The Importance of Woman in the Iliad - 684 Words

Homers Iliad is the product of a society in which men played the dominant role. Throughout history, women have been viewed as playing small roles in society. The role of women in the Iliad is very small and overshadowed by the main story of Achilles and the Trojan War. The shadow that is cast over the women in the Iliad can often block readers from seeing the important role that they play in this classic Epic Poem. Most readers view the women of the Iliad as simply war prizes but without them there would be no story. The men of the Iliad are very emotional individuals; however, the emotions they express are consistently rage, pride, and jealousy. Achilles and Agamemnon jealously bicker over Briseis, a war prize that neither man†¦show more content†¦Achilles is willing to risk the lives of his compatriots and eventually forfeits his own life in pursuit of glory. Hector also loses his life and fails his family and country for glory despite having weighed the alternatives and c onsequences. Knight 2 Although Thetis supports her son Achilles is his quest for glory, her motives are very different from his and provide a glimpse to the reader of what the male characters lack. Thetis is always motivated by her love and pity for her son, two emotions he seems unable to feel himself. As a loving mother, she is concerned for her son and his future and so ensures that he is aware of his options. Out of respect for him, she allows Achilles to make his own decision and goes as far as to support him fully, although the attentive reader can sense that doing so is immensely painful for her. Therefore, although it superficially seems that Thetis supports war and aggression, her true motives are far more admirable. Unlike Thetis, Andromache’s values are clear. On the rampart in book six, she makes an impassioned plea to Hector for reason and peace. Pity me, please! she says, Take your stand on the rampart here, before you orphan your son and make your wife a widow. (ll. 230-231) When he r fears are realized and Hector is struck down by Achilles, she laments, Hector, what help are you to [Astyanax], now you are dead? (l. 571) This single statement lays bare the true follyShow MoreRelatedHonor in the Iliad and Antigone Essay1007 Words   |  5 Pagesprevalent throughout the Iliad and Antigone. Both texts demonstrate that honor is essential to Greek heroes because honor is the foundation of the society and family. Homer and Sophocles clearly show that honor guides people’s actions and responses and decides the fate of themselves and others. Both authors also place emphasis on the importance of proper burial because it is a strong indication of honor to the deceased and the deceased’s family. As can be seen in the Iliad and Antigone, the aim ofRead MoreAnalysis Of Lysistrata And Homers The Iliad1120 Words   |  5 Pageshence reinforced through the diversity and authenticity of the ancient Greek tales. It is through the ancient Greek tales, that the tru e depiction and discernment of the ancient Greek society comes to life. Aristophaness Lysistrata and Homer’s The Iliad are examples of the ancient Greek tales that tell stories of the social, religious, cultural and moral theories that reflect the ancient Greek society. Through the societal aspects, like war, love, courage and the role of women, the ancient Greek storyRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad866 Words   |  4 PagesIn Homer’s The Iliad, women can often be overshadowed by the strong male warriors that dominate the epic poem. However, many women in The Iliad are central to the plot; without these women the poem would have a drastically different story. The influence of women in The Iliad varies from woman to woman, usually having some effect on the plot, but the extent of their involvement is typically dependent on their status in society. However, even when a woman is in a position of great power, she is stillRead MoreAnger in The Iliad and Genies Essay 943 Words   |  4 PagesAnger in The Iliad and Genies We live in a society of violence and extravagance. One can pick up a newspaper and see a headline reading â€Å"Bride Killed On Wedding Day By Crazed Ex-Boy Friend†. We live in an age of people who drive hundred thousand dollar cars. These are on opposite sides of the spectrum. We see people causing great pain and people who are trying to lose themselves in material goods, to avoid the suffering in life. This is the society we live in, which can be seen in all civilizationsRead MoreMyths In Greek Mythology998 Words   |  4 Pagesvalues often contain important human truths or universal truths about human nature. For example, Homers Iliad contains many important truths even though the story itself is full of fantastic/mythological elements, such as the appearance of the gods in the midst of the battlefield at Troy. However, Homer deftly mixes Greek mythology with historical accounts of real persons. What Homer did with the Iliad was to link Greek heritage and history with G reek religion, to create a kind of historical-religiousRead MoreThemes Of The Greek Literature1409 Words   |  6 Pageswhich exemplifies the importance of glory in ancient Greek men, which could be used to explain motives and behavior. Many themes, however, can go hand in hand to create a certain narrative. The theme of misogyny, combined with deceit and trickery, is prevalent in Hesiodic and Homeric