Athena, The Goddess Of Wisdom And Strategy

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

In Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, gods and goddesses play an important role in influencing the lives of humans, and Athena is an important part of the war. The goddess Athena is written mostly as a mortal, where she signifies the personification of war. Both sides of the war know that with Athena, they will not lose. This is probably why she is the most significant minor character. Athena is the most significant minor character because she is brave, wise, and she is a warrior. Athena plays a significant role in the unfolding drama, because both the Greeks and the Trojans know that her favor, they cannot be defeated.

Athena has a great interest in Odysseus and tells him everything he should know on his journey home so he can come back alive. For instance, when Odysseus reveals himself to the suitors, she makes their spears miss him while they are in a fight. “But Athena made their shots all come to nothing, one man hitting the doorpost, another the door, another’s bronze-tipped ash spear sticking into the wall. ”(Book 22, lines 272-275). She also releases him from being trapped on an island for seven years, and she influences his son to keep faith that his father is still alive.

Divine intervention is often an integral part of ancient epic poetry as seen in Homer's The Odyssey. The role of the goddess Athena was an essential part of Odysseus's journey back to Ithaka. Athena also played a vital part in Telemakhos's life before the return of his father. Even Penelope is impacted by the help of the "grey-eyed" goddess, often inspiring Penelope to hold off the suitors as well as putting her to sleep when a situation became too difficult. Athena demonstrates that she is a critical component of development within the father Odysseus and his son Telemakhos as well as guiding Penelope as a beautiful mother waiting for the return of her husband.

After Penelope is sent away by Telemachus, Athena suddenly appears amidst a bright light before him and Odysseus. The young, brash Telemachus nearly cried out, giving her presence away to others in the house of Odysseus, but Odysseus stopped him, saying, “Be still: keep still about it: just remember it. The gods who rule Olympus make this light” (Odyssey 354). Here, Odysseus’ quick, yet tactful reply to Telemachus perhaps saved the day, and Telemachus, because he didn’t feel ashamed at his father’s response to his foolishness, maintained his bravery and focused upon the task at hand.

Both Athena and Poseidon are gods, and both are under the rule of Zeus, however they are very different in the way they have interactions with Odysseus. Athena, the gray-eyed goddess help Odysseus on his journey, and also helps Penelpoe and Telemachus with their personal struggles. Poseidon, on the other hand has a grudge against Odysseus for maiming his offspring, the Cyclops. When Odysseus revealed his real name to the Cyclops, the Cyclops called upon Poseidon to curse him and make his journey even harder. In a way, it is like Athena and Poseidon are battling against each others' will. Athena is trying to make sure Odysseus makes it home safe, while Poseidon is trying to make his homeward journey as difficult as possible.

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

Athena was the Greek Goddess of many ideas, but she was famous mostly for her superior wisdom, her cunning skills in times of war, and her implausible talent for household tasks, such as weaving and pottery. She was celebrated more than any other God in ancient mythology, was the supposed inventor of countless innovations, and her figure gave reason for Greek woman to gain rights long before others of their time. The goddess of war, the guardian of Athens, and the defender of Heroes; Athena’s impact on the lives of Ancient Greeks is outstanding.

In Athena’s first appearance she is badgering Zeus about when Odysseus will be allowed to return home, “My heart breaks for Odysseus, / that seasoned veteran cursed by fate so long- / far from his loved ones still, he suffers torments / off on a wave-washed island rising at the center of the seas,” (1 57-60). After years of torments, she is still begging Zeus to have pity on Odysseus and to bring him home. She has not lost vigor or strength. Her demeanor is not one of desperation, rather it is persistent. She has not lost faith in Zeus or the fates in her ten years of advocacy for this man. She is an immortal, and time does not mean to her what it means to Odysseus.

Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle, is the most powerful and influential non-human being in The Odyssey. Athena was the one to start Odysseus’s journey home. By stating that her heart broke for Odysseus, who was away from home for 20 years and had suffered much, Athena was able to convince Zeus to make Calypso release Odysseus, although it was against Poseidon’s wishes. Also, Athena could be credited with helping Telemachus become a true man instead of the boy he used to be. Disguised as Mentes, Athena’s advice to Telemachus about the suitors and his mother was to either drive the suitors away or throw his mother out of the house and take over the house. After this, Telemachus, for the first time, stood up to the suitors and told them to leave, or he would call the gods and Zeus would punish the suitors. However, as benevolent as she may seem, she is additionally unforgiving. When she had decided that all the suitors shall die, she stuck to it. Even when Athena told Odysseus to beg

Athena’s navigational skills and quick thinking made Odysseus’ victory feasible. She provided a disguise for Odysseus, came up with a battle plan, and kept his anger in check by letting the suitors continue their taunts against him. Athena “had no mind to let the brazen suitors hold back now from their heart-rending insults-she meant to make the anguish cut still deeper into the core of Laertes’ son Odysseus” (Homer page 419). Additionally, she helped Odysseus battle the suitors, “looming out of the rafters high above them, brandished her man-destroying shield of thunder, terrifying the suitors out of their minds, and down the hall they panicked” (Homer page 448). Saving Odysseus’ and his servants’ lives, Athena acted against the suitors and, undoubtedly, won the battle for him by scaring off the suitors who were not already dead.

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.

Athena plays a very significant role in the Odyssey ensuring that Odysseus and his family are aware of their surroundings before they experience them and also making sure they are safe when being threatened. Athena takes a great liking to Odysseus because she sees the same cunning characteristics in him that she also sees in herself, and she takes it upon herself to ensure that he is safe on his return home to Ithaca. To give Odysseus greater happiness on his journey home after being away for 20 years, she makes sure that his family is safe and that he has the opportunity to take control back of his kingdom. Athena safeguards Odysseus’ family not only by giving Telemachos and Penelope both

Though Athena is a female, she is not known for her beauty or stature, but for her wisdom. Whenever Athena creates her plan to rescue Odysseus, everyone is thoroughly surprised because no one had yet to think of one. The rest of the gods at the assembly had known that Odysseus had been trapped but were not sure of how to rescue him without facing Poseidon’s wrath. The gods did not expect a plan from Athena because she is a female, she is not supposed to be smart or have an opinion. Athena exceeds everyone’s expectations and uses her wisdom to rescue Odysseus. Additionally, Athena proves herself when she gives Odysseus the plan to disguise himself once he reaches Ithaca. Athena constantly saving Odysseus shows her critical thinking which she applies to show her wisdom. Most people do not expect that from her because she is a woman and she cannot be thinking superior to men, but Athena proves that wisdom is one of her prized traits. Because Athena is a female, most people would think of her as beautiful, but she proves her important trait to be wise.

In various encounters throughout the book, Athena, the goddess of wisdom influences the lives of Odysseus’s family in order to improve their fate due to her favoritism for the persistent mariner attempting to return home and respect of his cleverness. Her preference to Odysseus is seen in the beginning of Book 1 stating to her father, Zeus that she is concerned of the whereabouts of Odysseus and pleads for support to deliver him