Odysseus 'Point Of View In The Odyssey'

Odysseus tells Athena, whom he believes is a shepherd, a false account, of how he came to Ithaca, primarily since he needs to keep his identity a secret, familiarize himself with the situation on Ithaca and formulate a plan to execute the suitors. He perceives that he has arrived in a mist-shrouded and unknown land. And thus secondarily, he needs to present a feasible reason for being alone and stranded with copious amounts of treasure for safety reasons as well as to allay suspicion in relation to his identity. Athena affects how he tells his lie because he can see and listen to her. To manipulate her more effectively, Odysseus exploits these factors to produce a story specifically tailored to the information Athena provides.

Athena’s navigational skills and quick thinking made Odysseus’ victory feasible. She provided a disguise for Odysseus, came up with a battle plan, and kept his anger in check by letting the suitors continue their taunts against him. Athena “had no mind to let the brazen suitors hold back now from their heart-rending insults-she meant to make the anguish cut still deeper into the core of Laertes’ son Odysseus” (Homer page 419). Additionally, she helped Odysseus battle the suitors, “looming out of the rafters high above them, brandished her man-destroying shield of thunder, terrifying the suitors out of their minds, and down the hall they panicked” (Homer page 448). Saving Odysseus’ and his servants’ lives, Athena acted against the suitors and, undoubtedly, won the battle for him by scaring off the suitors who were not already dead.

Athena assures Odysseus that her plans are successful and that Telémakhos will not meet the same fate. Odysseus shows no signs of hesitation at this point and Athena goes on with the transformation. In this instance, Odysseus overcomes his pride in an instance to gain an opportunity to finally be with his

As the lavish banquet ensues, Odysseus is challenged by a younger citizen to participate in their games. Athena operates as a catalyst in this situation as she poses as a Phaiakian when Odysseus throws the discus (Homer 130). She bolsters his talents by shouting praises towards his performance and proclaiming the event as his (Homer 131). Athena’s ability to disguise herself as a commoner benefits Odysseus in that he is able to have someone on the “other” side working in his favor. When she helps prove his worthiness, Odysseus is able to get everything he needs to make his trip home

This pales in comparison to Penelope’s twenty year wait for her husbands return, while suitors attempt to wed her every day for three of those years. She is a “poor lady, / still in the women’s hall. Her nights and days / are wearied out with grieving” (XVI, 46 - 48). Penelope is also waiting to become a wife again; Odysseus's return is a catalyst for her liberation from the removed, distant queen facade she must maintain in order to fight off the suitors. Additionally, when Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, enters the palace, Penelope sends Eumaeus to retrieve the beggar for questioning about Odysseus. The beggar tells Penelope to “be patient, wait… till darkness falls”(XVII, 764), and “she accepted what had been proposed” (XVII,

The Odyssey The Odyssey, written by Homer, details Odysseus’ journey back to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War. Odysseus is put through many tests throughout the epic, and the way he acts on the journey shows that he is far from a admirable character. He stabbed cyclops in the eye and tricked him by saying his name was nobody.

In this book the little girl who we all know as Athena even gives Odysseus advice, ?A cheerful man does best in every enterprise, even a stranger? (Book 7). The interference by Athena shows how much she likes Odysseus and how much she wants him to make it home to the suitors.

As powerful and worthy as Odysseus is, he still needs Athena's help at almost every step during his return to power. Athena must first go to Telemachus and tell him to “press Menelaus, lord of the warcry, to speed [him] home at once” to get past the suitors’ ambush and

Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus experiences many ups and downs throughout his journey home. He is throw into peril and there often seems to be no hope for his return home. While he remains victorious in the end, returning to his wife, son, and father, the poem itself is filled with many darker moments filled with doubt and sadness. Odysseus is the hero of the Odyssey, and in order to exist as a hero he must be relatable. His story cannot be one entirely of triumph, it must include a more human perspective. Triumph cannot come without strife, and heroism cannot come without tribulation. Athena and Odysseus’ experiences as divine and human, respectively, and define whether or not they are heroes. By comparing Odysseus to Athena, it is apparent that what makes Odysseus a hero before anything else is his humanity.

Though Athena is a female, she is not known for her beauty or stature, but for her wisdom. Whenever Athena creates her plan to rescue Odysseus, everyone is thoroughly surprised because no one had yet to think of one. The rest of the gods at the assembly had known that Odysseus had been trapped but were not sure of how to rescue him without facing Poseidon’s wrath. The gods did not expect a plan from Athena because she is a female, she is not supposed to be smart or have an opinion. Athena exceeds everyone’s expectations and uses her wisdom to rescue Odysseus. Additionally, Athena proves herself when she gives Odysseus the plan to disguise himself once he reaches Ithaca. Athena constantly saving Odysseus shows her critical thinking which she applies to show her wisdom. Most people do not expect that from her because she is a woman and she cannot be thinking superior to men, but Athena proves that wisdom is one of her prized traits. Because Athena is a female, most people would think of her as beautiful, but she proves her important trait to be wise.

Athena has a great interest in Odysseus and tells him everything he should know on his journey home so he can come back alive. For instance, when Odysseus reveals himself to the suitors, she makes their spears miss him while they are in a fight. “But Athena made their shots all come to nothing, one man hitting the doorpost, another the door, another’s bronze-tipped ash spear sticking into the wall. ”(Book 22, lines 272-275). She also releases him from being trapped on an island for seven years, and she influences his son to keep faith that his father is still alive.

Ten years after the fall of Troy, the victorious Greek hero Odysseus has still not returned to his native land Ithaca. A band of rowdy suitors, believing Odysseus to be dead, has overrun his palace, courting his faithful—though weakening—wife Penelope, and going through his stock for food. With permission from Zeus, the goddess Athena, Odysseus' greatest immortal ally, appears in disguise and urges Odysseus' son Telemachus to seek news of his father at Pylos and Sparta. However, the suitors, led by Antinous, plan to ambush him upon return.

After assisting Telemachus, Athena ventures to the Island where Calypso lives to free Odysseus. Odysseus is then given a boat by Calypso to return to home. On the way home, he lands on a strange place which is unknown to him. Athena, cognizant of Odysseus' arrival, travels to the palace of Alcinous disguised as one of Nausicaa's friends. Athena enters the palace and gives Nausicaa advice to venture to river so she would clean herself up to make her presentable to men. In doing this, Athena has sent Nausicaa to meet up with Odysseus at the river. It was then Odysseus' turn to be disguised.

As Athena guides him to the palace, she warns him about what he must avoid in order to be safe in that neighborhood. She also slips in some advice that he may use in his future endeavors to get home, asserting that "a cheerful man does best in every enterprise-even a stranger." The reader is again reminded of the incredible relationship between Athena and Odysseus in book VIII when Odysseus is speaking with Demodokos about the battle of Troy and Odysseus asks him to "shift [his] theme, and sing that wooden horse Epeios built, inspired by Athena." As the minstrel recalls "how Odysseus came like Ares to the door of Deiphobos, with Menolaos, and bred the desperate fight there- conquering once more by Athena's power" the victory at Troy is again attributed to Athena's role in facilitating Odysseus in the victory.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom, wants to make the homecoming of Odysseus successful. The successful homecoming according to Athene’s plan won’t be accomplished just by the mere return of Odysseus to Ithaka. The definition of Athena’s version of Odysseus’ homecoming includes the return of Odysseus to Ithaka followed by establishing the proper order in Odysseus’s