Women and their Roles in Homer's Iliad

List at least six of the women, mortal and divine in the Iliad and write a brief description of each one, explaining her role in the Iliad. Be sure to include Helen and Andromache. Finally, write a paragraph or two summing up Homer's ideas about women in the Iliad--what they are like and how they are treated.

The women of the Iliad undoubtedly play important roles in the tale, but one cannot help but notice that they are portrayed as “ second-class” citizens, playing the roles of long suffering wives, war prizes, and unfaithful wives, reserving the deeds, fame, and credit for the men. Regardless, they are the undercurrent that drives and shapes the events and conflicts of the tale, and plays off of their male counterparts, whether it be as a beauty that sparks a war, or a deity acting with cat’s paws to use their male counterparts.

Helen stands at the center of the Iliad, the indubitable royal catalyst for the war of “honor” between the Achaeans and the Trojans. Though “abducted”, the Spartan Queen allows herself to remain with Paris, though she eventually comes to loathe him for his cowardly nature, as well as herself for being the cause for the bloodshed.

Andromache serves as the antithesis of Helen, portraying the image of a loving, dutiful, and otherwise “perfect wife,” a councilor who seeks to persuade her husband Hector toward a less reckless strategy against the Achaeans.  Her story is marked by that unique tragedy and suffering that only a woman can know, both as a widow and as a grieving mother; while the men die and have their glory, she has only suffering and bitterness left to her.

Thetis, the divine mother of Achilles, serves as her son’s divine petitioner and last resort, making an emotional, rather than rational appeal to Zeus to aid her demigod offspring against the Trojans. Her strong maternal instincts serve to humanize her, but unfortunately her need to rely on Zeus’ favor rather than her own actions makes her seem more a beggar than a goddess.

Queen of the Gods and wife to Zeus, Hera is portrayed as a schemer and a plotter, working behind Zeus’ back when she finds herself on the opposite side of the battle. Even though she is characterized as relying on her wits rather than wiles (as do her fellow female deities), she still comes off as being a bad woman and person.

Briseis, the war-prize woman of Achilles, is more property than person, and ultimately becomes a commodity of peace, when she is forcibly taken by Agamemnon to replace his own war-bride woman, Chryseis. She too becomes a source of strife, causing a major rift between Agamemnon and Achilles, which spawns hardships for the Achaeans and the death of Patroclus.

As Hera used wit, and Thetis emotion, Aphrodite picks wiles as her weapon of choice, and will stop at nothing to have herself proclaimed the most fair of the Gods. Whereas others may receive praise for being so cutthroat, Aphrodite does not make the clean break that a male counterpart may do in her situation.

In summary, women share not in equality, or glory, or fame, and suffer the harshest judgment for what are often commensurate actions or natures.