Homer's Representation Of Women In The Iliad

Women have endured centuries worth of the constant ebb and flow of society’s perceptions of the role they should play. In earlier times their spot at the bottom of the societal food chain has transcended into literature. Female characters constantly being written into narratives as prizes to be won is no surprise when one takes into account the fact that even from the earliest periods of human history this has been accepted as commonplace. As time goes on and the world matures so does the idea that women have a lot more to offer to literary works. Literature transcends time and is the only way for an idea to become truly immortal. It is for this reason accurate and diverse representation of women is needed in storytelling. To fully comprehend …show more content…
The story begins in the middle of a war between the Achaians and the Trojans. One of the first conflicts is whether or not Achilles will give Agamemnon his prize, Briseis, in exchange for Agamemnon returning Chrysies to her father. Achilles is taken aback at Agamemnon’s proposition but, “Achilles does not consider his feelings towards Briseis but regards his loss of her as significant because of the insult to his honour, as he did in book I,” (Farron 27). These men barter the women as objects not considering them as people. There was a point when Achilles felt a love for Briseis, but now he only acts thinking of himself. Taken at face value this relays the message of women being used as pawns in ancient literature, however, Homer’s addition of this translates more as a depiction of what women go through. They are adored, but not cared for or given much thought by men. Another important female character in The Iliad is Helen. As the story goes, Helen of Troy is the main reason the war took place. Much like the story of Briseis and Achilles, a conflict results due to one man not getting the woman he thought he deserved. However, Helen has more importance than is let on. In fact, “Homer has chosen to give her the last significant speech in The Iliad, and that is a speech of such poignancy and pathos that it must leave a lasting impression on the audience,” (Farron …show more content…
This shows the contrast of thoughts and opinions at the time. The author of A Thousand and One Nights places the upmost importance in Shahrazad’s character in giving her the role of storyteller and Alighieri giver Beatrice the more limited yet significant importance of guiding Dante on his journey through hell. Taking a quick glance at modern times we see the change in course even more. For example, the landmark stories of the Harry Potter franchise features a young female character named Hermione Granger. She stands alongside her best friends Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. In a lot of ways Hermione contributes the most to the trio of friends in Harry Potter. She encompasses Shahrazad’s wit and knowledge, Beatrice’s innocence and purity, and Antigone’s bravery. Her character has even been referred to as “The heroine women have been waiting for,” by the Huffington post.
It is extremely essential for authors to continue developing strong and diverse female characters in their literature. Much like King Shahryar believed in A Thousand and One Nights stories and the characters within them are powerful and can teach lessons. People can benefit from seeing female characters who can keep up with their male counterparts. When an entire group of people is reduced to simple things no one wins. Literature is a more creative way of writing the worlds history and leaving behind a great story with a cast