Eng. 221 5 February 2014 The Powerful Role of Women in Ancient Greek Society Although The Odyssey‚ written by the Greek poet Homer‚ is an epic tale of a man’s quest for home‚ women also play a large role. The role of each gender within The Odyssey is made extremely evident‚ and on multiple occasions Homer makes reference to the expectations of each sex. Throughout the epic‚ presentations of women are somewhat limited‚ unless they appear as mothers‚ servants‚ deities‚ seductresses‚ or a combination
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The 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. However‚ in this poem‚ Homer both exemplifies
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Women play a significant role in the text that forms an important part of The Odyssey‚ an epic written by Homer in the 7th century B.C. Within the poem there are three basic types of women: the goddess‚ the seductress‚ and the good hostess/wife. Each role helps to create a different kind of element and is essential to the completion of the story. The first female in the Odyssey to be seen in full effect is the beautiful goddess. Although she is a supernatural being in all of the epic poem she
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. The roles of Zeus‚ Athena‚ and Poseidon in the Odyssey either aid or hinder Odysseus’ journey home. First off‚ when Odysseus was held captive from Calypso‚”Hermes explains that he has brought with an order from Zeus that Calypso must not detain Odysseus any longer but send him on his way home.”(Homer 1208). Zeus is considered to be helping Odysseus by agreeing to let him out of the island. Poseidon has been a burden because he heard his son‚ Polyphemus’ curse towards Odysseus‚ “O hear me‚ lord
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characteristic is his wit‚ and while he is seen using it to get himself out of sticky situations (as he did when escaping Polyphemus)‚ he also uses it to create troublesome scenarios for what seems to be his own humor. This is most evident to me in The Odyssey when‚ after finally returning to Ithaca and learning of the suitors that have occupied his home‚ Odysseus disguises himself as an old man and completes Penelope’s tasks before turning on the suitors and killing
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There are many gods throughout the story the odyssey that helped the men through their very long journey to get home. To start off with there was Athena she was the most influential god towards the men. Athena is the daughter of zeus‚ she is the goddess of wisdom‚ purposeful battle‚ and the womanly arts. She had an eye out for odysseus throughout the whole book watching him and helping him through everything. Specifically his shipwreck in Book 5 and the mismatched battle of Book 22. She also reassures
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the perfect Homeric Greek man. The "god-like Odysseus" is complicated‚ courageous‚ clever‚ and expressive. His increments are a lot of his understandings through travel‚ the meeting of various societies and people groups and gains from misery and mistakes. Odysseus’ strength is continually tested by the lure of ladies. In the Odyssey‚ batch cases of such attraction mirror the significance of sexual orientation and the part of ladies. The Odyssey is their roles as femme’s fatales. At the point when
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The Odyssey is the product of a society in which the dominant role was played by men. In ancient Greece‚ just as in the whole of the ancient world‚ and in America and Western Europe until the last century‚ women occupied a subservient position. Society was organized and directed by men‚ and all of the most important enterprises were those which men arranged and implemented. Women were valued‚ but they participated in the affairs of the world only when they had the tacit or open approval and permission
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The bond shared between family members is unbreakable. The people that surround you shape the future of your life‚ thoughts‚ and actions. In Homer’s‚ The Odyssey‚ family plays a major role with the character Odysseus. Odysseus wants to make a dangerous journey home because of the love and bond he has with his family. Although Odysseus and I are from completely different time periods‚ we both share the experiences of facing obstacles and making a commitment to see family members who live far away
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” The epic‚ Odyssey by Homer highlights the determination of a certain character to return to his homeland and family after many years at war. However‚ with determination comes important decisions to do what is right and what is best for all. In most cases‚ a hero must take some kind of guidance from his acquaintances. In addition‚ the extensive qualities of a hero can range from being loyal to others and putting their own life behind everyone else’s. By these standards‚ in the Odyssey‚ main character
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