Table of ContentsRepresentation of Women's and Men's Identities in Homer's 'The Iliad'Concluding ConclusionsWorks CitedControversy infects our world like germs. It can be contained and controlled for a while, but it will never truly go away. In order to solve problems, you must first solve them. However, when this happens, other problems arise in its place. A major point of disagreement throughout history concerns the roles of men and women. In the past, women have been demoted to a level below men, where they are expected to submit and obey. The problem lies not in subjugation, but in the fact that they are suppressed and treated like property or livestock solely because of their gender. Men, on the other hand, are assigned a level of superiority primarily because of their masculinity. They receive special treatment and are allowed to do whatever they want with women, which they have abused this power to a great extent. The Iliad provides excellent examples of the role of each gender three thousand years ago. Over time, the positions of men and women have changed, but the examples from the poem are still relevant in today's societies. Thus, this essay will analyze the depiction of gender roles in The Iliad and how they reflect the societal norms of ancient Greece. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In The Iliad, Homer focuses on each individual and the roles they played during this time. The poem focuses on the brutality and gruesomeness of war by describing the deaths of thousands of men. It's hard to imagine a place for women's tenderness when it comes to battle. However, they play a crucial role behind the scenes of the fights. Women play an important role in the outcome of wars as they support warriors, support them and give them advice. Contrary to this reputation, the role of women in The Iliad is rather a retrograde and inferior position to that of men. In order to understand the work of the women in the poem, one must first look back in time and gain knowledge about the treatment they received and how they acted. In the beginning, women were rarely seen as individuals in their own right, but always as an extension of their husband, father or brother. This is crucial because it reveals the truth that women did not have a say in issues because they were repressed and inferior to men. Women were thought to be a burden and only useful for cleaning, maintaining the household and having children. They lived separately from men because they interfered with work and caused a distraction. Special events were a treat for women because they could only attend if accompanied by a man. There was a feeling of superiority for the male sex. Women learned to accept the rules of men with higher authority than them because they did not have the same rights as men. The treatment of women in Homer's time consisted of viewing them as spoils of war or as being known only by association with the male presence in their lives. All the women mentioned in the poem are referred to as objects and never as people. Representation of feminine and masculine identities in Homer's “Iliad”. One of the most complex female roles is that of Helene. Her beauty not only surpasses everyone around her, but she is level-headed and intelligent. Every manwanted her because of her beauty, which is why she was considered a prize to be won and this issue caused the outbreak of an entire war. The role Helen played in the war was not only hated by her people because she was seen as the cause of all the countless deaths, but also the Trojans despised her and forced her to live with a family who abhorred her. his very presence. She is the first example presented in The Iliad of women being treated as slaves and property rather than as human beings. “In fact, in each case she (Helen) is grouped with the goods that came from Sparta to Troy.” Men thought they could do with women whatever they were happy with, so they stole them and traded them like items at an auction. Briseis was also a war prize that Achilles had appropriated for himself. When Agamemnon was forced to return the women he had stolen as a trophy, he wanted to disrespect Achilles and took Briseis for himself. He only saw her as a concubine and property intended solely for his pleasure. Agamemnon takes him because he wants to prove to Achilles that he is the best. Throughout the argument, Briseis is a pawn used and exchanged between men without regard for his feelings. “This shows the most incredibly brutal and callous disregard for Briseis as a human being.” Women's identity was placed on the value they had to each man. When Agamemnon tried to bribe Achilles to join the war, he used women and concubines as treasures and gifts. He also adds that he refrained from touching Briseis. This information shows that her value lay in the physical relationships she had with men. She was worth more in Achilles' eyes because Agamemnon claimed to have physically abstained from having relations with her. The idea behind the treatment of women is sickening because even though the situation was worse at that time, it still happens today in the sex trafficking industry. Since women's lives were controlled by men, they looked to them for protection, because men were all they had. War was a harsh reality for most women as their source of security was sent into combat and more often than not killed. This left women alone, with no one to provide for them. Andromache portrays this image when she begs Hector to stay back and not enter the fight because their son needed him to survive, "it would be better for her to die if she lost him." Without Hector, Andromache had no one in her life, which shows the insecurity women faced when their entire identity rested with men. Men were portrayed very differently from women. In Homer's time, men supported families and protected them because their role was more dominant. They were higher on the social ladder and responsible because of their masculinity. Patriarchy was the system adopted in which men controlled women and their identity was based on the number of possessions they owned. Each of them had to grow up very young as the war constantly raged and they were forced to enlist at an early age. Men were given power and chose to abuse it. While some loved and properly protected the women of the cities, most men saw themselves as superior and took advantage of their dominance. They are described as aggressive and strong in order to gain honor. The most important characteristic of a man in this era is his honor and nobility. Men were forced to live in the mentality that if they were not.