The Pivotal Role Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

Words: 582
Pages: 3
Open Document
Women play a pivotal role in the Odyssey. Whether they are mortal women or goddesses their actions have heavy consequences in the turn of events throughout plot of the Odyssey. This is apparent from the beginning with the rape of king Priam’s daughter, Cassandra. This incident enrages the goddess Athena against the Greeks consequently delaying Odysseus's return to Ithaca. Athena‘s soft spot for Odysseus persuades her to encourage Telemachus to venture out to find his father, who she knows is on his way back from being lost at sea for over 20 years. Though Athena‘s role isn’t specifically identical to the role of other women throughout the Odyssey, there are still observable parallels that tie the women together.

The women depicted in the Odyssey
Show More

Related Documents: The Pivotal Role Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

The Epic Hero In The Odyssey

In book XXII of the epic poem The Odyssey, Homer uses lines 1-43 to strengthen the epic hero’s characteristic of having the will to destroy in order to cleanse and remain loyal to his family. This is achieved through the use of imagery and diction. The nature in which Odysseus kills the suitors is brutal, but is done in the regard of avenging his personal honor. When Odysseus claims his first victim, Antinous, Homer describes his death vividly, “The arrow struck Antinous in the throat, and the…

Words 512 - Pages 3