Roles Of Women In Homer's The Odyssey

The “Odyssey” is an mythological epic poem by the author Homer. In this epic poem many female and male characters are played. Some female characters fall in love with Odysseus. One even taking care of him when he was a baby. There is also one that helps him to get back home to Ithaca, but also protects him. These women come in through the story very often. Three women are Calypso, Eurycleia, and Penelope that each have unique character traits and roles in the epic poem of The “ Odyssey”.

Calypso is a sea nymph and one of the women characters in The “Odyssey”. Her character traits are that she is greedy and kind. The reason why she is greedy because in the epic poem when Odysseus gets shipwrecked on her island she wants to keep him all to herself. The thing was that she didn’t treat him badly on her island. The only thing that she did was not let him leave. She also decided that he will become her husband. Next through is that Zeus told her to let Odysseus go back home to Ithaca. She complained when he told her, but then gave in. This is where her character trait kind comes in. She was kind because she let him go, but she did other things that were kind. She gave him bread, wine, and a raft, so

that he doesn’t starve or get dehydrated, and has something to get back home. This also leads to her role and how it contributes to the epic poem. Because of this role it helps put more interest in the story . Like who would have known that Odysseus could get in trouble with himself by love from another female character. Also that a female character will keep him for many years and make him her husband.

Eurycleia is a loyal servant as her role for the “Odyssey”. In her role she is known for taking care for Odysseus and Telemachus when they were babies. Her character trait is that she is secretive. She is secretive because she keeps to huge secrets from Penelope. The first one that she keeps the secret that Telemachus is off on a journey to find his father or to seek news if he is alive. The other secret is that she hinds the fact that the beggar is her husband Odysseus. She figures it is Odysseus because of the scar that he has on his leg. Once she knows she has to keep it from Penelope. This is also why her role is very important without her Odysseus and Penelope won’t have the loyal, but secretive servant.

Penelope is the wife of Odysseus, making her one of the main characters in the epic poem.

Her role is important because since she is the wife of Odysseus she is the one that drives him the most to his way back home to Ithaca. Her character trait is that she is clever because of the things that she does to avoid marrying one of the suitors. One clever thing that she does to avoid to marry one of the suitors is that she says that she needs to make a burial shroud. The clever thing she does through is that she undos it every night to buy her time. Another clever thing that she does it an archery contest. She said who ever wins she will marry. The clever thing is she knows that none of them can do it because it is Odysseus bow and arrow and only she knows that he can work

it.

In conclusion you can tell that Calypso, Eurycleia, Penelope have unique characteristics and that their role are a big part in the epic poem. Calypso having character traits of being greedy, but also being kind. Eurycleia having character trait of being secretive because of all the secrets she keeps. Lastly, Penelope having the character trait of being clever because of the tricks that were up her sleeve to avoid being married from one of the many suitors. Each female in the epic poem is unique in their own way just like the women in the real world. Each of us women have an important roles to play in the way of life in this world.