Weaving In The Odyssey

Homer’s great literary classic, The Odyssey, represents and illustrates many emotional and mental values. All of these values can be classified under three different main themes that are constant throughout the epic tale. These themes are: A boy’s struggle to be a man, a king’s struggle to reclaim his kingdom, and a man’s struggle to return home. As one reads this book it will become more and more evident to them that a man’s struggle to get home is the most important theme throughout Homer’s adventure.

so my weaving won’t all fray and

Women acted as priestesses, made official decisions in and amongst the community, and were responsible for organizing commune functions (Witcombe 10). These responsibilities and duties were not often jobs of men in Minoan civilization, “Moreover men are rarely seen in commanding positions, despite attempts to identify them in such positions” (Witcombe 10). It is suggested that the reason why women played such a huge role in Minoan civilization was due to the fact that in Minoan religion they worshiped goddesses and they were greatly influenced by them. It is believed that The Snake Goddess was an important figure in Crete at this time, and was worshiped along side of the Huntress, and The Mountain Mother. Mainly focusing on The Snake Goddess she represented a strong, powerful female deity, who overall acted as an icon for women. The influence The Snake Goddess had on women was substantial. Women became more than just members of the community, and gained a place in society. It was no longer a man’s world but a world run by women. Even ancient frescoes and other forms of Minoan artwork provide evidence of women being more vital than men, because depictions of women were more common than men (Witcombe 10). After examining women’s key roles in Minoan civilization it becomes apparent that The Snake Goddess influenced women in Crete in many different ways and played a significant part in Minoan civilization.

Women's role in that society is another verification of their modernity. Women are more self-determining and dynamic in Phaeacian culture. They have their proper share in the way of civilization; they are weaving all the time because there is no other way of getting clothing. And their king, Alcinous, is quite broadminded because he let his daughter go far away to wash clothing with other girls (170) and he says, " I am hardly a man for reckless, idle anger. / Balance is best in all things"(Homer, 189) when he learns his daughter and Odysseus have met before but they've decided to come to the city separately lest there may be rumors. Their queen, Arete, is highly honorable and she is the dominant one in ruling. Nausicaa, the daughter of the queen tells Odysseus, " If only the queen will take you to her heart, / then there is hope that you will see your loved ones, <em>reach your own grand house, your native land at last (Homer, 178).

Guatemala is home to a centuries-old weaving tradition through which indigenous women assert a sense of “belongingness” to family and community. The women and their families are descendants of the ancient Maya Indians, and the tools of their trade are cotton yarn, the backstrap loom, and time-proven patterns and techniques. Each village and region is identifiable for its own weaving design and colors. Techniques and designs are passed from mother to daughter and traditional clothes are still preferred by most. Some believe that the different patterns existed before the Spaniards arrived. Others believe they were brought from Europe. It is known that the conquistadors used the clothing to label people and control the populations. The traditional technique was to wrap the threads on a warping board, and then mount them on back-strap loom where a panel was woven. Panels were decorated with brocade designs depending on the textile tradition of the weaver’s community as well as her personal taste and skills. Finally, the woven panels were sewn together to make a garment (Guatemalan Culture).

The first art piece consists of a beautiful curtain fragment of coptic textile from the late Roman and early Byzantine 4th century. Woven textiles were commonly incorporated in Byzantine clothing tapestries, furniture coverings and curtains. The most expensive textiles were made of silk. Inexpensive textiles like the curtain fragment were made of linen and wool. Although dyed textiles were rare, they were colored with plant based dyes like saffron or minerals (Carrol, pg.57). The majority of textiles were created by the horizontal two-beam loom later to be replaced by the vertical loom and domed spindle whorl.

Many years after the end of the Trojan War, Odysseus still hasn’t returned home to Ithaka. Many believe that he is dead, but the author lets us know that he is being held as a sex captive on the goddess Kalypso’s island. Kalypso has no plans of letting him go to return home either.

In Greco-Roman Culture, humans imagine the deities of mythology to be and act certain ways, due to the needs they must fill. People invented certain deities for reasons that align with what they needed from them. To examine how a deity has a certain purpose, one must first examine what they are like. Athena and Ares are examples of deities invented for very specific purposes. One must first look at Athena and Ares’ similarities and differences in relation to their characteristics, their sexuality and physical appearances, as well as their different powers and how they are worshipped, to discover why they were created.

To make the cloth the mill girls would put cotton on their spinning wheel to make thread. Then they would put the thread on a bobbin which the doffers (bobbin girls) brought to the weavers. Then the thread gets weaved into finished cloth which would then be

A Piggin string is like a little rope that you use to tie the

“There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes.” The Odyssey and The Long Walk both exemplify the characteristic of humanity which Leo Tolstoy was referring to within this quote. The main characters of both works, Odysseus and Slavomir, go on journeys that, while physically challenging, tests the strength of their will. The determination and the overwhelming desire to return home of both men is what drives these characters to overcome immeasurable odds. Multiple parallels can be drawn between the two books, from the obstacles the characters face to the symbolism that can be found in Slavomir’s and Odysseus’s journeys. The Long Walk shows how Grecian Epics, such as The Odyssey, are still applicable in the modern day as representations of Humanities’ predominant and all-consuming desire to survive, and the specific desire to not only survive but to do so in the place one calls home.

Greco-Roman mythology is rich in names, characters, and events. Dozens of gods, goddesses, and mortal women and men participate in a variety of activities that reflect or exemplify behaviors and power relations in Greek and Roman societies. A wealth of literature was written about the relationships between mortals and immortals in Greco-Roman mythology. Much was written and said about the place humans occupy in the complex mythical hierarchies. However, the role and place of women remain the topic of the hot literary debate. In Greco-Roman mythology, the image of woman is always

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.

The Odyssey was about Odysseus and his men and how they were going back home. They were coming back from the Trojan War. In the beginning Odysseus and his men were trying to find their way back home. In the middle of the book they had to go to the underworld to get directions to get back home. In the end of the book Odysseus is back home with Penelope and his son.

(The Spider Book, J.Comstock) After the innitial threads are placed, the spider will build on a catching spiral made of sticky silk. These spirals will be what capture and snare prey until the spider is able to reach it and inject it with its