Classism in the iliad

Hey, i've got an easy question, I was just wondering if anyone tagged any important evidence based on the class/power/money critical perspective. I'm writing my essay on classism and I have two really great pieces of evidence, I'm just looking for a third.
I'm already using several revolving around the rage of achilles and several involving the deaths of soldiers on the battlefield.
thanks,
-Sean Martinson

Long-Form Quote

Is it possible to cite a large body of text, provided that you thoroughly analyze it both rhetorically and thematically?

Too broad? Other issues?

Here is my working thesis: 

 Homer’s Iliad illustrates women’s innate ability to endure through perilous times.  Undaunted by the onslaught of death and removed from the intimate rage of war, females find a resilience akin to immortality where their men find death.  This is exemplified in the contrast in images used to describe men and women, as well as the power women show in their speech and reasoning.

At this point, I'm attempting to prove it with examples of imagery and character description, then examples of power via emotional speeches (Briseis, Cassandra) and finally of women taking control of their situation (Helen and Andromache).    
My question(s):
a) Is this to broad a range of supporting evidence?
b) Is it acceptable/appropriate to devote an entire paragraph to the analysis of male imagery in order to have something to contrast with female descriptors when my thesis is primarily proving the role of women?

Quotations within quotations?

When I'm using something that a character says as evidence, do I do the extra quotation marks or not? So is it

"'...they’d soon run for their lives...if only the mighty Agamemnon met me with respect'"

or

"...they'd soon run for their lives...if only the mighty Agamemnon met me with respect"

Last year a teacher told me that I shouldn't do the extra quotation marks, and now I'm just confused.

Thesis refinement and evidence

My thesis is something like this:

"A community's best interest is handicapped by the powerful individuals who...."

I'm also having some trouble finding relevant evidence. Here is some of my evidence so far:

• Agamemnon refusing to give up Chryseis, resulting in a 10-day plague on his army (roughly pages 79-82)
• Paris' failure to defeat Menelaus (pages 130-140)
• Achilles refusal to eat with his troops, distancing himself from them. (pages 499-500)
• Achilles not helping the Greeks because of argument with Agamemnon (speech on 261-266)

I was also wondering if it would be good to talk about what makes a community strong, like when the Argives are separated into different tribes, and the rituals they have (like feasting). Though I'm not surehow well this helps prove what I'm trying to say.