Discuss the significance of women in either the Odyssey OR the Iliad. Who are the roles they play? Please take notice that both humans and gods are affected by this! Describe the groups of individuals that honor hospitality (xenia) in the Odysseus as well as those who misuse it. Is Zeus constant in the Iliad in his behavior toward both the gods and mortals? Does Achilles come across as a likeable person? If not, why not?
Overview
The Odyssey is a Homeric epic poem from antiquity. It is a continuation of the other Homeric epic poem, the Iliad. The voyage of the heroes and the literary image of the ideal lady are both depicted in the Odyssey. It may be claimed that women were not treated equally to males in ancient times.
There are battle tales in Homer’s Odyssey that detail the exploits of the warriors. However, the Odyssey does not include many female characters that can illustrate the crucial role that Odysseus plays in the story. The Odyssey helps us comprehend what is appropriate and inappropriate in interactions between humans, gods, women, and men.
Women had important roles in the creation of this epic poetry. It is evident that women do not possess the same level of authority as males. The personalities, behaviors, and service of the women in the Odyssey are distinctive. The article does not make this particularly clear, though.
Despite the differences between each of the ladies in the journey, they all have characteristics that represent what the ideal lady of the period was like. There are two depictions of women in ancient Greek society in the Odyssey. One example of the ideal woman is Penelope, who stands for the devotion and perfection that were required of a wife in ancient Greece. In addition to her devotion to her spouse, Penelope exhibits intellect, obedience, and the power to trick people (such as her husband).