The Role of Women in The Iliad

In many ways, the setting and the action of The Iliad seems like a man’s world. There are very few mortal females who play important roles in the epic. The female gods, however, seem to be more powerful than their male counterparts. By comparing and contrasting the roles of female mortals and female gods in The Iliad, we can develop an idea of what Homer considered the proper place for women during a time of war. Although we may find his ideas outdated today, they were entirely reflective of his own historical and social epoch.