The portrayal of women in classical Greek literature is varied but indicates underlying attitudes regarding their status. Within the Odyssey there are countless depictions of women with different motivations and personalities, but these female characters are always subverted by men. Perhaps the most vivid example of this inequality is the case of Odysseus' handmaidens, who are ordered to be executed for their involvement with the suitors. Their sad fate illustrates the pervasive attitude of mistrust and disgust towards women in classical Greek plots. Even more significantly, the execution of the handmaids highlights the fact that women's honor, both within and outside of classical Greek literature, is directly related to sex and their physical bodies. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The execution of the maidservants is ordered by Odysseus when Eurykleia informs him that they have dishonored her family by having sexual relations with the suitors. The nature of these sexual relations is not made explicit and deserves attention if we consider that they caused the death of the handmaids. From the beginning of the epic, the suitor's behavior is described as unacceptable and disrespectful. Telemachus quickly observes that the suitors act as if their house is destined for plunder, taking what they want without regard for Odysseus, Penelope, or himself. When you consider the suitor's lack of respect for Penelope, entering her home and courting her even while she was married, it's hard to imagine that they would have given the handmaids much respect. Again, the nature of the relationships between the handmaids and the suitors is not detailed. Based on their behavior, it can be deduced that the maids were most likely forced to have sex in front of the violent crowd that is the group of suitors. The servants, helpless against such a reckless group of men, probably had no choice but to have sexual intercourse with them to appease them. Their grief is shown when Odysseus orders them to clear the halls of the corpses of the suitors before they are executed. The description reads: “As he spoke/ behold, the women came in a group, all crying,/ soft tears on their cheeks. They set to work / dragging the corpses into the courtyard / under the door, leaning them one / against the other as Odysseus had ordered” (Book 22, lines 448-453). Even in the face of this pain, they are forced to dispose of the suitor's corpses as a reminder of their shame. Shame and dishonor are the main reasons for the maid's execution. Odysseus observes when Eurycleia tells him what has happened: "Your task now is to tell me of the women, / of those who have dishonored me and of the innocent" (Book 22, lines 418-419). The issue of dishonor is pervasive in Greek literature, especially regarding women. While dishonor for men arises from failure in battle or failure to protect others, dishonor for women arises almost exclusively from “improper” sexual intercourse. This concept of dishonor is what makes the execution of the handmaids particularly gruesome. The attitude towards them derives from the fact that they had relationships with suitors, enemies of Ulysses, but the fact remains that women are despised above all for sexual relationships in the first place. Telemachus says in disgust before the handmaids are executed: “I would not give the clean death of a beast/ to the trulli who mocked my mother/ and me too – you whores, who lay with the suitors” (Book 22 Lines 461 -464). This.