Women in the Odyssey by Homer Essay examples - 684 Words

The Odyssey by Homer encompasses a rather modern idea of women and their role for its time. Homer portrays women as creatures who are strong but are ultimately defeated. It is true that in most stories they are portrayed as being weaker, but the women in this poem are oddly strong or have a very strong presence. The three main examples are Calypso, Athena, and the Lotus Flower. Each of these examples has a predominant presence in The Odyssey making them sturdy objects. At first the goddess Calypso presents a strong force in the very beginning of the poem. Calypso, Atlass daughter, keeps the sad Odysseus (Book I) in her grotto (Book V). The godlike Odysseus is the source of the masculine power in this book and for him to be held†¦show more content†¦If she did, she would have been the one to deliver the orders to Calypso or the one to order Hermes to deliver the order. Finally, the Lotus flower described in Book IX once more symbolizes a powerful womans role that is squashed by a larger masculine power. It is told in Book IX that to feed upon that food and disremember their [the crewmembers] homeward path. The flower, a typical feminine symbol, being once consumed causes disillusion among the consumer. For the flower to be able to alter the thoughts of men is to be able to alter the course of their actions. A simple little flower crushes the thought that men are invincible and immune to the effects of something that isnt cold steel. Once again, the power the flower exudes is suppressed by the masculine power held within The Odyssey. Odysseus had to force them [the affected crew] back, in tears, to their own ships; there they were dragged beneath the rowing benches and bound fast (Book IX) all in order to pull them away from the euphoria produce by the lotus flower. It took the source of masculinity and, what we can only assume, chains to pull these men from its draw. In closing, The Odyssey by Homer is a poem that has a relatively modern view of women. They are portrayed as strong presences that pose threats to the overbearing masculine power within the poem. However, the masculine power does prevail over the womens strength. It is not just certain characters, AthenaShow MoreRelated How Women Are Poortryed In Homers Odyssey Essay674 Words   |  3 Pages Women Portrayed in Homer’s The Odyssey Women were very important to the Greeks, and they showed this value in many ways. In The Odyssey Homer shows us the different ways women were looked upon through female characters, such as Penelope, Naussica, and Anticlia. With Penelope, a faithful and loving wife to Odysseus, Homer reveals to us how the Greeks believed wives should act. She was loyal to Odysseus the entire time he was away on his journey, and even when it appeared as if he had passed onRead MoreEssay about Women in Greek Stories: The Odyssey by Homer725 Words   |  3 PagesWomen living in Ancient Greece had limited rights, if any, and were treated as property, owned by either their father or husband. They were never allowed to enter battle and their job was to keep to household in order. However, in Greek stories, women were given a major role and showed strength, wit, and cunning unusual to the stereotypical woman of the time. The Greek writers used women who possessed these traits to progress the plot and evoke the emotions famous in Greek drama and tragediesRead MoreEssay about The Odyssey - Gender Roles893 Words   |  4 PagesThe Odyssey is the product of a society in which the dominant role was played by men. In ancient G reece, just as in the whole of the ancient world, and in America and Western Europe until the last century, women occupied a subservient position. Society was organized and directed by men, and all of the most important enterprises were those which men arranged and implemented. Women were valued, but they participated in the affairs of the world only when they had the tacit or open approval and permissionRead MoreEssay on Women in The Odyssey702 Words   |  3 PagesWomen in The Odyssey In The Odyssey the main character, Odysseus, meets and entertains an impressive array of women. All of the women that he meets are very different and have different personalities and Homer clearly states his attitude towards each of the women. Some of the women are seen as essentially good or essentially bad. It is also clear that Homer adopts a sexist attitude towards the women in his novel. In The Odyssey women are generally portrayed as manipulative and deceitfulRead MoreMasculinity In Homers Odyssey1655 Words   |  7 PagesHomer’s Odyssey is an epic tale set in the world of ancient Greece - a world dominated by men. Admirable men such as Odysseus, the story’s protagonist, are strong, cunning, and wise; they have control over their lives and the people within them. In The Odyssey, the quintessential man is characterized by his authority, including control of the women who surround him. As is suggested throughout the novel, the patriarchal world would fall into disarray without the force of intrinsic male authority.Read MoreThe Odyssey : The Role Of Women In Homers Odyssey966 Words   |  4 PagesGreeks, the epic of Homer was more than just a poem about gods, monsters, and people, but it was a story that showed different kinds of human interactions. The Odyssey portrays what is right or wrong in relationships between god and mortal, father and son, and man and woman. In the epic poem, the role of wom en is a vital demonstration of Ancient Greece. The women in the epic are unique in their personality, motives, and relationships towards men. In Homers, The Odyssey, all women are different, butRead MoreThe Changing Roles of Women in Literature from Late 8th Century B.C. to 4th Century A.D.683 Words   |  3 PagesThe Changing Roles of Women in Literature from Late 8th Century B.C. to 4th Century A.D. The changing role of women in literature from the late 8th century B. C. to the 4th century A. D. is evident in that women become even more subservient in later works. This is portrayed in the works The Odyssey by Homer and Sakuntala by Kalidasa. Women are treated more like slaves in Sakuntala, while they are seen more like equals in The Odyssey. However, in Sakuntala, women are given more responsibilitiesRead MoreA Comparison of Helen in the Iliad and the Odyssey809 Words   |  4 Pagesand The Odyssey are tales written by Homer centered on the drama of the Trojan War. First poem deals with the time during the end of the war, while the latter, which occurs roughly ten years later, explains the disastrous journey of Odysseus fighting his way back home. The character of women in the Odyssey is to exhibit the many and diverse roles that women play in the lives of men. These functions vary from characters such as the goddess that help them to the nymphs who trick them. Women in the Read MoreThe Role of Woman in The Odyssey1240 Words   |  5 PagesAlthough â€Å"The Odyssey† by the Greek poet Homer is very much an epic tale of a man’s heroic quest, women play an incredibly large role. Homer’s epic tale, â€Å"The Odyssey† revolves around Ulysses’ quest to return back to his wife, Penelope, so that he may be reunited with her and assume control over his palace, which has been overrun by suitors. Ulysses’ son, Telemachus attempts to regain authority in the presence of the many suitors but finds this difficult and embarks upon his own journey under theRead MoreThe Iliad And The Odyssey1599 Words   |  7 PagesIn The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer has different portrayals of the roles that women play in each epic. These differences are so striking that some readers have even argued that there is a possibility that a woman could have created The Odyssey, modeled after Homer’s Iliad. In The Iliad we see women represe nted as war prizes and slaves, vulnerabilities to men, and in positions of limited power. In The Odyssey however, we see women capturing men and keeping them as prizes, rising from a status of