The Odyssey: The Role Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

Women in the Odyssey were a huge component of Odysseus’s journey home. Without these women, Odysseus’s home would have broken down, and he would have never gotten home. His wife, Penelope, is one of these women. She stays loyal to her husband and never gives up hope on his return. She is curious about people and tests them to be able to trust them, just like her husband. Another woman is Odysseus’s old nurse, Eurykleia. She may be old, yet she puts forth the efforts and power to assist Penelope with the control over the household. She never lies about anything to Penelope and especially Odysseus. She also is kind of like a spy for Odysseus when he returns as himself. One more woman is Athena. She has the true super powers to help Odysseus physically

As Odysseus is gone, Penelope cannot control all of her people, so Eurykleia, being there for the family for such a long time already, steps in and helps with jobs of people at home. She tells Odysseus, “Fifty all told they are, your female slaves, trained by your lady and myself in service, wool carding and the rest of it, and taught to be submissive” (22. 472-475). She makes everyone’s job a little easier, especially Penelope’s. She might not help Odysseus when he was gone, but she is helping to keep Ithaca alive. When she finds out that the beggar is Odysseus, she promises him that she will not tell anyone. She tells him, “Child, you know my blood, my bones are yours; no one could whip this out of me” (19. 372-373). She has taken care of him since he was born and knows what kind of person he is. She knows what Odysseus like to expect. She is proving that she is a trustworthy person and great at keeping the biggest secrets. As keeping the secret, she is willing to do something else for her long awaited lord, Odysseus. She makes an offer, “I can report to you all the maids, those who dishonor you, and the innocent” (19. 377-378). In other words, she is going to give the numbers of the maids who have given themselves to the suitors and who did not listen to Penelope or herself. These are the maids that did not listen to Penelope and Eurykleia, but fell

As the goddess of war, she has helped him throughout the Odyssey. Especially during the times where he wasn’t sure of what to do. A time when Odysseus got help from Athena was when he finally got home. She warns him about the suitors and how they have taken over his home, eaten all his food, killed all his animals and are getting Penelope to marry them. As described in the text, “She disguises Odysseus as an old beggar so that he can assess the situation at home” (16. text from first paragraph). She does this because it is the total opposite of the real Odysseus. If he just barged into his home without a plan, of course, there will be lots of fighting and anger from the suitors. She not just helps him physically, but this helps him to come up with a plan to get everything that belongs to him back. This proves that Athena is a great women throughout the book, and used her goddess powers to help Odysseus to return home safely. Women did play a huge role in getting Odysseus back home and returning things back to its rightful place. Penelope, Eurykleia, and Athena all show that a woman’s role is the motivation for the hero to get things done. Penelope’s love for Odysseus made him always remember that he has someone back at home waiting for him, Eurykleia’s trust gives Odysseus the time to finish a task before he starts with another, and Athena’s powers has give Odysseus to be alive and fight for his people, his