In the text of The Odyssey there are many ideas that challenge the morals and sensibilities of the modern reader. By western standards, the treatment of women by men in Homer's Odyssey could be characterized as sexist. Not only this, but the main character, Odysseus, seems to be able to cheat on his own wife, pillage villages, and slaughter innocent people and still maintain his persona of a hero. His leadership also causes his his whole crew to lose their lives out at sea. These activities would seem quite deviant to our own social norms and morals. The women in Homer's Odyssey are judged largely by their appearance. If a certain man considers a woman beautiful, or if she is related to a man in an important position such as a nobleman or king, the woman is seen as successful. That is why Penelope has the kingdom but can do nothing with it without Odysseus by her side. Being a woman, Penelope has absolutely no power over what the suitors do and cannot get rid of them. The suitors want her wealth and her throne. They do not respect her enough to stop feeding on …show more content…
He plunders anything he can get his hands on, and as a side affect many people lose their lives. He was able to return home after his 20 year trip, but only after his entire crew was fatally lost. Most of their problems can from his poor leadership and arrogance. After they had escaped the Kyklops cave he had to shout out “Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home’s Ithaka”(Homer 160). This inevitably enraged poseidon and cause his men's doom. Even when Circe tells him how to navigate Scylla and Charybdis, he doesn't tell his men that some of them will die and shows remorse.N ot only does this not match a modern view of what a hero should look like, but also shows Odysseus as not the cunning mastermind that many characters in the story perceive him
The role of women in The Odyssey is to exhibit the many roles that women perform in the lives of men. There is a quote that states that behind every successful men there is a woman; to which homer would probably agree. As it was stated before, we can make reference to such quote by picturing The Odyssey without woman in the epic. Without woman, Odysseus would probably make it faster to Ithaca or would probably die in many of the obstacles that Zeus was putting in his way. Men’s position or respect, in ancient Greek mythology, was determinate by the things had successfully fulfilled in their life but no men had ever recognize that such success is part of the role that woman have in their lives.
The story of the Odyssey is about Odysseus and his journey home from the Trojan War. During his journey home, he runs in to numerous encounters complicated by women. His first encounter, for example starts with the rape of King
The women in The Odyssey were in many influential and powerful roles in the story, including being protectors, such as Athena. Athena protected Athena and a sea nymph were the only reason that “Odysseus [with the help of Athena and the sea nymph] arrives, broken and battered, on the island of Scheria” (754). Athena along with the Sea nymph protected Odysseus so he could survive Poseidon 's wrath. Poseidon raised a storm to attempt to murder Odysseus as he leaves Calypso. Also, majority of the Olympians, including Athena, took pity upon Odysseus, with the exception of Poseidon.
In a patriarchal society, women lie at the bottom of the social hierarchy. A patriarchy judges women for their beauty and innocence rather than merit and intelligence. Throughout the twenty-four books of The Odyssey as well as Game of Thrones, a modern day rendition of medieval society written by George. R. R. Martin, women struggle for power in society. Most of the women in these two plots are mothers and seductresses.
In The Odyssey, Homer paints a picture of not only how a man should act, but how a woman should act. A woman must be good, and to be good she must have no faults whatsoever. To be a true Greek woman, she must be perfect in every way. Homer's misogynistic view of women is that women have to be so full of virtue that they end up having no substance. These women of no substance are deemed as ideal because they have no visible flaws.
In many societies today, individuals are led to believe that the concept of women possessing their own strength or independence is abnormal. As a result, women experience the world in a constrained way in comparison to men, even if they are in higher classes of society. However, these extensive aspects of females are contradicted in some ancient Greek literature. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer portrays women as a vital and powerful force through the characters Penelope and Circe, who counter the normality of misogyny in Homer’s time. Penelope’s character displays how some women are able to exceed society’s standards and show strength and cleverness when it is necessary.
Women are weak, helpless, and have no real purpose other than to serve men and take care of children. . . or so they were perceived in history. In the Odyssey, one can see that Homer’s portrayal of women challenges the depiction of women during that time period. Throughout the book, many women intervened in Odysseus’ journey home to Ithaca, for better or for worse. One will see Penelope, Athena, Circe, and other women impact Odysseus’ expedition home.
Women in The Odyssey Gender roles, specifically of women, were a little different back in 700 B.C. They played more of a typical role, expected to get married and have kids at a young age. They were expected to take care of the house and children, while their husbands were out fighting wars. However, while women in The Odyssey were greatly valued for their beauty, Homer reveals that they also had to be intelligent to be successful in their lives.
Does Penelope exhibit any substantial moral agency in Homer’s Odyssey or is she just another pawn in the patriarchal game of getting glory for the guys? I SHALL ARGUE THAT Penelope plays a vital role in the way that the Odyssey plays out. Penelope, unlike other female characters in the classical world, shapes the way that her life unfolds. Through her actions in this epic poem, not only does Penelope create her own destiny, she gets her own glory. Penelope’s key dilemma centered on the instructions given to her by her husband, Odysseus, prior to his journey to fight in the Trojan War.
Women are the foundation of life and help make it much easier than it has to be. The epic poem “the odyssey” by homer is about Odysseus travels during his time lost at sea after the trojan war and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus problems with the suitors trying to seduce Penelope to take Odysseus's land power. The epic poem “The Odyssey” by Homer explores the role of women and reveals that the role of women is just as important as a man's role in any story. Also, that without their help life would be much harder than it already is. Despite what people may argue women like Penelope, Athena and Circe make life much easier and play important roles in stories like the odyssey.
in both Ancient Greece and modern society, the lives of men are perceived to be of higher importance due to their masculinity. Meeting societies views on masculinity helps men do as they please. Their masculinity is made to be a very important thing, so when men have a physique they think they will not be told anything because their looks give them an excuse. With an image, men begin to feel higher up because of their strength, they do incorrect actions and also cheat. In The Odyssey we can see this masculinity portrayed by none other than the archetypal hero, Odysseus.
This is important because Homer really broke usual standards of the time and included female character to his epic that did more the cook and clean. They led fearlessly, helped selflessly, and pushed Odysseus and the crew to work their hardest, bravest, and with the most
Gender equality: as big a myth as the Greek gods themselves. Misogyny dates back to millenia ago, finding its place in society then as it does now. Ancient Greece literature is no exception, as Homer’s The Odyssey shows. Homer illustrates for readers how traditional gender roles limit women, evidenced by the numerous examples of inequality between men and women.
Women in ancient Greece, whether in The Iliad or not, are often subject to objectification and a domestic lifestyle. Although The Iliad was written around 675 B.C, it continues to display the hardships women had to face then and now. Many people remember The Iliad for the men that fought in the Trojan war, but what about the women who were not labeled or affect the narrative directly? Homer may have made up The Iliad entirely, but who can argue that with every story there is truth behind it. Perhaps, this is the reason why The Iliad has spread throughout Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond.
Classics 101 Kristen Brenda Walker Friday 8.40 g15w1964 Due: 08 April 2016 Tom Dichmont The Odyssey Discuss the subject of sexual fidelity/infidelity as it occurs in Homer’s Odyssey, using examples from the text. (Refer to several relationships in your answer.) Introduction In the Odyssey by Homer the famous Epic poet, sexual fidelity as well as sexual infidelity are recurring themes throughout his work.