Women in the Odyssey - 1646 Words

Women form an important part of each society, however their role and importance to its function are often times overlooked. Society is/was organized and directed by men. All of the most important positions and purposes within it`s routine were filled by males. This societal organization is often times reflected in many pieces of literature of various time periods, however there are texts in which contrary to the patriarchal society models, women are given substantial importance within the plot. Homer`s The Odyssey, Heart of Darnkness by Joseph Conrad and Aeschylus`s Oresteia each demonstrate or conceal female importance in a given society. The Odyssey was written in a time when men played the dominant role. In ancient Greece, women†¦show more content†¦Athena, once again, is shown as having power over men and mortals, the citizens feel sheltered under Athene`s wings (3.1000-02) she brings justice and leads the tragic trilogy to a conclusion , just as she helps conclude Odys seus` nostos to Ithaca. Clytaemestra, whose infidelity and Agamemnon`s murder create a domino effect, which in turn brings a reign of chaos and killing begins as conspiracies and family secrets are reveled. Clytaemestra can be viewed as the unethical, evil character, nevertheless, her independed will and ability to murder, translate into strength and intellect. Clytaemestra drives the plot into the complicated which forms the majority of the tragedy itself. In contrast with The Odyssey and Oresteia, a much more recent work, Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, women serve as supplements to men`s actions and they are passive characters at mercy of the leading males. Females in Heart of Darkness can be similarly divided into three categories parallel to The Odyssey, yet with major differences. Marlow`s aunt a dear enthusiastic soul...ready to do anything, anything for [Marlow] (pg.72) could be identified as the goddess who is willing to help in any way possible, she is the higher cl ass white civilized woman who lives in a surreal world, nonertheless she does not possess any power of Marlow like Athena does over men of The Odyssey. Kurtz`s native mistress is the seductress/whore. Instead of seducing Kurtz however, she is seduced byShow MoreRelatedThe Odyssey : The Role Of Women In Homers Odyssey966 Words   |  4 Pagesinteractions. The Odyssey portrays what is right or wrong in relationships between god and mortal, father and son, and man and woman. In the epic poem, the role of women is a vital demonstration of Ancient Greece. The women in the epic are unique in their personality, motives, and relationships towards men. In Homers, The Odyssey, all women are different, but all of them help to represent the role of the ideal woman. Homers epic describes the world of women in Ancient Greece, a time where women were seenRead MoreThe Odyssey And Trojan Women1684 Words   |  7 Pagesbetween them Greek poet Homer and tragedian playwright Euripides explore many of the same themes in their works the Odyssey and Trojan Women (written by each respectively). Both works are inspired by the events of 12th Century BCE Trojan War that Homer previously explored in the Iliad. The two examine the worth of cunning over brute strength, the dangers of temptation and the role of women in their respective time periods. Despite having extremely similar central ideas, the techniques employed by eachRead MoreThe Force of Women in The Odyssey632 Words   |  3 PagesThe Force of Women in The Odyssey To the average person, The Odyssey is a Greek tale about a man, Odysseus, just trying to find his way home. 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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 whileRead MoreRole of Women in the Odyssey1201 Words   |  5 PagesThe Role of Women in The Odyssey The Odyssey, by Homer, is an epic poem based on the story of an ancient Greek hero, Odysseus, and his twenty year journey—ten years spent fighting in the Trojan War and the other ten spent traveling home. In the poem, Homer presents the theme of the role and nature of women. Men were the dominant gender in ancient Greece, and women, who were inferior, were only valued for their beauty and their ability to reproduce. 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An article found in â€Å"The American Scholar† states, â€Å" One might begin by asking what both epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, would be like if there were no women in them. The Trojan war would not haveRead MoreThe Archetype Of Women In The Odyssey775 Words   |  4 Pages In the epic poem The Odyssey, Homer gives women a secondary role to men in a patriarchal society and characterizes women by a double standard. For Instance, Calypso is the archetype for the cunning seductress. Another example is Circe who is also an archetype for a seductress. The last woman is Penelope, the archetype for the loyal wife. These three women are defined by their roles to men. Calypso is portrayed as the archetype for the cunning seductress. When Hermes is sent to tell Calypso to let