Homer's Iliad primarily revolves around the male characters in the epic poem, but the few women in the story play important roles. Women are seen only as trophies for the intrepid work of men, but the roles they represent play a crucial role in the development of the plot and storyline. Gender roles are a social construct that describes the “appropriate” attitudes, behaviors, and actions of men among women in the context of society. They help define what is masculine or feminine and show how people should be viewed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay In the Homeric epics, the female characters are essential to the plot because they serve as a basis of comparison for the men, as does the scandalous nature of their actions. can be seen in juxtaposition with that of a woman. Plus, they add depth and create a theatrical look. For example, The Iliad would not have happened if there had not been a quarrel over Helen. Historically, women have been viewed as an inferior sex, regularly seen as weak and inadequate. The female population is continually ostracized from society and its major decisions. In recent years, the issue of gender roles has become a very controversial topic, as the majority of people believe that women are treated unfairly compared to men. In the Iliad, women are written without much thought given to character, and they are introduced into the story simply for plot, but in modern literature, female characters play a more integral and involved role in terms of plot, unlike the female objectification displayed in past literature. Masculinity in The Iliad is represented by men who seize a position of authority, while femininity is encapsulated by women who have little say in decisions made in society and are used to being considered the property of men. In current literature, women are deeply embedded in stories and often play heroic roles, but in the Iliad, women are complex characters written simply to enhance the storyline and create drama. Take Helene for example. Her story significantly altered the plot, as it indirectly started the Trojan War. Helen is considered the most beautiful woman in the world, which led to conflict over her hand in marriage. She was already married to Menelaus, who was on the Greek side, but left him to flee with Paris, who was on the Trojan side. After the war began, Iris declared: "...you [Helen] will be called the dear wife of him who wins." This shows that even though Helen has intense emotions and feelings related to her situation, she had no say in anything that happened. Another example of using the objectification of women for writing purposes is the characters of Briseis and Chryseis. When Chryseis was forced to be returned to her father, Agamemnon was angry, but agreed to prevent more of his men from falling to the plague. Following Chryseis' agreement to return, Agamemnon says, “But you must provide me with a price immediately. For me, being the only Argive here, without some gift of honor, would hardly be fair! The men in The Iliad believe that their bravery in war deserves a reward, most often a daughter. Without a trophy girl to fuel their pride, men feel inferior. Agamemnon attempted to appropriate Briseis (Achilles' war prize) as compensation for his loss. This has.