Female Agency and Class in Greek Mythology: Insights from Sarah B. Pomeroy’s Women in Classical Antiquity

Abstract

Greek mythology serves as a reflection of ancient Greek societal structures, particularly in terms of gender and class. This paper examines the varied portrayals of mortal women, goddesses, and demigoddesses, drawing on Sarah B. Pomeroy’s Women in Classical Antiquity, as well as other scholarly sources, to explore how social hierarchies and gender-based privileges influence narratives, agency, and power dynamics. The analysis foregrounds three main arguments. First, divine beings such as Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite possess authority and agency that often transcend mortal limitations yet remain inextricably linked to patriarchal structures. Second, the paradoxes inherent in divine power- where figures like Athena are celebrated for their wisdom and martial prowess despite their familial ties to Zeusdemonstrate the intrinsic contradictions of gender and class privilege. Third, the status of demigoddesses, exemplified by figures such as Helen of Troy and Ariadne, highlights the ambiguous nature of hybridity, revealing both enhanced agency and reinforced marginality. These frameworks are applied to the examination of mortal women characters, such as Penelope and Clytemnestra, whose roles have been shaped by class, social expectations, and a rigidly prescribed gender order. Through an integrated gender studies perspective, the paper sheds light on the dynamic interplay between divine power and the constraints of gender-based hierarchy in the classical world.