Women's Role In The Iliad
Much of history has been both written by men and about the affairs of men. Even so, women have always played an important role, and their roles in the ancient texts of the Bible and the Iliad provide excellent examples of women in high places. Sarah was the bearer of a child whom, according to the God of Genesis, would have offspring to rule the many nations. Andromache was wed to the crown prince of Troy, and, should the events have taken place as expected, would someday govern over it as queen. The two women shared similarly important positions within their families, each being the head of their respective households; however, Sarah’s influence among her people, her favor with the god she worships, and her control over her own destiny all
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He sends her back down to the house to work the loom and shuttle, to tell the servants to get to work, and to not worry so much about him. Immediately after his departure, Andromache and the women of the household mourn his upcoming death, as everything seems to be falling apart for her family (Il. 6.511-529). Her entire life has been one of suffering; her parents have died, her father and brothers killed by Achilles, and she knows she will soon lose her husband as well. When the time comes and Hector actually falls in battle, Andromache immediately feels ill. She trembles and knocks over her shuttle before running to the wall. On the wall, she sees Achilles dragging the dead body of her husband across the field. She “raved madly for death,” before giving one final speech of lamentation (Il. 22.498-529). She cries that there is nothing left but pain and suffering for her and her son. Andromache never had a single say in the text as to what happened to her family. The gods doomed Troy from the beginning, and her husband was too prideful to preserve his own life. She had been on the receiving end of so many misfortunes, yet she never once was able to make something work out favorably for her. In the end, Andromache was powerless to control her own destiny, and much less that of anyone
He sends her back down to the house to work the loom and shuttle, to tell the servants to get to work, and to not worry so much about him. Immediately after his departure, Andromache and the women of the household mourn his upcoming death, as everything seems to be falling apart for her family (Il. 6.511-529). Her entire life has been one of suffering; her parents have died, her father and brothers killed by Achilles, and she knows she will soon lose her husband as well. When the time comes and Hector actually falls in battle, Andromache immediately feels ill. She trembles and knocks over her shuttle before running to the wall. On the wall, she sees Achilles dragging the dead body of her husband across the field. She “raved madly for death,” before giving one final speech of lamentation (Il. 22.498-529). She cries that there is nothing left but pain and suffering for her and her son. Andromache never had a single say in the text as to what happened to her family. The gods doomed Troy from the beginning, and her husband was too prideful to preserve his own life. She had been on the receiving end of so many misfortunes, yet she never once was able to make something work out favorably for her. In the end, Andromache was powerless to control her own destiny, and much less that of anyone