The Epic Poems of Homer

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This essay argues that the treatment of women in Homer is not uniform, that there is a whole plethora of important features which distinguishes one woman from another, and which therefore makes it impossible to come up with one general description of the Homeric women.

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Thesis Statement
Abstract
The Treatment of Women in the Epic Poems of Homer

From the Paper:

"Slaves and slave-women did manage to sometimes occupy places of high honour in their master's households; a perfect example of that is Eurykleia, Telemachos' nurse, and friend to Penelope and Odysseus. She is placed with high trust by Telemachos as she is the only one informed by him of his intended search for his father. Still, though, the division between wife and slave is evident, and there can be "no doubt of her servile condition and absolute dependence" (Perry, 69) when Penelope, despite the fact that Eurykleia reared her up and is her favorite companion, tells her to "get thee down and back to the women's chambers, for if any of the maids of my house had brought me such tidings, and awakened me from sleep, straightaway would I have sent her back right rudely, but old age shall stand thee in good steed." (Odyssey, Book 23, lines 20-24). This shows not as much the treatment of women per se, as it was a conversation between one woman and another, but it does show that certain common characteristics between people, namely women, are at odds with other defining and descriptive things of the people, namely social status."

More papers on The Epic Poems of Homer:

• Poem Review # 117702 : "The Epic Nature of "The Odyssey"
• Comparison Essay # 9795 : "Poems of the Past"
• Analytical Essay # 26382 : "Book XIII of Homer's "Odyssey"

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