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Women in present society
Ancient Greek culture in treatment of women in Odyssey
Treatment of women in the odyssey
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In Homer’ The Odyssey, a controversial topic is the portrayal of women and whether or not female characters are underdeveloped, sexist interpretations, and are represented as second-rate humans. But at a closer analyzation, one may come to realize in fact, the depiction of women is relatively positive, especially considering the era at which The Odyssey was written. If read farther than the text, one can discover a much deeper person than may be expressed through the words. The female figure is found to be strong, independent, and intelligent through close examination of prominent characters and how they interact with the protagonist.
Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, is commonly received to be a weak, pathetic woman who puts her entire life on hold
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in the absence of her husband; however, Penelope is actually kind of a badass⎯ she is extraordinarily independent, with “a fine mind and subtle wiles”(97). One must acknowledge how the queen of Ithaca endured 20 years by herself, void of a king, husband, or father to her son. Penelope raises Telemachus on her own; she governs a country without a man; and she refuses to let raucous, intractable men change the way she lives. Although Penelope may not venture out of her house anytime in the book, she is the constant variable in the family. Penelope holds down the fort when her son and husband are gone, and takes on a less extravagant, yet nonetheless courageous heroism. The next woman Odysseus encounters is Circe, who is seen to be a powerful temptress and sorcerer, “skilled in spells”(239),⎯ until Odysseus threatens her life, at which point she falls to his feet in a submissive and tearful demeanor.
But perhaps a 21st century viewpoint has a blindspot in the way of sexual desire. Arguably, from today’s standpoint, sex is thought of as desperate, weak, and demeaning if not in an established relationship. It’s giving way to an embarrassing temptation women aren’t even meant to have (women who like “too much” sex are “sluts and whores”(453)⎯ men who like sex are men). But Ancient Greek culture viewed sex as more of a way to compliment and honor someone. If someone was all “Wanna do it?” it wasn’t super pervy and imploring; it was more like “Hey, we’re both pretty cool, let’s go”. So with that in mind, Circe wanting to jump Odysseus when he tries to kill her isn’t necessarily a result of her trying to manipulate and submit to him. She probably just thinks he’s cool and is into …show more content…
him. The Sirens are seen as an example of women constantly being thought of as evil temptresses and vixens, coaxing men to their doom.
However, one must realize that the majority of characters in The Odyssey are meant to be major obstacles on his journey home, and therefore are all fairly villainous. The fact that fifty percent of evil monsters are female show that the Ancient Greeks saw women as powerful enough to be wicked⎯ which, when compared to other ancient cultures, is pretty incredible. Most people of that time considered women to be slaves of the household, doing only mothers’ work, and too weak to be a dangerous threat to
anyone. Calypso is the longest affair Odysseus has, and “forces” him to stay with her because she loves him. She is known as having intense (potentially stalker-esque) infatuation of him, and she imprisons him, as she is “craving him for a husband” (78). The overall perceived connotation around Calypso is that she’s a poor, deluded, unperceptive woman who puts her love before the lover; but maybe she is misinterpreted. She first finds Odysseus when he is “all alone, when Zeus had crushed his warship...[when] all the rest of his shipmates have died” (156). He probably is a wreck and vulnerable when he washes up on Ogygia. Calypso, living almost completely alone save for a few maidservants, is probably excited to have anyone to keep her company, and is happy to help this fragment of a man regain strength. She falls in love with him along the way⎯ she definitely isn’t the first. Regarded that as soon as they sleep together, she essentially has “lured” him into breaking his marriage and is held solely responsible for his marital irregularities. Calypso is repeatedly chastised for “craving” (78) or being a “lover all too willing” (157), which might be basically saying Calypso, at least, isn’t supposed to feel that much love. However, through all her feelings, she “releases” Odysseus, something so many people in this book (the suitors of Penelope, Odysseus of his pride) cannot manage to do. She puts off her own emotions for the good of the person she adores so much, which is an extremely admirable trait and not at all deserving of such a dismissive attitude. Athena epitomizes how important, honorable, and powerful women could be portrayed in Ancient Greek culture. Athena helps Odysseus over many of his hurdles, including helping him off Ogygia, advising him in his homecoming, and getting revenge on the heinous suitors, acting as the “driver of armies”(446). She convinces Telemachus to journey to find his father and sends Nausicaa to find him on the shore. She commands just as much respect and praise as any other god, and is just as formidable in battle as she is in a match of wits. Athena is far from a man’s woman, and while shows an uncommon glimpse of an honored female in that time period, proves that women in The Odyssey are not unfeminist or poor examples of the female gender. Although the women in The Odyssey might not fit today’s standards of an acceptable female character, they still are respected and possess the same traits that are admired today, such as strength, wit, bravery, and power. Although Odysseus is the protagonist and the epic hero, the women he meets along the way are a major part of the story and help him up to his ultimate glory. Homer shows the people of today what aspects of feminism were alive even ten thousand years ago and how Ancient Greeks saw females. All things considered, The Odyssey is a miraculous portrayal of humans who have lacked proper recognition from all too many cultures.
