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Role of female in greek myths
Role of female in greek myths
The role of women in greek mythology
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Intro
In recent times, kind acts are often made because influence, benefits, or other selfish alterior motives. Another opinion of mind would be that things aren't just done out of spontaneous action but implied or commanded. The 7th President of United States quoted precisely," It is to be regretted that the rich and powerful too often bend the acts of government to their own selfish purposes."(Corruption Quotes). This is relevent to one of the areas of discussion in this essay. I want analyze the moral standards or lack there of between The Gods in Odyssey and recent politicial values. Also, I want to discuss the morality of the men vs woman in odyssey being displayed toward Penelope in the absence of Odyseus. Furthermore, how she was catergorized
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Its also easy to stop wrong doing when you're tired, bored, or satisfied. Odyseuss, trapped on an island after he blinded the son Posiedon, was forced away to a remote desolate island. The reason he went to the island was the purpose of what seemed like entertainment to the Gods. As he was trapped on th island Athena had to imply to Zeus that Odyseus needed to be home,"Odysseus I'm worried about...didn't odysseus please you with sacrifices beside the greek ships"(book 1,53-66). In addition to her imply she had to announce Zeus' title each she began to speak to him, "Yes, O father who art most high"(p.333), just as the God's in this text seem to do. This reminds me of the current politicial figures and event nowadays. How we have to be reminded to do things that human nature should have presented to us, in other words our morals. Or how there is the over punished people played as pawns and placed in situations of others malicious motives. "Brutal charachter of the behavior of all human collectives, and the power of self-interes and collective egoism in all inter-group relations"(Lang), a quote in reference to the newfound religion called "politics". In book five, when egotisctic Zeus decided to agree with Athena and Hermes was sent to meet Calypso, she then was upset to release Odyseuss. Stating that the other God's were jealous. She let him go home after they slept together, not before letting him …show more content…
The suitor's disrespect Odyseuss after they find out he isnt returning home to Penelope, they kill all his cattle and take over his house with a party. In book 2, Antinous stated that Penelope was toturing the suitors because she wasnt willing to remarry and share her talents or gifts.Women are portrayed as objects or accesories unless they're in power. Today, we can use many examples on how the woman are described as product through what they can offer or give. For instance, the first lady makes the husband look good with her smarts and presentation, also how they support there man. You can always find a women of any type that has sold theirselves; to get a job, to play a role, etc. Opposed to the men who just have to persuade or advise to make a move, and if a man is caught selling theirselves they're labled feminime. Going back to the sanctity of marriage being disrespected by the Gods and suitors but also between woman and man. During Odyseuss' stay with Calypso, he mourned for Penelope but slept with the goddess. Whereas, Penelope tricked the suitors by knitting and unknitting her soon to be father-in-laws robe. Until, Penelope was forced to finish the robe she took the inititive to stop her from being with another. Why is it more frowned uponed or questioned for the woman to take up the moral thinkings of a man? What makes it unpleasent that manly ways make a woman
Some women are known for the deeds of their sons or husbands, but never for a heroic deed of their own, their personalities, and what they do themselves. It seems the only accomplishment women could achieve was being beautiful. Theseus "had no joy of"(195) the princess Ariadne because she died before this was possible. Homer makes it sound as if Ariadne's life was useless because she did not give Theseus pleasure. The only woman we hear of for a different reason is Klymene, and we only hear of her because she "betrayed her lord for gold."(195) This is the only time we hear of a woman for something she did, and once we do, it is a negative remark. Penelope, Odysseus' queen, is paid attention to only because of her position. Because she has a kingdom, she has suitors crowding around her day and night. Being a woman, Penelope has no control over what the suitors do and cannot get rid of them. The suitors want her wealth and her kingdom. They do not respect her enough to stop feeding on Odysseus' wealth; they feel she owes them something because she won't marry one of them. One of the suitors, Antinoos, tells Telemakhos "...but you should know the suitors are not to blame- it is your own incomparably cunning mother."(21) Even Telemakhos doesn't respect his mother as he should. When the song of a minstrel makes her sad and Penelope requests him to stop playing, Telemakhos interrupts and says to her, "Mother, why do you grudge our own dear minstrel joy of song, wherever his thought may lead.
