Helen Research Paper

In the first section of Odyssey, mortal women are presented to us as controlled by the stereotypes and expectations of the culture of the day, and it is only within that context that we can consider the examples Homer provides of women to be admired or despised. He provides us with clear contrasts, between Penelope and Eurycleia on the one hand, and Helen and Clytemnaestra on the other.

Greek creation myth highlights how men and women differ in their status and roles. Women were the inferior sex when compared to men, they were seen as intellects, and child

The myth of Pandora starts with two brothers, Epimetheus and Prometheus, who were Titans that tasked themselves as spokespeople for their creation from clay: mankind. Epimetheus was in charge of creating the creatures that were to roam the Earth while Prometheus was to distribute them. While most animals were armed or protected by their physical attributes, man stood alone naked and bear to all those that may attack. Thus, Prometheus, the mischevious of the two, deceived Zeus one day into giving mankind the best portion of a sacrificed bull, leaving behind bare bones and fats for the gods. Outraged and offended, Zeus then took the gift of fire away from mankind to leave them in the cold and darkness. However, Prometheus once again outwitted Zeus and stole unwearying fire for men to have the intelligence necessary to sustain their lives. As punishment, Zeus chained Prometheus to a rock in Caucasus where an eagle ripped apart and devoured his liver every day, which then regenerated each nightfall as result of his immortality. Although Prometheus caused him the most angst, Zeus believed the kind-hearted Epimetheus deserved to struggle as well in a form that would not only punish him but also the brothers’ creation of mankind. Zeus called out for Hephaestus to construct the most beautiful, intelligent, and brave women named Pandora to be the new companion of Epimetheus in place of Prometheus. However, he also graced her with one other quality: curiosity. So, Zeus delivered his

Throughout history, there have been varying views toward women in society. Many of these views are immortalized in the stories and legends that have been documented in history. Two of these stories, Gilgamesh and The Odyssey, show the attitudes of society towards women during those times. In Gilgamesh, women are commonly portrayed as manipulative and immoral, which is demonstrated not only by the human women, but also by the gods. In The Odyssey, however, this mold is broken by Penelope, Ulysses' wife, and Minerva, the goddess of wisdom. Although there are several women in the story who are similar in nature to characters in Gilgamesh, the overall view is a much more positive one towards women.

     Many people regard Homer’s epics as war stories—stories about men; those people often overlook the important roles that women play in the Odyssey. While there are not many female characters in the Odyssey, the few that there are, play pivotal roles in the story and one can gain a lot of insight by analyzing how those women are portrayed. Homer portrays the females in contradictory ways: the characters of Athena and Eurykleia are given strong, admirable roles while Melantho, the Sirens and Circe are depicted in a much more negative way. Penelope—the central female character—is given both negative and positive attributes.

Women were very important to the Greeks, and they showed this value in many ways. In The Odyssey Homer shows us the different ways women were looked upon through female characters, such as Penelope, Naussica, and Anticlia.

He tries to tie her to the woman of her namesake, who doesn’t exactly represent feminism, but she is an individual and we can still see the strength in Helen of Omeros shine through. She doesn’t allow men to mistreat her and will stand up for herself, contradicting the stereotypical role of women as timid and docile. She is independent, knows what she wants and does what she wants. She breaks several gendered stereotypes. However, she could still be seen as falling into the place of a woman when she starts a relationship with Achille after Hector dies. She could be doing this for the security have a man/husband and father-figure for her child would bring, but she may also be doing it for herself, which would fall into line with the evolution into a more feminist character. Helen of the Odyssey, on the other hand, could be seen as believing in and enforcing gender stereotypes on a much deeper level. She allows for herself to be fought over and be the bride of whomever wins, rather than choosing who she loves and wants to be with, which portrays her as a passive, submissive woman. When Telemachus visits Sparta and shares a meal in Menelaus and Helen’s home, Helen goes as far as to drug all the men because they are crying, which isn’t the “manly” thing to do. During the time of Helen of the Odyssey, living and enforcing these types of gender roles was the standard way of life. In the past few decades or so,

   Ancient Greek society treated women as secondary citizens. Restrictions were placed on the social and domestic actions of many aristocratic women in ancient Athens.  The women depicted in Homer's Odyssey, on the other hand, are the ideal.  Penelope, Clytaemestra, Athena, and Helen are all women with exceptional liberty and power.

