Of Gods and Men "Divine Subjectivity in "The Odyssey-.
Throughout the centuries, religion has served human societies as a form of justification to the eventful world around them "a way to bestow meaning upon things that are not quite understood, but are crucial to their existence. A common Belief in a god or gods gives a foundation for morality among peoples, as well as a reason for societies to remain together. The relationship between a people and their gods is crucial to the establishment of social norms, but more importantly, to the grasp of abstract concepts such as freedom, justice and fate, which are the basis of all human aspirations. In Greek mythology, this relationship is marked by the resemblance of men and the Olympian Gods. This belief becomes very apparent in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey-. Throughout the poem it is plain to see that the gods are driven by the same basic impulses "love, lust and jealousy "that drive men to action. We can see a clear example of this in Athena and Poseidon. The opposing forces of Athena's sympathy and Poseidon's resentment toward Odysseus "both crucial in the outcome of our hero's quest " are concrete examples of subjectivity in the will of the gods. .
Rather than a sense of pure justice, Athena's intervention in the human realm is driven by emotion, namely her compassion for Odysseus. When Athena first addresses her father on behalf of Odysseus, the reasons behind her arguments are by no means objective "But my heart breaks for Odysseus the seasoned veteran cursed by fate so long have you no care for him in your lofty heart?-(I. 56-73). Pallas's defense of Odysseus is not based on him being a wronged man; she defends him because he is Odysseus, king of Ithaca.
