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Examine the theme of gender in this section of the reading. How does Atwood enliven this theme through the male suitors and Telemachus?
Atwood makes the gender roles throughout this period of time clear. Women are less valued than men, starting at birth. Sons are prized over daughters. Daughters are valuable only for the husbands and sons they’ll bring to the family. Women, even aristocratic women, are stuck dealing with having little autonomy throughout their lives. They are essentially the property of their fathers and then their husbands. Rape is not considered a crime; it’s normal for men to rape women. In particular, in this section, the sexist gender roles are...
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