The Theme of commodification in the Iliad is highly important in the Iliad. Homer was against the idea of making the as a commodity. Homer's Iliad is an excellent example of the suppressive role of women at this time. Women were treated merely as property and were used for producing material within the household. They are depicted as being inferior to men both physically and intellectually. The Iliad began with an argument between Achilles and Agamemnon over Briseis, who was considered a war prizeThey brought back the spoils and divided them equally among the warriors. Agamemnon's prize was Chryseis, the daughter of a priest of the god Apollo. Achilles' reward was a maiden named Briseis. Both women were taken against their will. Unfortunately for Agamemnon, Chryseis' father begged for his daughter to be released and offered huge amounts of treasures as ransom. In return, Agamemnon took Briseis, Achilles prize, and that results a big disagreement between Agamemnon and Achilles. The example of Chryseis and Briseis was a critical reminder of what will become of the women of Troy should the Greeks succeed in taking Troy. Homer was successful in criticizing the social practices through this epic. Homer tried to shade a light on the mistreatment of women. He believes that any relationship between man and women out of the marriage is wrong. The relation between male and female in this epic is a relation of maters and slave or a lover and a mistress. Homer was against the sub-human classification of women. Throughout the Iliad, women play a modest but important role that embodies their relative significance and the impact they have on the affairs that take place. Their role is depicted wisely by homer in order to show the maltreatment of women. Homer was against using women as material objects and the Iliad represent a strong protest against this commodification of women.
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