Yet, despite the fact that no two women in this epic are alike, each—through her vices or virtues—helps to delineate the role of the ideal woman. Below, we will show the importance of Circe, Calypso, Nausicaa, Clytaemestra, and Penelope in terms of the movement of the narrative and in defining social roles for the Ancient Greeks. Before we delve into the traits of individual characters, it is important to understand certain assumptions about women that prevailed in the Homeric Age. By modern standards, the Ancient Greeks would be considered a rabidly misogynistic culture. Indeed, the notoriously sour Boetian playwright Hesiod-- who wrote about fifty years before Homer-- proclaimed "Zeus who thunders on high made women to be evil to mortal men, with a nature to do evil (Theogony 600).
“A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view” (Ibsen). This saying also applied to the times of the Odyssey, an epic constructed by the blind, eight century B.C.E. poet, Homer. As one of the few representatives of ancient Greek social order, the blind, Homer witnessed women as substandard to men, regardless of their actions; many of them existed as seductresses, prostitutes, or slaves. He engraved into his poem women’s roles; the roles of women, as mothers, wives, seductresses, and goddesses are exemplified in this epic, when shown in comparison to the men of that era.
Greek women, as depicted in their history and literature, endure many hardships and struggle to establish a meaningful status in their society. In the Odyssey, Penelope’s only role in the epic is to support Odysseus and remain loyal to him. She is at home and struggles to keep her family intact while Odysseus is away trying to return to his native land. The cultural role of women is depicted as being supportive of men and nothing more. Yet what women in ancient Greece did long ago was far more impressive than what men did.
Though not the focus of epic poetry, the female characters of this ancient genre play a central role, as they have a great influence on the male heroes they encounter. In a genre which idealizes manliness and heroism—that is, acts of courage, strength, and cunning— women are set in opposition to these ideals and therefore less respected. At the same time, women who attempt to take on more “masculine” roles are vilified. Here, antagonist is defined as anyone in opposition to the hero’s goals. Female agency—their free will and ability to wield power—is directly related to their role in epic poetry; that is, the more agency a female character has, the more antagonistic of a role she plays. This agency is often enacted through sexuality or supernatural
Greek tragedy incorporates female characters that symbolize women in Ancient Greece. Through the portrayal of Antigone in the playwright, Antigone in Antigone by Sophocles and Penelope in the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, these two women play opposing roles depicting how they appear to society through their actions. In both of these stories, they embody the ideals of passionate women who are very loyal and brave. Through other female characters in each story such as Penelope and Ismene, we can construct a better view of traits illustrated by Antigone and Penelope.
The Odyssey exemplifies a society organized and controlled by men where males consistently treated women unequally depriving them of true freedom. Homer’s male characters often saw women as second-hand citizens who had not true voice in society. One example of a women who is oppressed by men in the text is Odysseus’ wife Penelope. Although Penelope is queen of Ithaca her power in the kingdom is limited. Her life is controlled by her son Telemachus and the Achaean suitors who have been taken advantage of the kingdom for several years. At one point in the text Telemachus tells his mother “Words are for men, for all, especially for me; for power within this house rest here” (Homer, 7). This shows how men regarded themselves as the ones with power over society while they...
Throughout history, women have been portrayed as temptresses, seductresses, and vile creatures in literature. A common motif, which is shown in both epics, “The Odyssey”, by Homer and “Jason and the Argonauts”, by Apollonius Rhodius. In both epics, the authors portray women according to the motif, women who commit horrendous crimes or tempt the protagonist, and their actions end up negatively affecting the protagonist in one way or another. In the first epic, “The Odyssey”, by Homer, Odysseus, the protagonist, is trying to get home but faces many obstacles that he must overcome, cyclops, gods, and worst of all, women. Women who are seductresses, magical ones, who seduce him, and lead him to stray away from his wife physically.
