found in â€Å"The American Scholar† states, â€Å" One might begin by asking what both epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, would be like if there were no women in them. The Trojan war would not have been fought, and Odysseus (assuming he had gone to Troy in the first place) would not have bothered to return home.† (Lefkowitz. 504) This statement alone illustrates the importance of the women portrayed in these two epics.†¦show more content†¦Motherly housewives are presented all throughout both epic poems. The Greek society believed that all women should be submissive to their father and husband. Females were designed for childbearing and performing household chores. Andromache was a prime example of a perfect, devout wife and mother in The Iliad. She was the wife to Hector and mother to Astyanax. She stood beside him and showed her true care and concern for him by begging him to withdraw from the war. â€Å" â€Å"She reminds him that, since Achilles has killed her father and brothers and her mother is dead too. â€Å"You are my father and mother and brother, and you are my young husband.†Ã¢â‚¬  (Lefkowitz. 507) She mourned greatly when he was killed. Penelope was the greatest example of a dedicated housewife and nurturing mother. She was the loving and devoted wife to Odysseus and the mother to Telemachus. She remained faithful to her husband for twenty years, not knowing if he was dead or alive and if he would ever return home. Penelope was required to raise her son alone, without a father. These years were difficult for Penelope. Even though her husband was sleeping with his seductress, Penelope used her inner strength and her own â€Å"s eductive ways† to not succumb to the suitors. This alone proved her loyalty to her husband. She often wept and mourned over her lostShow MoreRelated Reflective essays1316 Words   |  6 Pagesincongruity can be found throughout classical as well as modern comedy. Lysistrata involves this idea of incongruity through the play. The idea of women taking the akropolis was quite incongruent with the position of women at that time. This, along with the use of the elderly chorus of men, provides several comical scenes in Lysistrata, such as the one where the women empty the pitchers over the men’s heads. Incongruity is used throughout modern comedies such as the Naked Gun movies with Leslie Neilson. SomeRead MoreThe Trojan War : History Not Myth1545 Words   |  7 Pageshistories most legendary battles. 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Similarly, Arthur conducts mostRead MoreOdysseus : A Hero s Journey2024 Words   |  9 Pageswhether or not The Odyssey implements the Hero’s Journey. Odysseus’s journey starts out when he is ordered to partake in the Trojan War. Odysseus has to leave everything behind in Ithaca to help the entire Greek Army sack the beach fortress, Troy. Once at Troy, he fights for 10 years eventually winning the war with his cunning plan to build a horse for the Trojans as a gift, then jumping out of the horse at night time to sack the city. This is where The Iliad stops and The Odyssey begins. Odyss eus