Athena, though one of the most famed of the Greek gods and goddesses, isn’t above being subjected to the sexism and misogyny that plague the mortal and immortal worlds. As the goddess of wisdom and war strategy- which tend to be thought of as masculine traits, Athena is more respected by mortal men than Aphrodite, for example, who as the goddess of love and beauty is the epitome of femininity. So, although Athena is respected on Mount Olympus as a female goddess, when she interacts with mortal men, she must change herself into a man in order to be heard. Even though Athena isn’t the main character, she is essentially what the driving force behind the plot of The Odyssey. In the first book, when attempting to get Zeus to send Odysseus away …show more content…
When Odysseus lands on the island Scheria, and startles Nausicaa, “Athena planted courage within her heart, dissolved the trembling in her limbs (pg 172, 153-154)”, and then to Odysseus, “Athena made him taller to all eyes, his build more massive now, and down from his brow she ran his curls like hyacinth clusters full of blooms…so she lavished splendor over his head and shoulders now (pg. 175, 252-260).” Athena makes Odysseus more attractive and more trustworthy, but does not control how he acts or speaks, she merely guides him along in an almost maternal fashion, watching over him and helping here and there. Even though Athena is a powerful goddess, when she’s in the mortal world and interacting with mortal men, she must conform to their gender norms to be taken seriously. She is a balance between masculine and feminine but this balance is often overlooked in favor of her masculine side, so she tends to assume more of a masculine roll. But by embracing her feminine side as well, Athena can become gender neutral in a way that encompasses both sides where both are equal and neither overshadows the
Myths reveal to us the experiences of women living in the patriarchal society and we gain the symbol value accorded to women and we came to realize what the term "Woman" meant to the ancient Greek man.
In the Greek society women were treated very differently than they are today. Women in ancient Greece were not allowed to own property, participate in politics, and they were under control of the man in their lives. The goddess Aphrodite did not adhere to these social norms and thus the reason the earthly women must comply with the societal structure that was set before them. Aphrodite did not have a father figure according to Hesiod, and therefore did not have a man in her life to tell her what to do. She was a serial adulteress and has many children with many men other than her husband. She was not the only goddess from the ancient Greek myths to cause doubt in the minds of men. Gaia and the Titan Rhea rise up against their husbands in order to protect their children. Pandora, another woman in the Greek myths, shows that all evil comes from woman. Aphrodite, Gaia, Rhea, and Pandora cause the ancient Greek men to be suspicious of women because of her mischievous and wild behavior.
She places in people the desire to have sexual relations and causes fear in men of the power of seduction by women. Her marriage to her husband was ignored as she had affairs with immortal and mortal men. Her infidelity in her marriage places her on the side with Greek men, rather than Greek women because only Greek men were able to cheat on their wives; not the other way around. In conclusion, the three important rules discussed in this paper that Greek women were required to obey, can be seen in the myths of the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Whether or not the Greek goddesses obeyed or did not obey these rules, their importance to the Greek culture is ever strong.
Some could argue she relates to Penelope, and provides protection for her household throughout the years. Others may say she is enamored with Odysseus because of their related character traits. Athena takes on the motherly role of watching over both Telemachus and Odysseus. She monitors both of the men’s journeys, and allows them to go through tribulations in order to grow emotionally and spiritually. Brian Lower, a literature professor from Union College, wrote,” Athena allows Odysseus to experience the storm, but not die.
Athena aided Ody in his journey home by providing guidance and advice on difficult obstacles. She gives Odysseus a lot of advice on how to handle perilous obstacles. For example, Athena tells Odysseus to go home in a disguise. This is the reason that she transforms Odysseus back into a poor, shriveled beggar from a godlike man. The new disguise allows Odysseus to get home
The goddesses such as Hera, Thetis and Athene are strong, powerful, and elegant. Aside from powerful, in Iliad the goddess Hera represents a nurturing and motherly side, and Homer writes, “I have come down to stay your anger but will you obey me? from the sky; and the goddess of the white arms Hera sent me, who loves both of you equally in her heart and cares for you” (7). In the Odyssey we have the two goddesses, Calypso and Circe whom Odysseus has extended affairs with and they are beautiful and embraced sexuality. Calypso had an egocentric and dominative character because she wanted Odysseus as her immortal husband (Bauschatz, 22). Women gods in the Odyssey and Iliad are elegant, strong, and wise while mortal women are property and subordinate as written in Hesiod’s Works and
In every journey the hero also has a mentor. In this story Athena, the gray-eyed goddess of wisdom, has taken on this role for both Odysseus and Telemachus. Athena was by Odysseus’ side as a guide for much of the beginning of his Journey. Athena also is a guide to Odysseus when he’s not even aware o...
Mortal females cause struggles among men and are portrayed as wicked in Greek Mythology. In the story of How the World and Mankind Were Created, the Father of Men and of the Gods, Zeus, swears to get revenge upon mankind because of the poor sacrifices made to the altars. Therefore, he “[makes] a great evil for men, a sweet and lovely thing to look upon… they [call] her Pandora… the first woman… who are an evil to men, with a nature to do evil… is the source of all misfortu...
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.
...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.
Lies, Betty Bonham. "The Wise Goddess Athena." Earth's Daughters: Stories of Women in Classical Mythology. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Resources, 1999. Print.
To summarize Athena’s love as an angel to Odysseus and his family, she managed everything in her power to bring him back home. She helps him to defeat all the suitors who destroyed his house. It is kind of Athena has devoted her all life to Odysseus and his family.
But due to Athena’s masculinity, she was discussed almost as an exception to this belief, but only enough to be considered a step above women and below mortal men. While Aphrodite who embraced her femininity and sexuality, was seen as one of the most inferior immortals by other immortals and thus by myth writers.
Walcot, P. “Greek Attitudes towards Women: The Mythological Evidence.” Greece & Rome 2nd ser. 31.1 (Apr., 1984): 37-47. Cambridge University Press on Behalf of The Classical Association Article Stable. Web.
Authors purposely send their characters on a journey in order to assign them a assistant. From the beginning of The Odyssey until the end, Homer makes it seem that the goddess Athena is an exclusive and special assistant for Odysseus. Homer displays Athena’s assistance towards Odysseus, whether it is by disguising him or consulting other gods on his behalf, all of her actions are for his ultimate benefit. For example, in book six, Athena disguises Odysseus by making him appear more handsome in order that Nausicaa should be attracted to him. As a result, Odysseus receives an invitation to palace, which ultimately helps him make his way back home. By Homer introducing the authority of Athena, it makes it appear that Odysseus is already at an advantage over anyone that stands in his way. Athena gives Odysseus the extra ability to succeed in challenging situations, which helps Odysseus be the hero that he is. Without Homer incorporating the goddess Athena, it is tough to...