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Athena Role In The Odyssey

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Athena-The True Hero of The Odyssey

After Odysseus blinds Cyclops Polyphemus, the wrath of his father, Poseidon, falls on him. Odysseus painful journey to Ithaca would have been possible, if it was not for Athena. She takes her plea to Zeus, to save Odysseus. Athena is the true reason that Odysseus succeeds in his journey, because she plays the role of a protector, mentor, and collaborator, as her actions prove this throughout Homer's story.

Athena shows her role as Odysseus's protector in Book V. Poseidon brings a hurricane and tsunami, when Odysseus is out at sea, Athena protects him through his ordeal. As seen in this quote, "She barricaded all the winds but one...A tailwind for Odysseus until he was safe on Phaeacia" (Homer 239). Saved from the raging sea, Odysseus gets caught up again in a breaker wave. He lands in more trouble when "The wave pulled him under, and he would have died then and there. But Athena was with him. Her surfaced again" (Homer 240). After he makes his way up to the land, Athena puts him to a deep sleep so he would not feel the pain from the ordeals of the sea. …show more content…

After she reveals herself to Odysseus, Athena tells Odysseus what needs to be done to get rid of the suitors at his palace. Odysseus also depends on Athena as him mentor. He ask Athena to "Weave a plan so I can pay them back!" (Homer 332). Odysseus trusts goddess Athena's plan to get rid of the suitors and having her as his mentor, he is more confident to take down the suitors. As this quote explains "The two plotted death for the insolent suitors. Athena began their discussion this way" (Homer 331). She gives Odysseus the plan from there on, on how to make his way up and defeat the outnumbered suitors. It would have been impossible for Odysseus to take down the suitors on his own, if Athena did not guide

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