Penelope of the Odyssey and Alcestis of Alcestis as Ideal Greek Females Although there is some disagreement concerning the Greek’s definition of the ideal female, there is little disagreement that two women represented this Greek ideal. The character of Penelope of Homer's Odyssey 1 and Alcestis of Euripides' Alcestis 2, came to represent the same ideal of female excellence. The Greeks referred to this ideal female as a sophron woman. The qualities possessed by a sophron woman are tangible; she is a good housekeeper, a nurturer of her husband, a child-bearer. She is chaste, graceful and does not like to talk about sex with other women. According to Helen F. North in an article regarding the etymology of sophrosyne, the word originated in the Homeric epics as saophrosyne, which implies "soundness of mind" and is used only in relation to men.4 The word implies both "self-knowledge" and "a sense of propriety," putting one in mind of the inscription at Delphi. It is notable that in relation to men, sophrosyne does not carry specific behavioral connotations, as it does when it comes to be applied to women. Penelope's story, set in the time immediately proceeding the Trojan War, is one of strategic waiting. The Odyssey begins with stasis; simultaneously, Odysseus' departure from Ogygia and Telemachos' coming of age set the events of the epic in motion. As a woman, Penelope has no momentum of her own, but must operate on that of her kyrios. This is not to imply that Penelope is by definition powerless, but it is worth noting that the sphere of her effectiveness is actively determined by the wishes of the men responsible for her. In fact, Penelope faces a drastically reduced role whether Odysseus returns or... ... middle of paper ... ...ophrosyne as the Virtue of Women in Antiquity." From Marcovich, Miroslave, ed. Illinois Classical Studies II (1977): 36. 4 Ibid: 37. 5 Ibid: 36. Works Consulted Diana Buitron-Oliver and Beth Cohen, "Between Skylla and Penelope: Female Characters of the Odyssey in Archaic and Classical Greek Art," pp. 29-58. "Female Representations and Interpreting the Odyssey," by Seth Schein, pp. 17-27. Richard Brilliant, "Kirke's Men: Swine and Sweethearts," pp. 165-73. Helene Foley, "Penelope as Moral Agent," in Beth Cohen, ed., The Distaff Side (Oxford 1995), pp. 93-115. "The Odyssey, History, and Women," by A. J. Graham, pp. 3-16, and Jennifer Neils, "Les Femmes Fatales: Skylla and the Sirens in Greek Art," pp. 175-84. Lillian Doherty, Siren Songs: Gender, Audiences, and Narrators in the Odyssey (Ann Arbor 1995), esp. chapter 1.
The Odyssey: Portrayal of Women How does Homer portray women in the epic, The Odyssey? In order to answer this question you must look at woman and goddesses as two separate groups of people who are "people". This is because they are portrayed in two separate ways. You see, a regular woman like Penelope is looked at as beautiful but has.
Captain Tyrus Raymond Cobb was but a schoolboy in a small town in Georgia. He changed his status to a teenager with no past to return to and no future in sight. Through hard work and the ability to block out the non believers he made it into immortality. No baseball player can honestly say allof their play hasn’t been inspired by him, but none can say he hasn’t changed the game into what it is today, this is why he is a paragon of devotion and an American hero.
Lillian Doherty, Siren Songs: Gender, Audiences, and Narrators in the Odyssey (Ann Arbor 1995), esp. chapter 1.
Yet, despite the fact that no two women in this epic are alike, each—through her vices or virtues—helps to delineate the role of the ideal woman. Below, we will show the importance of Circe, Calypso, Nausicaa, Clytaemestra, and Penelope in terms of the movement of the narrative and in defining social roles for the Ancient Greeks. Before we delve into the traits of individual characters, it is important to understand certain assumptions about women that prevailed in the Homeric Age. By modern standards, the Ancient Greeks would be considered a rabidly misogynistic culture. Indeed, the notoriously sour Boetian playwright Hesiod-- who wrote about fifty years before Homer-- proclaimed "Zeus who thunders on high made women to be evil to mortal men, with a nature to do evil (Theogony 600).
The women in The Odyssey are a fair representation of women in ancient Greek culture. In his work, Homer brings forth women of different prestige. First there are the goddesses, then Penelope, and lastly the servant girls. Each of the three factions forms an important part of The Odyssey and helps us look into what women were like in ancient Greece.
