The Iliad, by Homer, revolves primarily around the male characters in the epic poem, but the few women in the story play a salient role. The women are seen as nothing but trophies for the dauntless works of men, but the roles that they entertain play a crucial role in the development of the plot and storyline. Gender roles are a social construct that outlines the ‘appropriate’ attitudes, behaviors, and actions of men in women in the context of society. They aid in defining what is masculine or feminine and displays the way people should be regarded. In Homeric epics, female characters are vital to the plot because they act as a basis of comparison for the men, as the outrageousness of their actions can be seen when in juxtaposition with a women's.
