Inequality Between Men And Women In Homer's The Odyssey

Can social issues that existed nearly twenty-seven hundred years ago really continue to be a problem in the world today? The answer to this question: absolutely. One instance of this is the inequality between men and women that was apparent in society in ancient Greece and is still apparent now. This can especially be seen in Homer's The Odyssey, one of the earliest pieces of literature that is still widely read today. The epic poem barely includes any women to start with, most likely because women weren't recognized as important unless their husband or father was important, or if they were what was classified as "beautiful." In addition to this, the few women that are included are continuously treated differently from or inferior to men, throughout the story. In analyzing The Odyssey, it can be seen that society in the time of Ancient Greece is not much different from current society, which contributes to the importance of continuing to read such an old book. Despite humanity advancing in many aspects of life since the time of Homer, such as in technology and education, we continue to read The Odyssey because it deals with various social issues, including gender inequality, that still exist in society today.
In the time of The Odyssey, women lacked the respect they deserved, just as they continue to today. One example of this can be seen when Odysseus wakes up on an island he …show more content…
The Odyssey, for instance, gives us many examples of gender inequality that are similar to those of today. It shows that issues regarding the respect women are given and the expectations set by society on how to act existed then, and still exist now. By reading The Odyssey, we can see the flaws in society that still haven't been completely fixed, and start to figure out how to solve these problems, once and for