Ransom explores the power dynamics between men and women, and despite the obvious role of men in the text, women are also important because they have an influence on the presence of man. on earth. Traditional gender roles, as defined by the expectations of a patriarchal ancient Greek society in which the novel is set, often force women to assume a passive and secondary role to men who occupy positions of power such as the king or the warrior. However, an alternative reading of the text challenges the black and white depiction of both genders, suggesting that women have a strong presence as caregivers and protectors of men. The presence of women at the beginning and end of life recognizes the importance of maternal creation as well as rites of passage that the men in the text cannot understand or imitate. Furthermore, it is the goddesses of the novel who instill the idea of ​​ransom in Priam and evoke a gentleness in Achilles (which leaves room for a truce between the male protagonists), thus underlining that it is through the females that perform the Trojan horse transformations. the king and the Greek warrior perform. It is in this way that Ransom's female characters are revealed to have a power and influence of their own and to play a full role in their society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayMalouf suggests that the women in Ransom provide refuge for the male protagonists, whose insecurities and grief diminish through the comfort they can look for in their female counterparts. . Priam's distrust and isolation in the overly ceremonial royal sphere are softened in the presence of his wife, Hecuba, who is his only companion with whom he can speak and think freely. Their shared journey, during which both have aged - Priam notes with tenderness his wife's "veined hands" which "like his" are "marked... with liver-colored spots" - and (despite their antiquity) their representation of Children highlights the innocence and "tenderness" of their relationship and suggests that the two are heavily dependent on each other. Thus, by declaring that "nothing... is hidden" from Hecuba, the king displays his greatest confidence in the wife he regards most affectionately, and although he is a "ceremonial figurehead", Priam manages to satisfy his need to be understood by someone in his presence. By being the confidant of the king's personal desires, Hecuba shares her husband's burden of being king, and her understanding and eventual acceptance of his wishes gives Priam confidence in his plan, thus making his role quintessential. Furthermore, Somax's grief over the death of his sons is alleviated by the presence of his female relations, who are the last living ties he maintains with them. The anecdotes of Somax's sons are told in a "vivid" and "emotional" manner, hinting at the tender love that underlies the relationship between the carter and his children. While reflecting on his grief, Somax states that his sons are "connected to him in this way", symbolically pointing to his heart, suggesting that they are at the core of his being. Thus, by proclaiming that "all [he] has left now is his daughter-in-law and... [his] granddaughter", Malouf suggests that they constitute the last link with Somax's sons and, by extension, its meaning. to be. Similarly, in exploring birth and death, which were important events for the ancient Greeks, Malouf identifies women as both givers of life and safeguards of the soul duringof the journey to the afterlife, thus making their role par excellence in the life cycle of men. . Hecuba's raw anguish and rage toward "noble Achilles" demonstrate the power of motherhood. Her statement that "it is her flesh that is spilled on the stones" recalls that it is women who give birth to the warriors and kings of the novel, suggesting that despite their secondary role throughout the war, the war she -itself is led by sons who have been “[given]… to the world” by their mothers. Furthermore, Hecuba's detailed recollections of her sons and Priam's dispirited reaction to the "women's speeches" suggest that the children were primarily raised in their mother's affection, while their relationship with their father was simply " formal and symbolic. Thus, it is emphasized that women, as mothers, constitute an important part of society given their role in giving birth to children. As Ransom reflects, the ancient Greeks placed a strong emphasis on respect for the dead, thus making funeral rites of paramount importance. Achilles reflects on “Hector’s last commerce with the world”; that “humble but necessary” rituals are “women’s work.” Although the work is "common", he recognizes that it is "not for the eyes of men", and the strength of the "presence of women" indicates that the ethereal nature of the crossing towards the other beyond that is accomplished under their direction. Remembering the “smell of dried herbs cut in the wash,” the warrior realizes that “this is the first world [man enters]…and the last step [man passes]” , emphasizing that man's life begins and ends in "the hands of women." In this way, Malouf suggests that it is women who control the entrances and exits of a person's existence, and that their roles therefore take precedence over the male protagonists, given that they are the gates of life and death. The text introduces the notion of “something new” that facilitates the reshaping of male protagonists and personifies archetypal feminine qualities that combat male rigidity. After being in a "ceremonial calm" for days following Hector's death, it is the goddess Iris who makes a "dangerous suggestion" to Priam that prompts him to act. The words of the immortal woman that "continued to fall directly into [Priam's] thoughts" had freed his mind of all reluctance, allowing him to transcend his kingship in search of "something new." In this way, Iris had not only implanted the idea that restored Hector's body to its rightful place, but also, by sending Priam on a trip to the Greek camp, the goddess catalyzed his transformation from a simple king into a "man" father. ', who, thanks to his change, had returned triumphant. Thus, the king's journey was born from the idea of ​​a woman, emphasizing the importance of female roles in the events of the text. Moreover, it was the qualities of Achilles' immortal mother, Thetis, which softened her son and allowed the formation of a bond between the two previously antagonistic men. A juxtaposition between the fluidity of the element of Thetis and the earthly element of man is made, which highlights the violent nature of the "harsh world of men" in which the Greek warrior is the victim of a dangerous thirst of revenge. When he passes into his mother's element, Achilles is under "her shimmering influence" and the "suspension of his harsh and manly qualities" allows the warrior to regard Priam without his crushing adversity. Achilles views Priam as his father because of the feminine qualities he possesses, and so, by feeling “tenderly vulnerable,” the “warrior in him… is subdued.” In this way, the influence of Thétis.