Essay On The Role Of Women In The Odyssey

In the epic The Odyssey by Homer, the depiction of women reflects how they were seen in ancient greek times. Throughout the epic women such as Circe, Melantho, and Calypso were portrayed by Homer as seductive, evil, and persuasive, leaving men far above them in the social structure. Other women in The Odyssey like Penelope, Helen, and Nausicaa have good traits like being tricky, and intelligent, but still Homer characterizes them as dependent and frail. In the book being a women no matter if they are strong and independent or frail and infirm life is difficult and unfair.

Certain women in the book had a strong character and they did not want to uphold to the norms of gender roles. Calypso, although kind of evil, stood up for herself when

being discriminated by men; “ Hard hearts you are, you gods! You unrivaled lords of jealousy-scandalized when goddesses sleep with mortals, openly, even when he has made the man her huspbad… so now at last, you gods, you than your spite on me for keeping a mortal man besides me”(citation). This quote shows how Calypso stands up for women. Calypso kept odysseus captive as a sex slave but Zeus did the same to several more people and never got called out for it. In this story she is a feminist calling out the unfair gender roles even when it comes to gods and goddesses, and after this she still had to forcefully give in and let Odysseus go. Like Calypso their was also other strong women like Circe who took the upper hand and trapped some of the men. “”(Citation). To be a strong and independent women in this book you also have to be evil in some way. Both Circe and Calypso were independent and freed from dependence of men but they are portrayed as seductive and heartless.
An exception of these gender roles in the odyssey was Athena. Throughout the story Athena was strong and independent with also being a great attribution to the storyline helping Odysseus and Telemachus out; “caught up a powerful spear, edged with sharp bronze, heavy, huge, thick, wherewith she beats down the battalions of fighting men, against whom she of the mighty father is angered…….She was disguised as a friend, leader of the Taphians, Mentes” (Citation). Athena was helpful during all of the story guiding everyone that needed to be helped, but to do all of this Athena disguised herself as a man. To help people in the story she needed the disguise of the opposite gender to get listened to which exemplifies the heartache for women even if they were goddesses.
Other women in the epic who are good and smart people are constantly reminded of their lower gender role.

Penelope is tricky and intelligent deceiving the suitors into thinking she would be ready for marriage sooner, “And here is another stratagem of her heart's devising. She set up a great loom in her palace, and set to weaving a web of threads long and fine. Then she said to us: "Young men, my suitors now that the great Odysseus has perished, wait, though you are eager to marry me, until I finish this web, so that my weaving will not be useless and wasted. ...So she spoke, and the proud heart in us was persuaded. Thereafter in the daytime she would weave at her great loom, but in the night she would have torches set by, and undo it” (Citation). Penelope was very smart just as her husband is but she was not even near as respected as he is. Men in the story like Telemachus saw women below him so he would give commands to even his mother “ So , mother, go back to your quarters. Tend to your own tasks, to distaff and the loom, and keek the women working hard as well. As for giving orders, men will see to that” (citation), Telemachus demands that men will pursue all important tasks and the women can continue working, and he also insists that she go to her room. The Odyssey not allow women to be independent and a good attribution to the

storyline.
All women in Homer’s The Odyssey are either independent and evil or ordered around by men and intelligent. This outlook of women’s role in society is a terrible reflection of this epic and Homer’s writing. Women in these times had no rights and this shows just how terrible awful women’s lives were in these times.