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Table of Content 
Abstract …………………………………………………………………………..…………..1 
Introduction ………………………………..…………………………………………….......2 
Chapter 1: Lives and Roles of Women in The Mahabharata……………………..……….7 
Chapter 2: Lives and Roles of Women in Iliad …………………….……………………..24 
Chapter 3: Uniting and Untying them………………………………………………..……32 
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………….……..39 
Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………………40 
 
 

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Hossain 1 
Abstract 
 
This paper falls into the criteria of feminist revisionist mythology which aims to interpret 
the way women are looked upon and represented in Eastern (Indian) and Western (Greek) 
tradition through the myths and epics. Using feminist perspectives from the works of Simone de 
Beauvoir and Kate Millett and anthropological and cultural framework of Structuralism from 
Claude Lévi-Strauss, I have analyzed the portrayal of the female characters in the epics The 
Mahabharata and Iliad which come from two very distinctive cultural and literary traditions.  
The first portion of the dissertation gives close readings of the epics in order to explore the lives 
and roles of women. The second portion studies epics and myths as bearer of strong cultural 
practice and influence. The findings are manifold and different than expected. Strong dynamism 
can be seen in the female characters other than objectification and subjugation.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Hossain 2