Clytaemnestra and Penelope - A Comparison of Greek Womanhood
In both The Odyssey and Agamemnon the role of women is presented from a patriarchal and misogynist perspective. This is shown in the two main female characters of Penelope and Clytaemnestra. Their situations offer examples of the rewards of fulfilling society's female gender role in the case of Penelope; the consequences of leaving that role are demonstrated by Clytaemnestra. In both stories women are shown as chattel, possessions for distribution to cement political moves, bind families and produce children. Clytaemnestra and Penelope are diametrically opposed representations of women in ancient Greece and as such allow an understanding of the roles of women and how women were viewed by their society.The Greek ideal of womanhood is seen in those behaviors admired in women. This may be observed through how they are described. It is not possible to give an accurate definition of women's roles in Greek society from two fictional stories written by men. These will be skewed by the views held by their authors, rather than representative of society's views. However they do offer at least two viewpoints from which to analyze the roles of women in ancient Greece. Skills play an important role in determining value among women. Th
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1070
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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