literature through the descriptions of the treatment of women and how they exercise power. According to Hesiod s Theogony and Works and Days, the beautiful Pandora was the very first mortal woman to be created by theRead MoreAchilles and Homer1298 Words   |  6 Pagesexisted it would be around 8-9 century BCE. Most likely he would be from the Island of Chios due to the writing style of the Iliad. One thing we do know is that whatever this Homer character is he has largely contributed to many writers, poets, and philosophy after his time. Homer also gives generally pretty accurate accounts of true history of that time just of his nobles the Iliad and the Odyssey. The legacy of the mysterious character Homer will always be remember for his historical accounts and theRead MoreThe Iliad And The Book Of Genesis1225 Words   |  5 Pagessuffering, war, violence, and sin, the characters of both the Iliad and the book of Genesis strive to live and define their lives as their own. The women in particular best exemplify this struggle as they contend not only with the circumstanc es to which they are born into, but must also grapple will the role they play in their society and how their actions influence the greater fate of their people. Within the Iliad, Andromache’s role as a woman and wife to a warrior during war contributes to her actionsRead MoreEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courage, boldness, and embodyRead MoreWomen in the Illiad and the Odyssey1331 Words   |  6 PagesSarah Kirkus ENG 2423 8A March 21, 2013 Roles of Women in The Iliad and The Odyssey Homer wrote two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Iliad is a tragedy that tells about the battles of the Trojan War. The Odyssey is somewhat of a sequel, the story of Odysseus s travels home after the Trojan War. An article found in â€Å"The American Scholar† states, â€Å" One might begin by asking what both epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, would be like if there were no women in them. The Trojan war

Western Women s Roles And Roles - 1806 Words

Throughout time, western women’s roles have developed into a popular topic within politics that the people often use to gauge the all important morals and values of leaders. However, in the east, women’s roles have remained rather static and assume a slower, or perhaps unmoving, progression towards change. Eastern women are known to be the caretakers of the family and sacrifice their own personal desires for the good of their husband and children. On the other hand, western women are given more freedom and can make decisions for themselves. While these stereotypes may not apply to all women in the west or all women in the east, it is the assumed definition of the roles of western and eastern women. One character who portrays the qualities of an eastern woman is Sita, or the reincarnation of the goddess Lakshmi, from the Ramayana written by Valmiki and translated by R. K. Narayan. The other character who represents a typical western woman is Dido, the Queen of Carthage, from The Aeneid by Virgil. However, Dido does not remain a western woman throughout the story as she quickly adopts several eastern woman qualities. Virgil utilizes Sita’s character to model the qualities of the ideal eastern woman, while Valmiki molds Dido’s character to show the consequences of adopting qualities of the western woman. Both Dido and Sita enter their respective stories as women with high power. Dido is a queen married to King Sychaeus and Sita is born as a reincarnation of the goddessShow MoreRelatedThe Role of Women in Western Europe and Japan845 Words   |  3 PagesWomen in Western Europe and Japan compare and contrast religiously, politically, and economically. Religiously, women in Western Europe were better off with the advantage of becoming a nun than women in Japan were who lost their role in Buddhist and Shintu rituals. Politically, feminist thinkers were allowing women to have a greater say politically but there were fewer female rulers or r egents in Europe. Japan who had female empresses prior to Koken was less inclined to have success. EconomicallyRead MoreA Brief Note On Anorexia And Bulimia Nervosa1561 Words   |  7 PagesIn today s western society, an abundance of factors contribute to the way one thinks and feels about themselves physically, and essentially how one would act upon this. All over the world, messages and images of skinny women are engrossing people s lives, leaving negative and long-lasting affects behind. Current beliefs of western culture suggest one must obtain a perfect, which has become analogous to thin, physique in order to achieve happiness and success, causing many young women to feelRead MoreChanges Of Women s Gender Roles1373 Words   |  6 PagesChange in Women’s Gender Roles Due to advances in technology, the discovery of new lands, and changing public opinion; people desire new things and the equality of man is constantly changing. For thousands of years males were considered superior to females in most cultures. In a civilized society it was often considered the duty of the man to work and provide for his family. Alternately, it was perceived that women should stay home and take care of the children and that they were not able to performRead MoreCritical Analysis of Film785 Words   |  4 PagesGive a critical analysis of the Western Holly Wood film High Noon. This essay will focus on the current