In the ancient world, views of women were often derogatory, yet some viewed women as intelligent and powerful. The Epic of Gilgamesh and Lysistrata both display the complex opinions towards women of the time. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the characters Shamhat and Ishtar provide the audience with a biased view towards women, but this work also provides a more positive opinion of women through Siduri, Utnapishtim's wife, and Aruru. As paralleled in Aristophanes’s Lysistrata, Calonice and Peace represent negative perspectives of women, but this play also portrays women positively with Lysistrata and Myrrhine. The ancient texts of The Epic of Gilgamesh and Lysistrata simultaneously depict women as inferior, equal to, and superior to men to represent the complex views of women that were present during ancient times.

In the opening books of the Aeneid, Virgil presents female figures as having a negative impact on politics. On both human and divine levels, women are portrayed as threats to traditional male-dominated society. When men make decisions, women often run in the opposite direction. Their unstable and irrational behaviors delay men to finish the mission and even cause great losses for the group. Female figures are described as unstable by Virgil.

Prometheus stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mankind. This caused Zeus to decide to have a woman, Pandora, created. Hephaestus sculpted her out of clay and Hermes named her Pandora, which means “all gifts,” because everyone on Olympus contributed to her creation with each contribution being one of many “gifts.” The Pandora myth is misogynistic in that Pandora, the first woman, is seen as evil and the only positive quality Hesiod mentioned about her was her beauty. Pandora is like her pithos in that she has a beautiful body that hides that which lies within it.

The women of the Iliad play significant roles in the Trojan war, regardless of whether or not their role is active. Although they do not take up arms and fight, Chryseis, Briseis, Helen, and Andromache all impact both the outcome of the war as well as the lives and reputations of those in it.

In the epic The Iliad, Helen is one of the main characters. Helen is brought into the epic when Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena are arguing over who is the best and most beautiful goddess. This fight comes up when they see the apple that says “to the fairest” on it and they all think they deserve the apple. When Zeus is asked who is the best, he cannot decide and doesn’t want to get involved in an argument, so Paris is asked to make the decision. All three of the ladies state their great qualities to try and persuade Paris to choose them. Hera offers Paris power and to be a ruler. Athena tells Paris she will make him a great warrior. Aphrodite tells Paris she will give him the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris decides to choose Aphrodite’s offer. Paris hands Aphrodite the apple and requests to have his prize. Helen is the most beautiful woman in the world, but she is married to Menelaus. Menelaus is the Spartan king. In The Iliad, Helen is seen as a sad victim who is forced to leave her home and husband. Other artists and authors have different views on Helen’s personality. Helen can be portrayed in many different ways and her personality can be shown through multiple forms of art.

Ideas about how women were perceived in society can usually be seen in the literature of the time. Women are often portrayed negatively in most old literature, even the Bible. The Bible portrays women in many different ways in the canon and in books not included in the Bible. Women in 1 Timothy and The Acts of Paul and Thecla are shown at almost opposite ends of the scale in what they can and cannot do, whether it be teaching or bearing children. The women in 1 Timothy are restricted and seen as immoral, but the women in The Acts of Paul and Thecla, particualry Thecla, are shown as stronger authority figures.

Throughout Western thought from Ancient Greece to 1600, women are portrayed as second-class citizens; their roles in society were inferior to those of the dominant groups in society. Women during this time filled traditional roles of caretaking, birthing and manual labor. Women were tools used in society in the form of property or as a source for bearing children, preferably boys. Women were compared to other luxury items such as gold and horses and often praised for their beauty. Many texts portray women in these subordinate roles, often times not referring to them by name. Overall women weren’t given access to many positions or resources in society due to the way they were perceived by men.