Penelope, although she is a woman and is seen as a lesser being or object because of this fact, is an intelligent and shrewd. As a woman, her role in the household would have been to look over the female servants and assist it eh weaving of the cloth used in the household. She lulls the suitors into a false sense of security, ‘” My lords, my Suitors, now that noble Odysseus is dead, retrain your ardour, do not urge on this marriage till I have done this work, so that the threads I have spun may not altogether wasted”’ (Pg. 17) promising that after the shroud is finalised that she would choose a suitor to marry, however, she never had any intention of completing such a shroud. The wise queen would work tirelessly on this for hours daily, but under the cover of the night, the threads that she had weaved were undone. At the end of the epic, her cunning shows its head once again. She devises a plot to end the suitor’s advances: ‘. . . Whoever strings the bow most easily and shoots an arrow through every one of these twelve axes, with that man I will go…’ (Pg. 278) with complete knowledge that her husband has been the only one known to achieve such a heroic act. She waits with an enduring heart for a husband that may never come
As Agamemnon tells Odysseus, “Let it be a warning even to you. Indulge a woman never, and never tell her all you know. Some things a man may tell, some he should cover up” (Book XI 199). This is not news to Odysseus, who treats all women with caution ever since he was betrayed by his wife Helen, who acted in a way that defiled all womankind. Agamemnon did not come to this realization all by himself, however; his statement represents the common sentiment that existed throughout all ancient Greece. Even before Odysseus speaks with Agamemnon, he exhibits a similar attitude in his many encounters with women during his long journey home. Every major female character that Odysseus comes across uses deception in one form or another to get the better of him. This being the case, Odysseus fights fire with fire, using his own cunning deception against the evils of womankind.
Such a society obviously places severe restrictions on the position of women and what is considered to be acceptable behaviour for women”. (Whittaker 39) Penelope is forced to step out of the typical Homeric Greek woman role in order to make sure Odysseus has a success homecoming. She does this by proving to be clever, like her husband, when she tricks the suitors, claiming that she will choose one once she finishes a burial shroud for Laertes. Every night she undoes the weaving she has done for the day. This works until some of her house servants catch her. Another example of this trickery, is her promise to marry any suitor that can string and shoot Odysseus 's bow. Penelope knew no one but Odysseus could do this. There are many different interpretations of Penelope 's role as a woman in this moment of the epic. Homer has Penelope show a role that isn’t what you would normally see in a Homeric Greek woman. She depicts that she can be just as manipulative as a man can
very few rights to be given. If we first look at Penelope we see how beautiful she must be, because we know that she has a lot of suitors staying at her house and they all want to marry her. It is not until later on that we find out how low society mortal women are. The first time this is shown is when Telemukus has to. choose one of the suitors to be his mother's husband.
Women play an influential role in The Odyssey. Women appear throughout the story, as goddesses, wives, princesses, or servants. The nymph Calypso enslaves Odysseus for many years. Odysseus desires to reach home and his wife Penelope. It is the goddess Athena who sets the action of The Odyssey rolling; she also guides and orchestrates everything to Odysseus’ good. Women in The Odyssey are divided into two classes: seductresses and helpmeets. By doing so, Homer demonstrates that women have the power to either hinder of help men. Only one woman is able to successfully combine elements of both classes: Penelope. She serves as a role model of virtue and craftiness. All the other women are compared to and contrasted with Penelope.
Intro: There are a wide variety of themes present throughout the Odyssey, written by Homer. Be it hospitality, perseverance, vengeance or power of the Gods, loyalty is truly the theme that brings the whole book together. Being 10 years after the Trojan War, many have forgotten about Odysseus and his men as they constantly brave what the gods throw their way. This essay will be talking about Odysseus and Penelope’s mutual loyalty to one another, the loyal relationships between Gods and men and finally, the loyalty Odysseus’ men show for him until death. This essay with prove to us that without loyalty, Odysseus’ legendary journey would have been put to an end near where they started. The general theme of loyalty is what kept Odysseus motivated and determined.
The poem “Iliad,” by Homer, is known for its violence between men during a war, but under that violence, is the different type of women who play a significant role in the poem (Homer 189). This poem’s narrative seems to show a male dominated world between the Greek commanders. This male dominated world cannot happen on its own, thus the different background roles of women are needed in order to make sense of all this rage. As the University of Michigan article How Do Women Make Their Way Into This Cycle states, “They are seen as the objects of both lust and domesticity, yet they are also used to excuse war, cause conflict, and display the power of men” (www.umich.edu). The focus in this poem steers towards the rage between the men, but this rage most of the time is inspired and initiated by a woman. The women of Iliad play a significant role in the poem such as war prizes, male hero partners, and women gods.