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Athena's Role in the Odyssey

            An English professor once wrote these words on the board: "Woman without her man is nothing." She then proceeded to ask her class to correctly punctuate the sentence. The males in the class wrote down: "Women, without her man, is nothing." While the females in the class wrote down: "Woman! Without her, man is nothing." This simple exercise displays the various perceptions that people have concerning the role of women in today's society. While the role of women in society is still unclear, the role of women in epic poems is evident. Women are almost nonexistent in most of the classic epic poems. One may ask why women were left out of these classic narratives. The answer is simple, at the time that these epics were written, women were not perceived as important members of society so they were excluded from epics. However, not every author felt this way. Homer happened to include women in his epics; one being The Odyssey. The Odyssey includes many prominent female characters that Homer uses to represent different aspects of emotion. While most authors prefer to omit the presence of women in their epics, Homer opts to utilize the goddess Athena to portray strength.
             In book 23, Athena shows pity for Odysseus and wants to help him return to Ithaca. However, it this passage is thoroughly analyzed another important idea is presented. Homer portrays Athena as a motherly figure. Every mortal mother worries about her child when he is away and wants her child to return home quickly and safely. Athena is essentially doing the same thing. She wants Odysseus to return home safely, and she is also concerned with his general well being. Homer carries this idea of motherly love throughout the epic. Since Athena is the goddess of war, one would think that she would not be as emotional as Homer portrays her to be. The common idea of the distant, indifferent, and malicious gods is rejected with Homer's portrayal of a kind, caring, and sensitive goddess.


Essays Related to Athena's Role in the Odyssey

1. The Odyssey and Fate

Sometimes they are merely backdrops to the human element of the story but in stories such as The Odyssey the gods play a prominent if not vital role to the central themes of the story. ... For example, Athena went to Ithaka and advised Odysseus's son to call an assembly. ... Here again is a prime example of the god's important role in the development of the story. Without the interference of Athena the suitors may have moved more quickly than they did. ... (teacher) 2001 Odyssey Class Discussion Odyssey Plot Summation. ...

  • Word Count: 895
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  • Grade Level: High School

2. Athena

The goddess Athena was one of the many gods or goddesses that played a large role in Greek mythology. ... According to Kathleen Daly, author of Greek and Roman Mythology A-Z, Athena displays her "unique intellectual qualities" the best in Homer's Odyssey (20). ... "Athena." ... "Athena, daughter of Zeus... "Athena." ...

  • Word Count: 1186
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3. Athena

The Romans knew Athena as Minerva. ... The very Ancient Greeks believed that men were solely responsible for conception of a child, and that the women's role was to carry it until it was born. ... Athena was also known to show mercy. ... Athena character is represented differently in the Iliad and the Odyssey. ... In the Odyssey, also written by Homer, Athena is still very powerful, but only fights to defend the State. ...

  • Word Count: 1509
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. The Goddess Athena

The Goddess Athena The Goddess Athena is the main female Character in the Odyssey. ... Goddess Athena's role in this epic is to help Odysseus through his journey home and make sure that he survives. ... Athena plays a major role in making sure that Odysseus comes home safely to his home land of Ithaca. Daughter of Zeus Athena helps Odysseus many times during the story. ... Athena is very important because she helps getting Odysseus home alive to be back with his family....

  • Word Count: 377
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  • Grade Level: High School

5. The Role of Women in the Iliad and the Odyssey

From the Bronze Age to present day, the role of women continues to evolve on many different levels. This continuing evolution is evident in Homer's prolific poems the Illiad and the Odyssey, Whether mortal or immortal, caregiver or monster, the women in each tale played various important roles as each story is set within the timeframe of the Trojan War. ... Next, we look at The Godness of Wisdom, Athena. ... Like her mother, Athena held key roles in their roles as Goddesses-they served as catalysts in partially determining several key functions, including death and peace. ... In t...

  • Word Count: 472
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. The Odyssey

In his epic the Odyssey, Homer studies the use of tactics through three specific characters: Odysseus, Athena, and Penelope. ... Aware of this, Homer highlights this fact through her actions in the Odyssey. ... Later, Athena discloses her role to Odysseus. " I who made the Phaiakians befriend you I planned it so." (368) Homer uses Athena's tactics such as this to prove that the gods were on Odysseus" side. ... Odysseus truly lives up to his nickname in the Odyssey. ... The characters of Athena, Odysseus, and Penelope utilize brilliant tactics in Homer's Odyssey. ...

  • Word Count: 704
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Ancient Greeks and the Divine

This is demonstrated through the significance of Agamemnon's death in Aeschylus's in The Oresteia, the perspectives of the cosmologists Anaximander and Hesiod, the role of Athena in The Odyssey, the effect of Demeter in The Homeric Hymn hymn2:to Demeter, and the creation of the universe. ... The ancient gods and goddesses played a key role in the lives of heroes and ensured justice; this confirmed through Athena's role in Odysseus' journey home in The Odyssey. Athena's fundamental role in The Odyssey was to assist and ensure the success of Odysseus' homecomi...

  • Word Count: 1605
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  • Has Bibliography

8. role of women in the odyssey

Role of Women in The Odyssey In Greece during the time The Odyssey took place, around 500 B.C. they believed in a patriarchal society, when in reality it was really matriarchal. The role that women play in the epic poem is one of power over men. ... In The Odyssey, there are four types of women: the good hostess, the goddess, the temptress, and the concubine. ... Athena watches out for Odysses. ... The good hostess, the goddess, the temptress, and the concubine all bring different aspects of the role of women in The Odyssey. ...

  • Word Count: 1158
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  • Grade Level: High School

9. The Odyssey

Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, played a major role in the Greeks" lives. Teiresias, a blind prophet, also played a major role to fate. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus's fate was largely controlled by Athena, Teiresias, Circe, Aeolus, Poseidon, and Zeus. ... Firstly, Athena guided Odysseus to the island of the Phaeacians. ... In The Odyssey, Odysseus's fate was dictated by Athena, Teiresias, Circe, Poseidon, Zeus, and Aeolus. ...

  • Word Count: 504
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

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