Ἀνδρεία, Τόλμα, Θράσος - Male and Female Courage in Classical Greek Literature

Sammanfattning

This thesis discusses the differences in the descriptions of and the attitudes towards female courage in the literature of the Classical period. Male authors of this period wrote extensively of the martial and virtuous courage of men, andreíā, yet in some instances instead labelled courage as tólma or thrásos. Tólma and thrásos are even more commonly used in descriptions of female courage, audacity or rashness. How these three words could be used in relation to men and women is discussed, and the fundamental belief of the Classical period that women were not capable of courage is encountered. As courage was outside the nature, phúsis, of a woman, her actions were always more likely to be viewed as tólma or thrásos. To what extent the literature of the period can reflect the lived experience of the ancient Athenian is unknown. However, it is concluded that literary works both impact and are impacted by social and cultural values, such as the view that women should not or could not be courageous.