Female Influence in Odysseus' Journey: The Odyssey

Although The Odyssey is mainly about Odysseus, a hero trying to make his journey home after 20 years; there are many strong female leads that aid Odysseus. Each contributes to the plot in their own ways. During Homer’s time women were not seen as strong characters and were there solely to take care of and nurture the male members of their family. Though both Penelope and Athena take on this role towards Odysseus, their characters have more depth. This makes them useful and unique. The female characters in The Odyssey contribute to positive and negative viewings of women because of each character's strengths and weaknesses. Penelope, Athena and Calypso add to the perception of women in this story whether positively or negatively.

Penelope

In The Odyssey Athena is above all mortals. She is portrayed as strong, wise, devoted, and a master of disguise. Athena aids Odysseus throughout the story; she helps him in Troy and to make his journey home after 20 years. In the epic the first time we see Athena assisting him is when she persuades Zeus to help Odysseus off Calypso's island. Athena says, “Father, son of Cronus, our high and mighty king! If now it really pleases the blissful gods that wise Odysseus shall return – home at last – let us dispatch the guide and giant-killer Hermes down to Oygia Island, down to announce at once to the nymph with lovely braids our fixed decree: Odysseus journeys home – the exile must return!” (80). Athena also inspires Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, to look for his father. She also goes to Penelope in her dreams to keep her hopes up for Odysseus’ return. Athena disguised herself several times to aid Odysseus. One example is when she disguised herself as Mentes a family friend. As Mentes she persuaded Telemachus to assert himself and take control of the suitors. Athena affects the view on women positively by being strong and

Calypso was a nymph goddess that lived on Oygia Island. She is selfish and lonely. Calypso kept Odysseus on the island for several years against his will. Each day Odysseus would cry, he yearned to go home. “But all his days he’d sit on the rocks and beaches, wrenching his heart with sobs and groans and anguish, gazing out at the barren sea through blinding tears.” Odysseus wanted to go home to his family and his kingdom, and even after so many years he still longed for a chance to escape. “By nights he would lie beside her, of necessity, in the hollow caverns, against his will, by one who was willing, but all the days he would sit upon the rocks, at the seaside, breaking his heart in tears and lamentation and sorrow as weeping tears he looked out over the barren water.” (154-158). Odysseus can not resist Calypso, though he wants to, because she is a goddess. Her beauty and intelligence surpass and mortals including his own wife Penelope. Calypso is an example of a negative portrayal of women, she is one of the main antagonists in the