representation of women and men in the classical Holly Wood western film High Noon, focusing on the gender roles of each character and the stereotypical roles that are given. High Noon  is a 1952 Western film  directed by  Fred Zinnemann, one which broke genre rules of masculine ideals and popular themes of cowboys and indians (Johans;1994). The male protagonist Marshal  Kane (Gary Cooper  ) startsRead MoreThe Between The East And West Essay1656 Words   |  7 PagesIn Western society, specifically the US and Europe, feminists and Neo-pagans use Kali as an icon of anger at a patriarchal society. They see Kali as a force to be reckoned with, an awe-inspiring image for women in a developing country such as India. However, women in India rarely use goddesses as images of women’s rights, despite having a pantheon rich with female deities. Why is this? Do they revere the image of the goddesses too much to use them in a political stance? Or are they afraid of theRead MoreThrough Out Middle East The Lives Of Women Appear To Have1568 Words   |  7 PagesThrough out Middle East the lives of women appear to have no influencing role in society. Elizabeth Fernea provides an survey of the traditions of an Iraqi village in her book Guests of the Sheik. Within this book, Fernea explores the element of gender and its impact on the roles of women in Iraq, directly in the village of El Nahra. She also encounters the expectations based on the gender-specific social constructs of polygamous families. Another woman author, Leila Abouzeid, explores similar elementsRead MoreWomen s Role Of A Muslim Woman1440 Words   |  6 Pages Women’s Role in Islam In the west, the common picture of a Muslim woman is the stereotype of a woman hidden behind a veil, a voiceless, silent figure, stripped of rights. This picture of the Muslim woman is all too familiar to us, in large part because this is how the western media portrays women in Islam. If this is the picture of what most people think a Muslim woman is, what people think the roles of these women are not any better. Many people would think the roles of these women include beingRead MoreSocial And Psychological Role Of Gender With Orientalism By David Henry Hwang Essay1179 Words   |  5 Pagespsychological role of gender has shown the implications of traditional stereotypical views that are placed on women and men. These roles are systems of power that divide men and women as masculine and feminine and place masculinity and men above women in American/Western culture. The construction of these systems by men show the chauvinistic ideals of masculinity from Western culture that are dest ructive to women, men, and other cultures as well such as between Eastern culture and the Western culture.Read MoreMuslim Women As A Symbol Of Oppression856 Words   |  4 PagesMuslim women are forced to wear and do things out of their own will and, therefore, the western society perceives Muslim women as a symbol of oppression. The main subject of controversy is the Islamic veil. In addition, the west proclaims Islam to be a sexist religion as the Muslim women are not held equal to men including a limited amount of women’s rights in Islam. In the Deepa Kumar article, Kumar exposes what the western countries try and have done to uphold women’s rights. The western countriesRead MoreBenefits For Nonhomophobic Societies : An Anthropological Perspective By Walter W. Williams901 Words   |  4 PagesIn Excerpts from â€Å"Benefits for Nonhomophobic Societies: An Anthropological Perspective†, by Walter W. Williams, comparisons are brought up between Western Ideolo gies of homosexuality and other cultures from around the world. One of the first cultures to be presented is that of the American Indian. Williams argues, before the heavy influence by the western society, the Navajo traditionally supported and accepted â€Å"the fact that such androgynous people almost always have inclinations to be sexually active

The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 Essay Example For Students

The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 Essay As with any conflict or controversy there are always two sidesto the debate, and the events in India during 1857 are certainly noexception. Given the situation in India during the nineteenth centuryit is hardly surprising that such a polarisation of opinion existsregarding the context of the rebellious events during that year. TheBritish being in control of the subcontinent and their sense ofsuperiority over their Indian subjects, would naturally seek todownplay any acts of rebellion. While the Indian subjects on the otherhand would arguably wish to exaggerate and over emphasise theimportance of these events, as a means of promoting the nationalistcause for self determination. The truth of the events themselves, doesit lie towards the British account or the Indian pro nationalisticside, or could there be a certain amount of truth in both sides of thedebate. Metcalf in his account cites three indisputable factors behindthe outbreak of rebellion in 1857. Primarily he sees `accumulatinggrievances of the Sepoy Army of Bengal’ as the most important factor. The reasons behind this `deterioration of morale’ amongst the army laywith several reasons. Much of the Sepoy army was comprised of`Brahmins and other high caste Hindus’ who assisted in promoting a`focus of sedition’. The `generally poor standard of Britishofficers’, plus the lack