Deception in ancient Greece meant something almost entirely different than it does in the modern United States. For example, today, ‘deception’ is used most frequently in talking about a bad one night stands and how one member of the ‘night out’ cannot believe that he/she was fooled by someone just for sex. In ancient Greece, however, deception was most commonly attributed to females, and it played on the point that women were out to foil men’s plans of fulfilling their destiny in their manhood. Some of the most prominent female deceivers in Greek literature are the goddess Demeter, Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, and the goddess Athene. In the Hymn to Demeter, the daughter of the goddess Demeter, Persephone, is kidnapped by the god of the …show more content…
Athene is prominent in most Greek literature, but her role in the first four books of The Odyssey by Homer is one of her most famous roles. In Book I, she “…was disguised as a friend, leader of the Taphians, Mentes” (Odyssey, 1.105) and tells Odysseus’ and Penelope’s son, Telemachos, what he must do in order to discover truths about his lost father and to rid the home of the suitors. Telemachos is nearly 20 years of age, has been raised by his mother his entire life, and it has taken a toll on his level of maturity. Telemachos lacked a male, father-figure role model in his life, and being raised by only a woman was demeaning and thought to cause the boy to not reach his potential in manhood. However, when Athene comes to Telemachos as Mentes, she tell him that he “…should not go clinging to your childhood” and that he is “no longer of an age to do that” (Odyssey, 1.296-97). Unlike Demeter and Penelope, Athene is actually not disguising herself in order to obtain a personal goal, but rather to ensure that Odysseus’ son reaches maturity and that Telemachos does know that his father is alive and trying to come home. Athene’s use of trickery and deception is harmful to no one except the intruding suitors, since Telemachos needs to reach maturity, and the suitors need to leave the home of Odysseus. Thankfully, once the suitors realize what Telemachos has to do (Telemachos leaves Ithaca for Pylos and Sparta to see if he can discover news of his father), the suitors begin, for the first time since their arrival, to feel threatened by someone. Athene brings about the maturation of Telemachos, and therefore causes the suitors to become worried about there being another man in the
Odysseus uses deception to obtain heroic victories and save his wife. In “The Return of Odysseus” he shows how trickery can be used to protect others. Odysseus is transformed into a young handsome man with the help of Athena. This confuses and terrifies his son, Telemachus. However, the transformation of Odysseus makes Telemachus believe that the gods are involved, so he decides to assist Odysseus in killing the Suitors, protecting the throne and saving Odysseus’ wife. Odysseus and Telemachus continue to be deceitful in order to succeed. With Athena’s help, Odysseus once again transforms into an old beggar. This allows him to kill the suitors without immediate retaliation. The suitors would instantly kill Odysseus on sight which would allow
Arthur Owens displays the characteristics of honesty and negativity through out the book so far. Arthur has shown honesty since the start . He admitted to throwing a brick at the junk mans head which is something someone else wouldn't do just to stay outta trouble and not have consequences . Arthur admitted to doing what he had done although he knew that wasn't the right thing he should of done. Clearly Arthur was upset over something and that's what provoked him to do what he did which was him throwing a brick at the junk man's head . When the judge asked " Are you the one who attacked Mr.Hampton ?" Arthur replied , "Yes sir" which shows how he was honest towards the judge and admitted to doing what he had done also not knowing the consequences
As an unknown author once said, “Everyone has weaknesses, but great people know how to deal with it and change it into something powerful.” This indicates that everything comes down to how you take care of your less favorited characteristics. Heroes are always looked at as being perfect, however, they have weaknesses just like humans. In the book The Odyssey by Homer, the hero Odysseus has many human related problems with his attitude, like stubbornness, pride, and being egotistical, which results in putting himself in troublesome circumstances that could’ve been avoided in the first place.
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
Odysseus and I are both contentious. Odysseus is combative and always ready for a fight we see this is the Odyssey many times throughout the book. An example of this would be when they were going up to Scylla and Odysseus didn’t listen to the advice he was given “I tied on my cuirass and took up two spears” (936). This shows he is antagonistic and is always ready for a fight or argument. Odysseus knows how to fight and win too he killed a man in a very gruesome way “Odysseus’ arrow hit him under the chin and punched up to the feathers through his throat” (955) which that action sparked him killing most of men in Ithaca. I am also contentious and am always ready for an argument but not a fight. Most of my days I am always ready for a political
views can be found. A majority of people are on the side of Heard and believe Depp has Who do you look up to most? It may be a sports star or a well known singer. The star back then, Odysseus, may not be so different from the celebrities idolized today.
