The Role Of Women In The Odyssey And The Theogony

In the first section of Odyssey, mortal women are presented to us as controlled by the stereotypes and expectations of the culture of the day, and it is only within that context that we can consider the examples Homer provides of women to be admired or despised. He provides us with clear contrasts, between Penelope and Eurycleia on the one hand, and Helen and Clytemnaestra on the other.

Women in ancient Greece had very few rights in comparison to male citizens. Women were unable to vote, own property, or inherit wealth. A woman’s place was in the home and her purpose in life was to rear children. Considering this limited role in society, we see a diverse cast of female characters in Greek mythology. We are presented with women that are powerful and warlike, or sexualized, submissive and emotionally unstable. In many myths, we encounter subversive behavior from women, suggesting, perhaps, the possibility of female empowerment. While produced in an ostensibly misogynistic and oppressive society, these myths consider the possibility for a collapse of male power and the patriarchal system. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey,

Wieldy Women Throughout history, women have always been underrated and not given enough credit for their accomplishments. They were expected to stay at home, take care of their children, cook, clean, and be subservient to their husband, all the while with a smile on their face. But in The Odyssey written by Homer, women wield their power over and out smart men all over the board. Calypso, Penelope, and Circe all have a great influence over men and their actions.

Women in literature are often depicted as inferior to men, both by authors and critics. Female characters are often used as objects that further the male characters’ storylines. They are reduced to one-dimensional stereotypes, like a damsel in distress or a seductress. However, in The Odyssey, Homer demonstrates respect for women by writing them as courageous and brave, traits which are valued in classical heroes. Athena and Penelope specifically are complex characters with agency and individual storylines.

Women: A.K.A. Powerful Manipulators Thesis: Men seemingly have more power in The Odyssey, but Homer portrays the women as manipulators and influencers, which allows them to gain control and power. In The Odyssey, Penelope is able to manipulate men using her sexuality, symbolizing that women have the true power and control in society. With many suitors at home, Penelope chooses to seduce them only to lead them on, “For three years now, getting on to four,/ she’s played it fast and loose with all our hearts,/ building each man’s hopes–/ dangling promises, dropping hints to each–/ but all the while with something else in mind” (Homer 2.96-100).

Women's roles in The Odyssey are limited, they are decreased to wives, seducers or monsters. In Homer's epic, Circe is depicted as a beautiful goddess enchantress. She manipulates Odysseus's men and turns them into animals, specifically swine. Circe attempts to seduce Odysseus and maneuver her magic on him, but he does not submit to her sorcery. Instead, she recognizes his capability and becomes very fond of Odysseus.

Women form an important part of the folk epic, written by Homer, The Odyssey. Within the story there are three basic types of women: the goddess, the seductress, and the good hostess/wife. Each role adds a different element and is essential to the telling of the story.

The cultural role of women in the Odyssey In Homer’s Odyssey the cultural relevance of a preferred woman’s role in society generally stands out in the roles of the female characters of Athena and Penelope simultaneously rejecting the negatively viewed characteristics of Calypso and Circe. The entire structure of Ancient Greek culture boasts its men in more superior roles than that of women. Greek society was largely built upon an idea that good women were only around to faithfully serve and support their husband and that it was very important not to stray from those essential traits. Athena is a very involved character from the beginning of the book when she wants to help Odysseus get back home to Ithaca. However, as fate would put it

Women are important to the plot and overall theme of the Odyssey. In fact, without many of the women there would not be a complex plot to this epic poem. In the narrative and in Greek society women played a variety of roles, as mothers, herons, and many other strong roles yet, they were treated as less significant, and were made to be loyal and submissive to men. The women were required to wait on and sulk for love, as Penelope did for 20 years. In Greek society, the women had very little authority but the little control that they did have was sort of a sexual power, which at times they could use to outwit the men. Obvious examples of this sexual power would be Circe and Calypso. Calypso and Circe however, are not the

Kaylynn McGuire December 2, 2014 Dr. Elaine Phillips World Literature 1:00-2:25 Research Paper The Odyssey: What were the roles of women and how did they differ from Ancient Greece to Ancient Rome? In an amazingly well written epic poem such as The Odyssey, a tale of a male hero, how can one describe the life as short-coming in details as the life of women? Homer, in writing both The Iliad and The Odyssey, hinted at the lifestyle bore to women.

In Homer’s The Odyssey female characters have a surprising amount of power over men. In Ancient Grecian times women were usually thought of a being less than men, only performing domestic tasks and serving them. In contrast, The Odyssey portrays many females as strong and having a lot of power over men. One specific example is the witch, Kirke. She exerts her power by tricking Odysseus’s men, making choices for herself, and finally helping Odysseus get to Ithaca in the end. In her actions we can learn that through womanhood there are powers that are even stronger than that of being a man.

Homer wrote the classic epic The Odyssey more than 2,500 years ago. At that time in ancient Greek society, as well as in the whole of the ancient world, the dominant role was played by men. Society was organized, directed, and controlled by men, and it was accepted that women occupied a subservient and inferior position. Women, of course, were valued, but were expected to possess certain traits and perform certain tasks that men demanded of them. Does Homer's writing in The Odyssey support or refute the common belief of his time regarding women? Homer endorsed the dominating belief of his time concerning women by treating the female characters unequally and differently compared to the male characters in

The Odyssey, by Homer, was written with the Greek mindset that women were supposed to be submissive. If the woman in question was not submissive enough, she was depicted as cruel, selfish, a monster, or a whore. This is true for both mortal women, such as Penelope, and immortal goddesses, such as Calypso. Mortal women were expected to be good faithful wives who listened to everything the head of the household said, while goddesses were expected to follow the gods every order and were called sexist slurs if they ever got involved with a mortal man.

For this informative report I will attempt to point out the roles women and how they are viewed in ancient Greece. I will then show how these views are present in Homer’s "The Odyssey." How are women, goddess or mortal, conveyed in "The Odyssey?"

The role of women in Greek literature has demoralized them and showing them in a maligned light. The women are portrayed as frail, cruel, insensitive, or as seductresses. These characteristics have been integrated into today’s society and [have] built the standards and defined the moral outlook of women. However, in Greek mythology, powerful and strong women are not as well celebrated, such as Athena. Homer’s The Odyssey construes the positive and negative role of women through the epic poem. The women in the poem are depicted through the contrasting actions of Penelope and the maids, in addition with the opposite personalities between the goddess Athena and the nymph Calypso.