This paper examines what Xenophon wrote which has become known as "The Education of a Wife". It discusses how Ischomachus
inculcates his wife in the mysteries of adulthood for the wife and how in doing so, reveals the underlying structure of
society and the way each person is expected to fit into that society. It evaluates how wife and
husband have their roles, just as did her parents and just as Ischomachus and his wife will have when they become parents and have to make the same decisions about their daughter. It shows how Athenian society differs from our own in that the emphasis is not on the individual and individual desires and preferences but on ways to achieve social harmony by having each person perform in a way that serves the needs of the society, the family and finally themselves.