Gender Roles In The Odyssey

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Breaking Through Gender Roles As history goes on, women have been revolutionizing their past archetypal and societal roles. Today, when looking at archetypal roles it is hard to recognize the way women used to be portrayed. Not only do we see the archetypes transforming in real life, but also in stories. After analyzing a collection of stories, it is evident that as literature becomes more modern, no women in each story are the same. Women take a more leading role rather than being a second choice or more of a behind the scenes character like a temptress or maiden. Through closely examining three pieces of literature proves that women have been kicking down gender roles since ancient Greece when Penelope was Odysseus’ wife in the early poem, The Odyssey, to …show more content…
Today, it is clear that there has been a shift in the typical female character. Now, the hero is often a female instead of male who puts other people over themselves, or a women is an essential part in the hero’s journey.

In the past, men have always been known to be the hero; however, overtime they have become more dependent on women for help. For example, Penelope had been without her other half for nearly ten years. She was upset and still weeped years after Odysseus left Ithaca. In the Odyssey, it states, “Now Penelope sank down… and drew her husband’s great bow out, and sobbed and bit her lip and let the salt tears flow,” (Homer. 21. 15-18). This quote is showing that after ten years of no word from Odysseus, Penelope still believes that Odysseus is out there and will come back for her. Penelope was taught that she wasn’t able to provide for herself or be without a man. During this time period women had no opinion or say in anything. Their role in a household was cooking, cleaning, and taking care of kids. In the story, men were fighting for the throne and not for Penelope as a person.This shows that women weren’t important to men and were only

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