Gender Roles in the Iliad: The Role of Women in the Homer's Work

Women have always fulfilled integral roles in society. However, the duties undertaken by women have been evolving as the society ages, with each subsequent era redefining the role of women in society. A good way of observing societal roles for either gender is by reviewing the literature of various periods since literature is a true mirror of society. Going through works from the ancient period, through the medieval period and lastly the renaissance periods, it is evident that there was a noticeable gradual shift in the roles assigned to women. In ancient literature, for instance in the Iliad by Homer, the women are portrayed as mere objects or trophies for the men. Women slowly transitioned from being the causes of war as seen in the ancient period to being peacemakers in times of war in the medieval period by engendering peaceful relations between sons and fathers, retainers and lords, and visiting royals as Beowulf demonstrates. Finally, in the renaissance period, as shown in Shakespeare’s hamlet, women break the gender stereotypes imposed on them in the previous periods by becoming rulers and crafty, intelligent persons.

The best example of women being treated as trophies or objects in the Iliad is when the men agree, in a duel between Paris and Menelaus, that the victorious man, whoever he turns out to be, should take the woman together with all other (Bassett 72). This happens after Paris, a Trojan prince, steals Helen from Menelaus, the king of Sparta. Angered by the Prince's action, Spartans wage war against the Trojan to recapture Helen. Here, the role of women as mere trophies whose feelings do not matter at all comes to the fore. Helen's feelings are completely disregarded. She is treated like an object, regarded together with the possessions taken together with her from Sparta to Troy. In another instance, Briseis and Chryseis are offered as war prizes. Achilles takes Briseis while Agamemnon takes Chryseis. Moreover, in a move that cements the almost inanimate role of women as objects, Agamemnon promises Achilles seven tripods, twelve horses, and seven excellent women workers (Iliad 9.264–272).

The medieval poem Beowulf exhibits that the role of women in society transitioned into that of being peacemakers instead of prizes of war. The best instance that demonstrates the new role of women is when the poet explicitly states in the tale of Queen Modthryrth that, the role of a queen should be to create peace, not penalize the blameless by causing death even for imagined insults (ll. 1942-3). The woman who best personifies this new role for women is Wealhtheow. She is seen appropriately playing the peacemaking role first when she greets Beowulf and his entourage, and pours them a drink in her capacity as a cup-bearer, thus making sure that the diplomatic relationship between all the people present is upheld (ll. 612-30). She later performs the peacemaking role for the second time after she listens to the story of Finnsburg, and once more pours a drink and marvelous gifts to serve as a kind of charm to shield her family from the fate suffered by Queen Hildeburh in the story (ll. 1167-1231). Another way the women made and kept the peace is by uniting warring tribes through intermarriage. In medieval poetry, bridging gaps and ensuring peaceful coexistence was a paramount role that only women could perform. The majority of the womenfolk seen in Beowulf, including Hildeburh, Wealhtheow and Freawaru, are all ladies from foreign tribes, married to their husbands in an attempt to broker peace. The fact that Hygelac, the king of the Geats gave his only girl to Eofor as a prize for slaying king Ongentheow the Swede shows that the role of women as prizes had not ended completely and that this was a transition period.

A good example of power, authority, and intelligence exuded by women in the renaissance period is Shakespeare’s portrayal of Gertrude. She was Queen for a long period which could be 30 years and even advises the next King Claudius, which becomes apparent when the king asks her what she thought of a particular thing (II.2.152). To further display the newfound freedom and liberty, Shakespeare presents a case where a woman cheats on her husband. Gertrude a Machiavellian and powerful woman. She gets married to her husband's brother two months after her former husband's death to retain her power as a Queen. Also, although she remains in the shadows, she tends to rule the kingdom with the same authority as King Claudius. Her power is also evident when, in the final act, she embraces the role of a sacrificial mother.

In summary, the role of women has gradually changed from ancient times through the medieval period and the renaissance. A review of literature from the three periods, including Homer’s Iliad, Beowulf, and Shakespeare’s Hamlet, clearly shows the transition of roles. While women are prizes and men’s objects in the Iliad, they become important peace weavers and builders of peace-oriented unions in Beowulf. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the playwright shows that women had become liberated in the renaissance period, to the extent of deciding their fates and taking up leadership positions.