Homer’s Odyssey challenges the common view on deception as employed only maliciously. Both a mortal, Odysseus, and one of the most revered goddesses, Athena, have the common noble goal of bringing Odysseus back home to his family after nearly two decades of absence. To achieve that goal, they mainly use deception and disguise in various forms that their physical and mental powers allow. Odysseus is famous for wittily deceiving others through verbal means, fact noted by Menelaus and Helen of Troy (Book 4). He even doubts Athena, as his own skills have made him doubt other’s honesty. Athena states after realizing Odysseus’s disbelief, “Would not another wandering man, in joy, make haste home to his wife and children? Not you, not yet” (8.
communicate well with his men about important issues. One time, he didn’t tell his men
In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is a noble hero even if he does make some mistakes. Like all humans, Odysseus makes mistakes constantly. There is not one person in the whole entire world that does not make any errors. However, even though people make blunders, many do not want to learn or grow on them. They let their slips stop them and they do not overcome them. Conversely, Odysseus perseveres through his struggles and does not have his mistakes stop him from achieving his goals. He learns and overcomes his missteps, which makes him successful. During his times of struggle, Odysseus becomes a noble hero by being brave, using his wisdom, and caring for his followers.
Deception, in both the Odyssey and Taming of the Shrews, is extremely prevalent. In Taming of the shrew, deception is mainly used as a means to an end, the end being marriage, but is used in other ways as well. In the Odyssey, deception is used throughout the book in countless ways, usually pertaining to getting out of dangerous situations and or death. In both books, the deceit is beneficial and harmful in separate ways, but without deception, the books would not be even nearly as interesting.
Deception is defined by Merriam Webster as “an act or statement intended to make people believe something that isn’t true”. It is often viewed as a malevolent act. Deception, as malevolent as some people may perceive it to be, may also be administered to obtain information useful for one’s own benefits when employed in the correct situation. Different individuals utilize deception in different ways and some successful individuals are able to employ disguises to their own advantage. Odysseus, the cunning main character in the Odyssey, utilizes deception in justifiable situations, including life and death scenarios and self-benefitting situations, without harming innocent bystanders.
Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad re-envisions Homer’s Odyssey by following Penelope’s life and thoughts in the place of Odysseus’s. By using Penelope’s viewpoint, Atwood is able to expose the double standards and misogyny in the Odyssey, as well as alter Penelope’s original character into someone with intellect and an astute way of thinking. For instance, a double standard found in the Odyssey was that being a good and heroic man meant one must have sex with a lot of women; but if a woman was to have sex with lots of men, she would be considered tainted and impure. Essentially stating that for a man to achieve greatness and success, multiple women have to be forced to submit and accept failure in the Odyssey’s concept of womanliness. Atwood’s
Sing I me, Muse, and through me tell the story of the lady nymph goddess Calypso. Oh so beautiful and immortal who lives in the sea- hollowed caves on the island Ogygia. She craved the hero of Troy, king of Ithaka, son of Laertes, a mortal and took him as her own. Nine long years they spent on the island together.
In the Hymn to Demeter, power structures decide whose actions are considered just or unjust. The Goddess Demeter, the “giver of seasons,” mother of Persephone, becomes enraged when Persephone is kidnapped by Aidonous/Hades, God of the Underworld, with the help of Zeus, God of Mount Olympus. Demeter not being included in the discussion to give away her daughter is the source of the main conflict in the Hymn, which ultimately led to a mass famine.
Deception is defined as a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud. People tend to view this as a sinister action. No matter how sinister it can be, it can also be utilized to gain information and knowledge. How a person uses deception varies among different people. Generally, the more clever people tend to utilize deception very efficiently. Odysseus masters deception in the Odyssey by disguising himself. Odysseus isn't alone for Athena also uses disguises. With that being said, disguises allow Odysseus to succeed in killing the suitors.