of improvement to the overall position ofthose men serving in the army also increased the level of tension. Atthis point it should be remembered that the `Bengal Army differed fromthose of Bengal and Madras’, as the Bombay and Madras armies took nopart in the rebellion of 1857. But the more pronounced military factorwas the lack of British troops in the `Gangetic plain’ meant that manyareas were `virtually denuded of British troops’. These military grievances which although significant were notthemselves enough to incite rebellion, as it took a perceived attackon the Sepoy religious institutions to trigger of the rebellion. Thefirst of these perceived threats was that the British government waspreparing to dismantle the caste system and `convert them forcibly toChristianity’. Although not based on fact the actions of some `piousBritish officers did nothing to dispel’ the rumours to the contrary. Added to this British lethargy was the Brahmins who tended to be`peculiarly watchful for potential threats to their religion andcaste’. Secondly, the introduction in 1857 of the `new Enfield rifle’with its distinct ammunition, which required the bullet to be `bittenbefore loading’. Rumours that the grease used on the bullets waseither from the fat of cattle or pigs, which either proved `sacred toHindus’ or `pollution to Muslims’, was interpreted as attacking at thecore of the Hindu and Muslim religious beliefs. These rumours unlikethose regarding the conversion to Christianity and dismantling of thecaste system, did prove to have a factual basis, as the Britishgovernment `withdrew the objectionable grease’. This belated actionproved futile as the damage had already been done. However this only accounts for the military aspects of theuprising which display the version of events `accepted in officialcircles as basically army mutinies’. This version preferred by theBritish fails to acknowledge the level of `widespread unrest among thecivilian population’, who saw much of the British government’s actionsas amounting to interference and contempt for the `long establishedrules and customs’. Disraeli saw the causes of the uprising as not being the`conduct of men who were †¦ the exponents of general discontent’amongst the Bengal army. For Disraeli the root cause was the overalladministration by the government, which he regarded as having`alienated or alarmed almost every influential class in the country’. Yet other British saw the overall social situation andgovernment administration as having no effect in causing the uprising. For officials like Sir John Lawrence the `immediate cause of therevolt’ was the concerns held by Sepoys over the new ammunition forthe Enfield rifles. However, he sees this as just the triggerincident, with the root cause being the long term reduction indiscipline in the army and the poor standard of officers in command. The British standpoint is to regard the events of 1857 as amutiny. This is correct as there was a mutiny by sections of themilitary, yet this fails to include the sections of the civilianpopulation who also engaged in civil unrest. For most of the Britishwriters and observers of the events, they are agreed in calling it amutiny because of the failings of the army, in terms of discipline andcommand. The term mutiny also conjures up images of relatively small,disorganised and not very widespread activities of disobediencetowards British authority. This is a more accurate description of theevents given that the `whole of India did not participate in therebellion’. Added to this the `large bodies of Punjabi Sikh troopswho served under British command’ and some `of the Indian princes’it seems hard to justify the term used by the Indian nationalists todescribe the events of 1857. Although not accepted by all Indian historians, the traditionalIndian nationalist view of the events of 1857 are that it was not asthe British believe, a series of isolated and uncoordinated mutinies. Canterbury EssayThese racially based beliefs in superiority and inferiority werethe basis, for the supporters of such beliefs, in the reason behindthe British victory in 1857, as the `white race was dominant becauseit was more advanced and adaptable’. The moves by the British towardsacknowledging the various racial groups in India and therefore thequalities of each was an area which having been neglected before themutiny became an area of keen interest. The `martial races became aconcern immediately after the outbreak of the Sepoy Rebellion’. TheBritish administration the `Peel Commission concluded †¦ had beenunaware of the true martial attributes possessed by various Indianethnic groups’. The willingness of the British to admit to the beneficialqualities of certain ethnic groups showed that, although they did notregard such groups as being anywhere near the equal of the white race. They could be categorised as being the superior members of an inferiorrace. The findings of the inquiry saw the British place certainracial groups out of favour, while providing greater acceptance ofothers. The Brahmins were characterised as `scheming and dishonest’, andit was the `high caste Hindus of Oudh and neighbouring areas †¦adjudged responsible for the undermining of discipline of the sepoysof the Native Army’. While others like the `Guhkas, Sikhs, Marathasand Rajputs †¦ understood the meaning of honour, and duty’, thereforethe British administrators saw these races as being `India’s