The women presented throughout The Odyssey provide a respectable representation of women in ancient Greece in general. There are several women introduced in The Odyssey, all of various backgrounds and social classes. The most notable women or type of women in this epic include goddesses, Penelope, and the housemaids and servants.
Women play an influential role in The Odyssey. Women appear throughout the story, as goddesses, wives, princesses, or servants. The nymph Calypso enslaves Odysseus for many years. Odysseus desires to reach home and his wife Penelope. It is the goddess Athena who sets the action of The Odyssey rolling; she also guides and orchestrates everything to Odysseus’ good. Women in The Odyssey are divided into two classes: seductresses and helpmeets. By doing so, Homer demonstrates that women have the power to either hinder of help men. Only one woman is able to successfully combine elements of both classes: Penelope. She serves as a role model of virtue and craftiness. All the other women are compared to and contrasted with Penelope.
...could love another man. While on the last trip in New York Gatsby expresses his discontent with Daisy loving two men, saying, ““Daisy, that’s all over now,” he said earnestly. “It doesn’t matter any more. Just tell him the truth—that you never loved him—and it’s all wiped out forever.”” (202). Gatsby was asking too much of Daisy, his hunger for the completion of his delusion was too overwhelming for Daisy, who retreated into herself, afraid of one of man, disgusted by the other.
...lyphemus knows who blinded him so Odysseus calls back to the Cyclops to tell him that his name is Odysseus despite his men begging him not to. Because of his arrogance Poseidon punished Odysseus and his men and delayed their journey back home and caused a storm that made Odysseus shipwrecked. His arrogance also portrayed by Homer when he decided to listen to the Sirens instead of putting wax in his ears. He took a risky decision and his decision could have put him and his men in harms way. In contrast, throughout the story, Penelope appears to be humble. Instead of acting like Odysseus, Penelope never intends to make her name well known throughout the suitors. Instead she stays calm and encourages the suitors to stay home and make them think that they are welcome. Of course she hate the suitors but she never tells them to leave. This behavior contrast with Odysseus.
...ederal officers to enforce the prohibition law. Many of those officers found themselves in the midst of the exchange of dirty money between the bootleggers and themselves. Tax dollars were also spent on prosecuting bootleggers who got captured. Millions of dollars annually were spent convicting and keeping the prisoners in jails. Other economic problems were that citizens found themselves “drinking away” their pay cheques. These economic problems resulted in the government not taking in as much money as they could have, and spending money in areas that could have been avoided, if prohibition hadn’t existed in the first place.
Lawall, Sarah N. “The Odyssey.” The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. 8th ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006. 206-495. Print.
...e First World War commenced, Aboriginals were not treated as citizens of Canada and were forbidden from enlisting in the military. Many native men enlisted anyway, showing their support for their nation. The contributions of Aboriginals was beyond the expectations of anyone in Canada. Natives made outstanding snipers and scouts, and were honoured as some of the bravest soldiers in the military. Even when dealing with obvious mistreatment, the Aboriginals continued to take pride in their country and re-enlisted when the time came. Aboriginals contributed in many ways to serve their country during World War I.
Richards, R. T. "When Family Literacy Begins on the Job." Educational Leadership 55, no. 8 (May 1998): 78-80.
Greek women, as depicted in their history and literature, endure many hardships and struggle to establish a meaningful status in their society. In the Odyssey, Penelope’s only role in the epic is to support Odysseus and remain loyal to him. She is at home and struggles to keep her family intact while Odysseus is away trying to return to his native land. The cultural role of women is depicted as being supportive of men and nothing more. Yet what women in ancient Greece did long ago was far more impressive than what men did.
She is a testament to women of this era in that she is not pushed around by men. The unknown writer for a website that analyzes the role of women in the art of ancient Greece writes this about Penelope,” One of the points that can be made of the story is that even though women are weaker than men there are tools available to keep them from being overpowered. The main tool is the rule of law, but even before laws customs could be used” (rwaag.org). Her tactics finally pay off in the end of the epic, when Odysseus returns from his voyage and she once again proves her intelligence by hosting the archery contest to prove Odysseus is