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.
Throughout the ten years of The Odyssey, Odysseus was determined to come home to his wife and son in Ithaca. During this journey he met two beautiful women, Calypso and Circe. Odysseus was forced to stay with Calypso, and was seduced by Circe. Both the nymph and sorceress were depicted as beautiful in Homer’s The Odyssey. However Odysseus chose to stay with his wife and take the difficult journey back to Ithaca. This illustrated his devotion for Penelope. Another primary evidence that supports how he loved his wife was that Calypso offered him immortality in exchange for his company. Odysseus chose to live a mortal life with a mere human over an eternal life with a beautiful nymph. Although Odysseus had an affair with Calypso, it can be understood that he was forced to do so, as the nymph would not allow his leave. Even during the seven years in Ogygia, Odysseus relentlessly searched for a way to escape in order to be reunited with his wife. Penelope also proved her faith to Odysseus, as she delayed her suitors advances back in Ithaca. The characteristic which makes Odysseus the most respectful and loving hero is his loyalty to his wife Penelope. His love for his human wife transcends the temptations of an alluring sorceress and a beautiful
Judged by modern Western standards, the treatment of women by men in Homer's Odyssey can be characterized as sexist. Women in Homer's Odyssey are judged mainly by their looks. If important men and gods consider a woman beautiful, or if her son or husband is a hero or has an important position such as king, the woman is successful. The way women in The Odyssey are treated is based on appearance, the things men want from them, and whether the woman has any power over men. During Odysseus' journey to the underworld he sees many different types of women. We hear about their beauty, their important sons, or their affairs with gods. We hear nothing about these women's accomplishments in their lifetime. Odysseus tells how Antiope could "boast a god for a lover,"(193) as could Tyro and many other women. Epikaste was called "that prize"(195) her own son unwittingly married.
Such a society obviously places severe restrictions on the position of women and what is considered to be acceptable behaviour for women”. (Whittaker 39) Penelope is forced to step out of the typical Homeric Greek woman role in order to make sure Odysseus has a success homecoming. She does this by proving to be clever, like her husband, when she tricks the suitors, claiming that she will choose one once she finishes a burial shroud for Laertes. Every night she undoes the weaving she has done for the day. This works until some of her house servants catch her. Another example of this trickery, is her promise to marry any suitor that can string and shoot Odysseus 's bow. Penelope knew no one but Odysseus could do this. There are many different interpretations of Penelope 's role as a woman in this moment of the epic. Homer has Penelope show a role that isn’t what you would normally see in a Homeric Greek woman. She depicts that she can be just as manipulative as a man can
For the Greeks, Homer's Odyssey was much more than just an entertaining tale of gods, monsters, and men, it served as cultural paradigm from which every important role and relationship could be defined. This book, much more so than its counter part The Iliad, gives an eclectic view of the Achean's peacetime civilization. Through Odyssey, we gain an understanding of what is proper or improper in relationships between father and son, god and mortal, servant and master, guest and host, and--importantly--man and woman. Women play a vital role in the movement of this narrative. Unlike in The Iliad, where they are chiefly prizes to be won, bereft of identity, the women of Odyssey are unique in their personality, intentions, and relationship towards men. 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.
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.
Sexism has occurred throughout history and has impacted women significantly.The Odyssey follows the narrative of a man and looks at love from the perspective of a man. The famed poem was written by an ancient greek man and until recently, has always been translated by a man. For these reasons, The Odyssey provides a great example of how love, women, and marriage have been perceived by society, especially men, in the past. By examining the sexist undertones and the perception of women and love from the men in the epic and comparing those to criticisms made today we can truly understand how far we have come as a society.
