Homeric Values Michelle McDaniel College

Humans are complex beings, each with individual traits, and an individual set of traits that they value in others. Despite this individuality, cultures are formed, in part, by the values they possess and nurture in their society as a whole. In the Homeric society, two qualities in particular are appreciated in men, as they lead to honor: The rhetoric to connect with others in the society and the strength with which to carry out courage and strong words, while only one truly reigns as most important in women, as this will allow the man in possession of her to be honored by her in front of others: beauty.

The Homeric society seems to admire glory and other similarly vain things based off of the opinions of others. Success and honor run side-by-side. All other values bridge off of this need for it, including what people value. Men view women as possessions to be had and trophies to be won, and even though a wealthy and beautiful woman is intrinsically worth no more than an ugly one as far as her ability to complete her duties go, there is more distinction in owning a beautiful ‘prize.’ Achilleus shows this need when he considers it to be a dishonor for a woman won in war to be taken from him, not because of any love for her, but...