Artemis In The Odyssey

One of the female characters in “Odyssey” is Athena. Athena is the daughter of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom, purposeful battle, and the womanly arts. In the “Odyssey” she is portrayed as a helper and guardian of Odysseus and his family. Athena assists Odysseus on his journey home, and Telemachus (Odysseus’s son) on his journey as well. She is also a master of disguise, clever, and wise. This we see

When Athena leads Odysseus back to an Ithaka that he no longer recognizes, she again "poured a grey mist all around him" because she wanted him to be incognito while she informed him of the situation of the suitors and until "the suitors paid up for their crimes." She wanted to protect him from the people who would suffer for his return until a plan had been formulated to seek revenge. Athena also disguises herself as a sheperd boy and talks with Odysseus. However, she

The most powerful female force in The Odyssey is the goddess Athena. She, more than anyone else, brings about Odysseus’ homecoming. The poem opens with her pleading with Zeus to take pity on Odysseus. Zeus issues the command to Calypso to free Odysseus. Athena guides Odysseus every step of his voyage to Ithaca. She tells Odysseus that it is she “who always stands beside [him], shields [him] in every

After Odysseus came from the encounter he had with the beautiful witch goddess Circe,, his men are grateful to see him . His men gather around him like a master and a shepherd, his men surrounded him. Odysseus a well respected man who is admired by his men and treated as a mortal god due to his God like qualities . While his crew are stranded in the middle of a cross road without his leadership and guidance, pivoting towards all directions but incapable of moving forward with

Although “The Odyssey” by the Greek poet Homer is very much an epic tale of a man’s heroic quest, women play an incredibly large role. Homer’s epic tale, “The Odyssey” revolves around Ulysses’ quest to return back to his wife, Penelope, so that he may be reunited with her and assume control over his palace, which has been overrun by suitors. Ulysses’ son, Telemachus attempts to regain authority in the presence of the many suitors but finds this difficult and embarks upon his own journey under the guidance of Athena and other deities. The main thrust of Homer’s “The Odyssey” centers upon the adventures of Homer as he endeavors to get back home, which he finally does. He overtakes the suitors through his cunning and the tale ends happily.

Calypso fell in love with Odysseus and wants to marry him. She was possessed by her ‘love’ for Odysseus. Although Odysseus did not

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?"

     Many people regard Homer’s epics as war stories—stories about men; those people often overlook the important roles that women play in the Odyssey. While there are not many female characters in the Odyssey, the few that there are, play pivotal roles in the story and one can gain a lot of insight by analyzing how those women are portrayed. Homer portrays the females in contradictory ways: the characters of Athena and Eurykleia are given strong, admirable roles while Melantho, the Sirens and Circe are depicted in a much more negative way. Penelope—the central female character—is given both negative and positive attributes.

Athen, the goddess, has intelligence and independent through the entire poem. Athena also has compassion for Odysseus, devising the plan to help him return home because she feels sorry for him. Athena also guide Telemachus on his journey. "You will not lack either courage or sense in the future, Telemachus, for we see now that there is a drop in you of your fathers fine spirit. .... There is hope for the future and I tell you that you will succeed." She guides Telemachos and Odysseus when they take revenge on their house.

Possibly the most important character to Odysseus and Telemachus is Athena. First she is able to convince a shy and self conscious Telemachus to learn more about the whereabouts of his father by giving him the confidence that he was lacking. Athena answered the prayers of Telemachus, “and from nearby Athena came to him likening herself to Mentor in voice and appearance. Now she spoke aloud to him and addressed him in winged words: ‘Telemachus, you are to be no thoughtless man, no coward, if truly the strong force of your father is instilled in you; such a man he was for accomplishing word and action’” (page 102). Here Athena disguised as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus, and she is able to give Telemachus the courage he needed to go out of his comfort zone and search for his father. Without Athena it is likely that Telemachus would have never thought twice about whether or not his father was still alive. Thanks to Athena the memory and legacy of Odysseus was kept alive, which ultimately contributed to the return of Odysseus. Along with this, Athena help Odysseus on his long journey several times. An example being when Poseidon sends a storm towards Odysseus while in the sea and Athena calms the winds and pushes him towards land. Unlike most women during this time, Athena is a very wise and confident woman. She

Even Kirke and Kalypso help Odysseus tremendously with information and supplies. It is the Role of the woman goddess and not the male god to pity and proffer help to the suffering mortal.

O'Dell walked slowly up to her before bowing. "Orthos will destroy me in his next war." He explained. "Hundreds of Companions will perish at his hands."

Athena and Leucothea, two of the most influential women in the story, play a prominent role in the story, for they help Odysseus complete his journey! Athena and Leucothea work together to save Oddyseus’s life when he is drowning out at sea. Odysseus had just gotten off the island of Calypso and was on his way home when Poseidon, the God of the sea created a massive storm and almost killed Odysseus. Poseidon was furious with Odysseus because he had blinded his son Polyphemus. Luckily, a mortal named Leucothea comes to his rescue. As Odysseus is drowning, Leucothea yells over the storm, “‘Strip off those clothes and leave your craft for the winds to hurl, and swim for it now, you must, strike out with your arms for landfall there, Phaeacian land where destined safety waits. Here, take this scarf, tie it around your waist—it is immortal.’” (Book #5) Athena then plays a role by helping him get through the storm to the land safely. If it weren’t for these two powerful and wise women, nobody would have heard the story of Odysseus and his completion of

            Before comparing the women of the Odyssey to those of Athens, it is beneficial to take a look into the lives of the latter.  A respected woman was to have characteristics including obedience, virtue, refinement, productivity, honor, beauty, talent and intelligence (social consciousness).  Sarah B. Pomeroy has studied this aspect of ancient life and

Ten years after the fall of Troy, the victorious Greek hero Odysseus has still not returned to his native land Ithaca. A band of rowdy suitors, believing Odysseus to be dead, has overrun his palace, courting his faithful—though weakening—wife Penelope, and going through his stock for food. With permission from Zeus, the goddess Athena, Odysseus' greatest immortal ally, appears in disguise and urges Odysseus' son Telemachus to seek news of his father at Pylos and Sparta. However, the suitors, led by Antinous, plan to ambush him upon return.