The Desire To Live In An Utopian World

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Involuntarily, humans want, or in some cases need, to live in an utopian world. Calypso, a nymph and a goddess in Greek mythological times, was lucky enough to live in one of these perfect societies, even though it was short-lived. An author states in her online article, “She is a Goddess with several functions, a complex character, and as an individual she represents the dual nature of the feminine as both light and dark in a subtle, integrated/harmonious/in accordance way” (LeVan, par. 2). Her life was made complete by means of Odysseus, a mortal who washed onto the island and later became her prisoner. Calypso’s utopian world of godliness, control, order, and power was shattered due to Athena and Zeus commanding Odysseus be freed. When Athena and Zeus ordered Calypso to free Odysseus from imprisonment, they ruined her utopian life-style.

Odysseus-how did he ever meet Calypso in the first place? His ship was destroyed by a storm sent by the gods. None of his men survived the ship-wreck. He was forced, for survival sake, to swim until he found land, and he founded no other than the island of Calypso: Ogygia.

Calypso and Odysseus developed a deep friendship. Eventually, they fell in love and had two children. In an article on the Greek goddess, it states, “Calypso received Odysseus on her island, entertained him, became his mistress, and bore him two children, Nausinous (cunning sailor) and Nauisithous (in the service of the sea goddess)” (Mercatante 157). Although this was going well for Calypso, a simple offer to Odysseus, along with his response, changed their lives forever.

Calypso offered the gift of immortality and a permanent stay on her island to Odysseus, if he agreed to stay with her. Odysseus rejected the offer, a...

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... to lose her sense of control, power, and order. There were many mistakes she made that caused Athena and Zeus to upset her utopia. Gods and goddesses were not meant to fall in love, let alone have children. To offer immortality to a mortal is against everything Odysseus was ever taught. Humans are born to die and the gods were not supposed to alter this. Odysseus had come to realize loving a goddess was wrong for many reasons and he had never really stopped loving his first wife and children. Calypso took this as an insult and lost control and imprisoned an innocent man. Athena and Zeus had to punish her by allowing Odysseus to be set free, because it was the right thing to do. Ultimately, Calypso’s temporary loss of power, control, and order taught her a valuable lesson: That a mortal’s sense of purpose and loving is centered around the fact that no man is immortal.

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