...ow Greek civilization was founded by women; they were the ones who gave birth to the heroes. Similarly, The Odyssey is a story created by women. The plot revolves around the actions of women. Athena orchestrates all the events. The seductresses, such as Circe, the sirens, and Calypso, attempt to stop Odysseus from reaching home. The helpmeets, such as Nausicaa, Arete, and Athena, aid Odysseus in his homecoming. The wise and virtuous Penelope is the object of Odysseus’ quest. Unlike Helen who forsakes her husband, Penelope remains faithful. Unlike Clytemnestra who assassinates her husband, Penelope patiently waits for Odysseus. She becomes a model of female patience and of female intelligence. Her craftiness is the only one which can match up to Odysseus’. The Odyssey presents a wide array of women and demonstrates the influence that women have in the life of a hero.
Mortal and immortal women inspire many of the events that take place in The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh. For example, without the harlot, who “tames” Enkidu, the story of Gilgamesh would not be, as we know it. A chapter entitled, “Women in Ancient Epic” from A Companion to Ancient Epic by Helene Foley compares Ishtar in Gilgamesh to Calypso and Circe in The Odyssey. By comparing the role of immortal and mortal women in both The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh, one will be able to discern how the feminine figures have played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the epic heroes, as well as, understanding the interrelation amongst the female figures of both ancient epics.
Atwood is playing with two levels of myth here: the Homeric myth of ‘faithful Penelope’ and cultural myths about women as either submissive or domestic (Howell 9). After marriage Penelope spends most of her time alone in boredom and Eurycelia, former nurse of Odysseus, often reminds her duties as wife by saying, “So you can have a nice big son for Odysseus. That’s your job” (63). Furthermore, Atwood recounts the vulnerability of alone woman in the male dominated world. To grab opportunity of being king, a number of suitors assemble at Ithaca, to marry Penelope, and she thinks, “They all were vultures when they spot the dead cow: one drops, then another, until finally every vulture for miles around is tearing up the carcass” (103). Moreover, Atwood argues about the partiality of sexual of freedom along with the vexed relationship between man and woman, as the former can do sex with any other woman such as Odysseus’s affairs with the goddess and whores, but the woman is restricted to marriage like Penelope. The foremost fatuous allegation makes on Penelope is about her faithfulness and loyalty for her husband Odysseus, and she defends herself from any sexual conduct in the chapter, “slanderous gossip”. The death of Amphinomus, the politest suitor among all, leaves the question of marital infidelity among the genders.
“A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view” (Ibsen). This saying also applied to the times of the Odyssey, an epic constructed by the blind, eight century B.C.E. poet, Homer. As one of the few representatives of ancient Greek social order, the blind, Homer witnessed women as substandard to men, regardless of their actions; many of them existed as seductresses, prostitutes, or slaves. He engraved into his poem women’s roles; the roles of women, as mothers, wives, seductresses, and goddesses are exemplified in this epic, when shown in comparison to the men of that era.
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.
In the era of Homer, women played a very specific role in society, and even in literature. Women of this time were basically put in a box, and expected to never step out of line. If they did go against the arbitration of men, then they were faced with serious consequences. However, female characters play a huge role in both aiding, and delaying Odysseus’s journey home. I will proceed to analyze, and interpret the actions and intentions of every major female character in The Odyssey.
Greek tragedy incorporates female characters that symbolize women in Ancient Greece. Through the portrayal of Antigone in the playwright, Antigone in Antigone by Sophocles and Penelope in the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, these two women play opposing roles depicting how they appear to society through their actions. In both of these stories, they embody the ideals of passionate women who are very loyal and brave. Through other female characters in each story such as Penelope and Ismene, we can construct a better view of traits illustrated by Antigone and Penelope.
By examining the women of The Odyssey one comes to one conclusion about women in Homer's epic. Homer's male characters in The Odyssey consistently treated women differently and unequally throughout The Odyssey. Concurrent with the time's belief that women held a subservient position in society to men, the male characters in The Odyssey often expected certain traits and actions that they didn't expect from men. Also all the societies and lands Odysseus visited that were inhabited by mortals were dominated by men.