Gender Roles In The Odyssey

Gender normatives are critical in defining social hierarchies. The roles Homer attributes to men and women become a distinct feature of “The Odyssey”. The developed gender normalities, which epitomized femininity and masculinity, integrate into ancient Greek culture and society. Women were expected to radiate beauty and submit themselves to housework, as a means to please men. Men were hailed for their power and prospered from violence. These expectations resulted in a social ladder where women were second-class to men. Women who exhibited traits associated with men were ostracized and isolated. By establishing a social construct based on gender, women’s subordination to men was normalized. In Greek society, the ideal woman was a loyal housewife who could

Along with might, men were celebrated for their intellect. When Odysseus attempts to conceal his identity from Athena, she says, “To outwit you in all your tricks, a person or a god would need to be an expert at deceit. no man can plan and talk like you” (Wilson 326). By comparing Odysseus to a god, Athena signifies that strategic ability is one of the highest standards for a man. Athena’s admiration for Odysseus lying to her face exemplifies that men were esteemed for their schemes. Athena indicates that Odysseus possesses the qualities of an ideal man through claiming he is unmatched in his ability to scheme. The societal expectations placed on men drove them to seek recognition for their heroic acts. When fleeing from Polyphemus, Odysseus exclaims, “Cyclops! If any mortal asks you how your eye was mutilated and made blind, say that Odysseus, the city-sacker, Laertes’ son, who lives in Ithaca, destroyed your sight” (Wilson 256). The fact that Odysseus is compelled to reveal his identity to Polyphemus indicates that the standards put on men in ancient Greece drove them to seek validation in all their triumphant