Continuing on what Lauren said...

She mentioned the role of Penelope and the importance that she plays. Aside from her there is essentially one other prominent female role, that belonging to Athena. Like what Lauren said, Penelope is both influencing and and cunning, qualities that are also displayed by Athena. In spite of all this, i believe that these two were exceptions to the norm in society. We see these different gender roles appear at the beginning of the story in book 1, at the scene where Penelope asks the bard to play another song. Telemachus takes this small opportunity to pounce on her condescendingly. After a long series or ranting, he concludes "So, mother, go back to your quarters. Tend to your own tasks, the distaff and the loom, and keep the women working hard as well. As for giving orders, men will see to that, but i most of all: i hold the reins of power in this house" (89). It is hardly imaginable to think of a situation where a young man would have power over his mother in modern society. Still, i do no think that Homer, or whoever the writer(s) of this story was, believed in sexism. Rather, i believe that he was using this harsh outburst to make commentary on the current state of Greek patriarchal society and to make the reader think whether it is right or wrong.