Should Homer be considered an early feminist or an old-fashioned sexist?

I consider Homer to be an early feminist because of the power he gives the goddesses. At this point in time, women didn’t really amount to anything other than staying home and running the household. Homer uses Athena and Hera to show that women could be much more. The Goddess Athena is shown as a strong character when she takes charge of Telemachus’s journey. When Telemachus is sitting at home worrying about how to deal with the suitors, Athena takes charge and plans a trip for him in search of his father, Odysseus. Another example of her being show as a powerful figure is when she changes into an eagle and flies away. Menelaus is amazed and they hold a feast in her name which shows how much they respect her. Hera is also a good example of women stepping up and being more powerful. In The Iliad, she stands up to Artemis and knocks her down when she is trying to help the Trojans. Hera also defies Zeus by going against him and helping the Achaeans. Although she knows they will eventually win, she hates seeing her beloved people dying and the fact that she goes against the king of the gods shows that she has much more a backbone then most women in those days. By using Athena and Hera Homer shows that women can be more than just the simple housewives they are expected to be.