Gender Roles in Odysseus Order of Society - 929 Words

Gender roles play an essential part in Homeric society. Book 1 sees Telemachos’ interaction with his mother Penelope that is again repeated in a few more scenes, which put emphasis on gender role in an ideal Homeric society. However, book 7 reveals an action that goes against the principles of gender role during the interaction between Odysseus and Arete. While there exists complexity in the ways women are treated, whether by them being confined or by exercising minimal power, the Homeric society ultimately remains a male dominant society. In the first scene, in book 1.355-359, Telemachos commands Queen Penelope to go back to her room. Without any response or argument, she obeys his order. This is one of the very first acts in the book to indicate that it is only for men to listen to poems and/or songs and participate in discussions (1.358), and not for women because of their weak emotions. The same scene is repeated in book 21; however, here Telemachos brings up another aspec t of men’s ascendancy - weapons, more specifically, ‘bow’ (21.345). He clarifies that dealing with weaponry is only men’s concern and not women’s. In both scenes, he emphasizes that he as a man holds more power than her, despite Penelope being the queen. A third scene of Telemachos’ assertive interaction with Penelope is when he â€Å"called her by name and scolded her† (23.96) for not caring about her husband after his long return. While analyzing such interactions among opposite genders, itShow MoreRelatedFemale Characters Of Women During The Odyssey By F. Scott Fitzgerald1499 Words   |  6 PagesWhile many patriarchal elements still exist in society today, women were oppressed to a much greater extent in earlier periods of human history. During the time Homer transcribed The Odyssey, women were not even allowed to participate in the theatrical performances; male actors played the female characters. Despite these conditions, female characters are very prevalent in the epic, and many of them even exert their independence outside of traditional gender norms at the time. At the same time, howeverRead MoreMale Stereotypes In The Odyssey Of Homer701 Words   |  3 PagesMale Gender Stereotypes Gender stereotypes has been around for many decades, and have been passed on from generation to generation. These gender stereotypes play a big role in how people are looked upon in society. The ancient Greeks portrayed masculinity as being brave, strong, powerful, superior to women, and in no way feminine. Some of these male expectations are still maintained in society today. In the book â€Å"The Odyssey of Homer† written by Richmond Lattimore, there are many of the male expectationsRead MoreThe Odyssey, Men And Women Experienced Different Degrees Of Power1440 Words   |  6 PagesIn the Odyssey, men and women experienced different degrees of power. Gender heavily influenced the actions the characters committed to and the roles available to them in Ithaca. Men proudly served in combative roles to engage in serious and informational moments. Their presence was crucial to protect and promote courage, loyalty, civilization, and the legacy of their society. Meanwhile, women pr imarily assisted men in accomplishing their goals. In this work, men were heroes and the women were simplyRead More The Role of Men and Women in Homers The Odyssey 1173 Words   |  5 Pagesin ancient Greek society. He appears to be brave, intelligent, well-spoken, and clever. Much of his knowledge is discovered by his travels, absorbing the local culture around him and using it as a guide. Aristocratic and a warrior. Perhaps the best warrior of all time. It is the Iliad which presents these attributes initially. The commander of the Greek army, Agamemnon, calls on Odysseus for assignments frequently, ones that required someone cunning and brilliant. He sends Odysseus off to ask AchillesRead MoreChimpanzees Are Social Creatures, Yet They Travel In Small1305 Words   |  6 Pagesheavily defend their territory in order to assert dominance in their society. Male dominance has existed in literature all throughout history, especially in the Odyssey by Homer. This piece of literature c ontains a journey that lasts for twenty years, a man who yearns to return to his wife, and many mythical beings he must overcome. Odysseus and his wife, Penelope, both face incredible situations within their twenty years of separation. In Homer’s Odyssey, both Odysseus and Penelope seek power throughRead MoreEssay On The Role Of Women In The Odyssey739 Words   |  3 Pagesbased on the story of an ancient Greek hero known as Odysseus. The Story follows his twenty-year journey, ten spent fighting the war, and the other ten spent getting home. Throughout the Poem, Homer presents the roles and nature of women. In The Odyssey, Greek society is controlled by men, while women face an entrenched societal expectation to be subservient and loyal without question. Men play a supreme authoritative role in all aspects of society within Greek culture. Beginning in Book One, HomerRead MoreAchilles Vs Odysseus Research Paper1216 Words   |  5 PagesAchilles Vs. Odysseus Achilles is the son of Peleus, who is the king of Myrmidon. He was the fearless, striking, and a substantial warrior of the army of Agamemnon in the Trojan war. In Greek mythology, Achilles is notorious for having a preference between a long and peaceful life, or a quick life that will guide him to eternal glory. He states that, â€Å"There are no covenants between sheep and wolves, nor between you and me† (Achilles). Achilles had a desire for glory, when it came to the battlefieldRead MoreThe s The Odyssey, Lysistrata, And Clytemnestra1530 Words   |  7 Pageswere restricted to living within the society s norms fulfilling mostly guided roles like housework. While some works of the time presented women as mere housewives, others often put them in the position of political leaders, heroines, and murderers. The women that receive major roles in the stories such as Penelope in Homer s The Odyssey, Lysistrata in Aristophanes Lysistrata, and Clytemnestra in Aeschylus Agamemnon are major characters with important roles, thus breaking the traditions of normalRead More Penelope, Clytaemestra, Athena, and Helen of Homer’s Odyssey1448 Words   |  6 PagesThe Ideal Women of Homer’s Odyssey      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Greek society treated women as secondary citizens. Restrictions were placed on the social and domestic actions of many aristocratic women in ancient Athens.   The women depicted in Homers Odyssey, on the other hand, are the ideal.   Penelope, Clytaemestra, Athena, and Helen are all women with exceptional liberty and power.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before comparing the women of the Odyssey to those of Athens, it is beneficial to take a look into the livesRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Bow From The Odyssey And The Lysistrata1207 Words   |  5 Pagesare going to restore their nation. A passage by Laura K. Mclure illustrates this ideal hand in hand, â€Å"In both of the tragic and comic representation of disorder as the abandonment of the loom, a return to order, or weaving, is a return to the gender status quo, to the rigid hierarchical roles that gave rise to the crisis at the beginning.†(2) Laura fails to bring to significance how the women use the loom as a tool to seek their rightful spot as equals not to go back to their submissive lives..