trulymartial peoples’. The recruitment into the army of members of thesesocial groups was made government policy and `a series of handbooks onthe martial races produced for the benefit of recruiting officers’. Aside from the overall deterioration in relations between theBritish and their Indian subjects after the rebellion, there was alsoan impact on the Indians themselves. With the Muslims losing much ofthe influence and power they held before the rebellion, and theHindus filling the vacuum left by the Muslims. While the Britishattitude changed radically towards the Indians the `most bitter andwidespread hostility was reserved for the Muslim community’. They wereblamed by the British for much of the rebellious activity, which theBritish saw as an attempt to `restore the authority of the Moghulemperor’. Because `Muslims stood prejudiced against western education’they `had to remain in the background for some time’, while the Hinduswho were more favourable in the adoption of this western style ofeducation and learning English benefited under the government. Anexample which shows how the Muslims declined so heavily and the Hindusbenefited after the mutiny, is in the case of `judicial positionsopen to Indians’. `Although Muslims comprised only 12 per cent of thepopulation in the North Western Provinces, they held 72 per cent ofpositions’ prior to 1857. The post 1857 effects saw thisdisproportionate share of judicial position diminish to a situationwhere in `1886 they could claim only 9 posts out of a totalof 284?. This situation of a Muslim decline in influence had long termeffects on the Muslim community right up until the early part of thetwentieth century. As each side of the debate is so fixed in their opinion on thissubject that no consensus ever seems likely to be reached. For theIndians the events assist in enhancing the nationalist theme ofridding the sub-continent of the British. To the nationalists theevents of 1857 are the first step in a process that took ninety yearsto achieve the goal of an India ruled by Indians. However the evidenceof the events clearly comes down on the side of the British opinion. The events were not a war of independence but a military andcivilian mutiny. Given that the `entire south of India took no part in therebellion’ it seems impossible to justify the claim that the eventswere a war of independence. Added to this, the assistanceprovided by certain elements of Indian society to the British furtherreduces the nationalist claims. The lack of central co-ordinationamongst the rebels hardly inspires confidence in them engaging in aconflict to gain independence. Clearly the debate comes closer to theBritish viewpoint of 1857 being a year of mutinies in the Indiansub-continent, and not the first attempts by the Indians to seekindependence.

Why I Chose to Attend a Women’s College

Though college admissions have become increasingly competitive, not all colleges are seeing an increase in applications.Last year, we wrote an article on Why Women Colleges Are Losing Funding to bring to our readers attention that not all colleges are thriving in a world where getting a college degree is more and more important. While women colleges may not be as popular as they used to be, there are a few colleges that still stand out. We asked one of our s attending a womens college why she decided to apply and enroll in one:Jodis StoryThe idea of attending a women’s college may not be attractive to many young girls applying to college for many different reasons. Two of the biggest reasons I’ve heard why many girls do not want to attend a women’s college is that there is lack of male presence on campus, and that attending a women’s college must come with a great deal of drama. As a current student of a women’s college (Smith), I can assure you tha t none of these reasons have ever been an issue during my time in college.The idea that going to a women’s college must be boring because there are no boys around is untrue. Going to a women’s college is just as fun as going to a coed college, and in my opinion is even more fun. The great thing about a women’s college is that students do not feel as though males dominate the classroom or are favored over female students, which is quite empowering.Thinking that there is more drama at women’s college than at a coed college is also false, in fact I have found there is less drama. Most students attending a women’s college aren’t focused on guys but are focused on their studies, which leaves little room for drama with other girls.The best aspects about attending a women’s college is the women empowerment on campus. Women are able to dominate inside and outside the classroom, and are free to express their beliefs without having to think abo ut what their male counterparts will say about them. Because women dominate in the classroom, we receive an education where we feel as though we are equal men, which is important in a male dominant society. What’s great about a women’s college is that women are able to take classes that would be otherwise dominated by men, such as classes in the STEM field. I chose to attend a Women’s college because I feel as though I would be around a college of women always looking to empower each other. I have also found that I have come to value the friendships I have made with other girls, and that by attending a women’s college I am more prepared to take on a male dominated society.