The Iliad of Homer can be referred to as a story about women narrated by talking about men. A majority of the narrative and scenes played out predominantly talk about men (Finkelberg, 2011). However, according to Kydros, Notopoulos and Exarchos (2015), the popular contemporary narrative about the Iliad revolves around the women in it. Helen, the woman who launched a thousand ships is a popular statement on social media perhaps buoyed by its continuous usage in the popular TV drama series Scandal (Kydros, Notopoulos & Exarchos, 2015) . People are therefore well aware of Helen of Troy, but few would tell you the names of the two men who were fighting for her to win Menelaus and Paris. It is clear from the totality of the Iliad that almost three thousand years ago, a progressive Homer found an ingenious way of telling a feminine story by masquerading it as masculine.
The Iliad begins with an argument between the great King Agamemnon and Achilles over a woman named Brisēís. Therefore, from the word go, Homer makes a statement of intent that men will act but women will be in charge. This is the biggest war in the history of the ancient world. It all started because of a Greek woman; Helen and now it is an impasse because of a Trojan woman Brisēís (Heiden, 2006). Achilles however, loses the battle of wills and Agamemnon finally takes Brisēís (Homer & Lattimore, 1951).
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Homer immediately brings another woman into the picture, Achilles’ mother; Thetis. Thetis is a nymph which makes her a goddess (Finkelberg, 2011). In the Iliad, she has great influence over Achilles and even over the cause of the war. Under her instructions, the great Achilles refuses to fight even when ordered by the overall general Agamemnon (Homer & Lattimore, 1951). Further, it is partly through the weapons she provides that Achilles is able to kill the great Trojan Prince Hector and avenge the death of his friend Patroclus. The image below is a depiction of Thetis giving the weapons to Achilles. The death of Hector is a major turning point in the war and Homer is able to place the direct input of a woman into this important part of the narrative.
However, the most key among the women in the narrative is Helen, wife to Menelaus the king of Sparta (Homer & Lattimore, 1951). In the ancient world, women did not have a choice on whom to marry and the concept of love was unheard of except perhaps in China. Helen however, determined to create her own destiny and follow her heart elopes with Palace, a prince from Troy. The picture below is a depiction of the beautiful Helen, leaving Sparta with Paris.
Angry at the insult, Menelaus seeks the help of his Greek compatriots leading to the creation of the greatest Amada of the ancient world. It is in the 10 th year of the ensuing war between Troy and Greece that the narrative of Homer begins (Heiden, 2006). Helen, therefore, is a woman who lives almost 3 millennia ahead of her time. Indeed it is only a few centuries ago when women in some cultures were allowed to choose who to marry and in some cultures, forced marriages are still in existence to date.
The other great woman in the Iliad is Andromache the wife of Hector, crown prince of Troy and the Trojan general (Homer & Lattimore, 1951). In a fashion similar to the one utilized in Helen, Homer uses the character of Andromache to incite a cultural change. In the ancient world, men were judged by their bravery and character in battle. Traditional narratives have even created the concept of a good death, popularized by Spartan stories of great men seeking to die in battle. A woman whose husband dies in battle would have, therefore, been extremely proud. Similarly, the woman should have been embarrassed and ashamed at the prospect of a man fleeing from battle. Andromache however, loves her husband and their infant son Astyanax (Homer & Lattimore, 1951). In one of the battles where Hector is hard pressed by the Achaeans, Andromache begs him to flee (Heiden, 2006). This unprecedented plea changes the entire concept of heroism through death in battle. It also creates the concept that a woman would rather have a coward for a husband than being the wife of a dead hero.
The Iliad of Homer can, therefore, be interpreted as an attack on the traditional culture in the ancient world. It also encompasses futuristic ideas of how the culture will be or perhaps an expose of what Homer considered being a utopian culture. In this utopian or futuristic culture, women like Helen have a right to choose who to fall in love with and marry while women like Thetis will control international events. Further, women like Andromache will prefer family over fame. A man will not be judged by his reckless bravery and adventure that ensured that most men in the ancient world died in their youth leaving most young women as windows, but a man would be judged by how he treats his family. This includes his devotion to his wife and children.
Homer’s prophesy and depiction of utopia has clearly come to pass. In many parts of the free world, women have a right to follow their hearts in relationship just a Helen did. Further, as with Thetis, women currently have a great influence in international affairs. The current prime minister of Britain is a woman. Further, the current presidential candidate for the Democratic Party in the oncoming elections is also a woman. Many women also hold leading positions in government all over the globe. Finally, men are measured by the manner in which they treat their family members. The current president, Barack Obama has received great admiration as a husband and father perhaps even more than his track record as president. The picture below shows a proud Obama mentoring his daughter at her place or work. No one has ever bothered about his skill with a gun or in hand to hand combat. The cultural depictions in Homer’s Iliad, have, therefore, come to pass in the contemporary world.
References
Finkelberg, M. (2011). Homer and his peers: Neoanalysis, oral theory, and the status of homer. Trends in Classics , 3 (2), 197–208. doi:10.1515/tcs.2011.010
Heiden, B. (2006). Scenes from Homer Iliad 2.453-483. Literary Imagination , 8 (1), 126–127. doi:10.1093/litimag/8.1.126
Homer, & Lattimore, R. (1951). The Iliad of homer translated and with an introduction by Richmond lattimore (17 th ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Kydros, D., Notopoulos, P., & Exarchos, G. (2015). Homer's Iliad-A social network analytic approach. International Journal of Humanities and Arts Computing , 9 (1), 115-132.
