The Patriarchy Of Women In Robert Fagles The Odyssey

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In the poem The Odyssey written originally by Homer and translated by Robert Fagles, women are a key component to the story. In ancient Greek society “a woman’s place was in the home and her purpose in life was the rearing of children” (Cartwright). Ancient Greece was a patriarchal society in which women were often associated with weakness and thought of as subordinate in this male-dominated society. There are even debates to this day on whether Homer, the author was a woman, with a pseudonym because she could have been looked down upon by the patriarchy for being an author. This discussion alone displays how woman’s rights and voices could have been suppressed in their community. Even with these common images that are often connected with …show more content…

She inhibits both qualities that contradict the average Greek woman: confidence, scheming, strength, and also qualities that appeal to this belief like submissive and loyalty. Penelope, even though she is often restrained by her son Telemachus, “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” (Fagles 1.409) she is a faithful wife and a good host. Penelope stays loyal to Odysseus even when he doesn’t remain loyal to her. She grieves all throughout the text for her husband and has faith that he’ll return. Powerless to the suitors, she devised a scheme with her loom which was very clever and fooled the suitors for a while. Another time she was cunning was with her plan of the bow contest to win her hand, for she knew nobody would be able to string the …show more content…

As the goddess of wisdom and conflict, she takes Odysseus’ side and helps him all across his journey through some difficult situations. Also, she tends to Telemachus as he develops into a man. She is depicted as a very strong leader who constantly is in disguise to mortals and is very confident. Athena is very persistent and takes leadership, for example, when she confronts Zeus to let Odysseus be freed from Circe. We learn that she is very clever and always has tricks up her sleeve just like Odysseus shown in this

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