In the Odyssey, Calypso, a Greek goddess, says “You unrivaled lords of jealousy- scandalized when goddesses sleep with mortals,” (Book 5, 131-132). This quote can be seen as an accurate representation of the constant power struggle between gods and goddesses in the Odyssey; Calypso points out the male gods’ hypocrisy and argues for her right to sleep with mortal men. The concept of this power struggle can be seen in three of the main goddesses: Calypso, Athena, and Circe as the story progresses. Throughout the Odyssey these goddesses gain their power by deceiving men and manipulating them, but are then limited in power by the authority of other men.
In the Odyssey Calypso is found to be very untrustworthy and manipulative, and her actions
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As it states, “I welcomed him warmly,cherished him, even vowed to make the man immortal”,(Book 5, Line 150-151). Calypso wanted Odysseus as a husband so she tricked him by showing him respect, convincing Odysseus to stay for a decade. This proves that Calypso is clever. However, she is powerless and weak to the commands of Almighty Zeus. For example, the text states, “ … let the man go-if the Almighty insists, commands”,(Book 5,line 154). Calypso shows that she must let Odysseus go because she cannot deceive the Almighty Zeus. If she deceived the authority there would be huge repercussions because Zeus is a god and Odysseus is a normal man. Calypso may be able to deceive a normal man for love, however, cannot play tricks on a god. (Atiquz …show more content…
She uses her charm and hospitality to ensnare Odysseus’ crew, desperate from shipwreck and homesickness. Her deception is evident in book 12, line 261-265: “Once they’d drain the bowls she filled, suddenly struck her wand… all of them bristling into swine.” When Odysseus enters Circe’s palace for the first time, he immediately feels “anguish”. This again shows the power that Circe has over the men who enter her palace. Depicting that aside from the drug, the goddess seems to have a negative, persuasive power over their spirits. Circe is portrayed as a goddess using manipulative powers beyond that of just her magic wand. However, Circe’s power is kept in check by the moly plant given to Odysseus by Hermes and Odysseus’ blade. After Odysseus triumphs Circe’s power, Circe obeys Odysseus and nurtures his crew to good health and supplies them with provisions for their journey ahead. Circe attempts to overpower Odysseus but is eventually defeated by the help of Hermes. (Andy
Odysseus slept with Circe to get his men transformed back into men. But then Odysseus stays with Circe for seven years, when Odysseus thought that he was with Circe for seven days. Penelope on the other hand kept faith in Odysseus. She never lost hope that one day he’d come home. Many suitors want to Ithaca to try to take Penelope's hand in marriage, but she refused, believing that
Gods and goddesses play large influences in the stories of this time of Ancient Greece. Having the support of Circe should be seen as a part of Odysseus’s
In Book 5, Odysseus exhibits the true qualities of a hero by resisting Calypso’s temptation and staying true to his values and obligations. In the Odyssey, Odysseus faces many obstacles throughout his journey. After being captured by Calypso, Odysseus is held prisoner on her island, preventing him from returning home. In attempts to escape, Odysseus exhibits significant loyalty, determination, and intelligence that contribute to his title as a hero.
Another example of others imposing their values on Odysseus is when when Calypso imprisons him
When Odysseus used the value of patients he used it with Calypso on her
It was through Athena’s persuasion that convinced Zeus to have Calypso to let Odysseus leave her island. In response to Athena, Zeus said, “You conceived it yourself: Odysseus shall return and pay the traitors back” (Homer, Odyssey, V.26-27). The only reason Odysseus was free and performed the actions that he did after leaving Calypso’s island was all attributed to Athena. Whenever Odysseus appeared to be in a perilous situation, it was Athena who always aided him. “But Zeus’s daughter Athena countered him at once.
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, there are many female characters who play the role of a villain. Calypso, Scylla, Charybdis, and the sirens are among the women with the largest, negative impacts on Odysseus’ journey home. Though some women, such as Athena, Eurycleia, and Penelope, are loyal to Odysseus throughout the poem. With such a wide range of female characters, they all contribute different things throughout the book, whether the impact of their actions is negative or positive. Regardless of the outcomes, Homer has quite a modern view of female representation in his poem.
Circe is another goddesses that made Odysseus use his patience. This goddesses turned Odysseus’ men into pigs, so Odysseus refused to eat the lotus until she turned his men back. This not only shows patience it shows bravery and great leadership. The commitment he makes shows that he has true patience and is willing to do anything for his men.
As Odysseus arrives to the island-home of Calypso, the beautiful nymph, he is quickly held prisoner. Although it may seem that Odysseus felt that he was truly a prisoner, he, at one point in his stay, enjoyed Calypso’s presence and was willingly seduced by her. It is clear that over the seven-year stay, Calypso had fallen in love with Odysseus and he had let his vulnerability to women become his harshest weakness. Her female dominance was even shown at times of manipulation through her ability to hold a man prisoner and prevent him from carrying on with his travels home. Although, when it came upon Athena that Odysseus was eager to arrive home to Ithaca, Zeus sent Hermes to have Calypso free Odysseus.
Circe’s aggressive display of hospitality is the opposite of the general standard of how women are expected to perform. For instance, when Odysseus’ men arrive at her island, she deceives them into eating a meal with “her own vile pinch, to make them lose desire or thought of [their] dear father land” (Homer 10.30-31). While other women are expected to welcome men with open arms, Circe disregards the common notion and goes against them. Her ability to control and manipulate the situation for her own benefit shows how she holds a strong authority over anyone who might wish to challenge her. Including her firm control, her knowledge and intellect causes her to have a great effect on Odysseus’ future.
The Odyssey, gods like Athena and Poseidon interfere with humans to satisfy their own desires, showing that they are just as imperfect and flawed as the mortals that they rule over. Athena favors Odysseus since he reminds her of herself. He portrays the same cunning, guile, and intelligence as she does; Athena had confided to him that “two of a kind, we are, contrivers, both,” comparing how similar they are. “Of all men now alive,” she says, “you are the best in plots and story telling.
Odysseus’s Traits Throughout the Odyssey, the main character Odysseus goes on an epic adventure with his focus being to get home to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. He faces many obstacles dealing with characters such as the Cyclopes, Poseidon, Aeolus, Athena, Helios, Calypso, Zeus, Hermes, Scylla, and Circe. Odysseus’s men are some of the most valuable people to him throughout the Odyssey. He always puts himself in front of danger for them to protect them even though they all died from an unexpected turn of events soon before he returns home. When Odysseus comes home he greets his twenty year old son and straightens things out on his homeland, Ithaca.
The story of Odysseus would not exist if not for the strong female characters that all become a part of his journey. One of the women is the nymph, Calypso, who is forever banished to the island of Ogygia for her father’s wrongdoings. Odysseus ends up stranded on the island with her for seven years after being shipwrecked and lost at sea by Poseidon. Calypso ultimately acts a temptress to Odysseus, and serves as a constant reminder of everything he longs for back at home. Calypso means “to cloak”, which is basically what she is doing by hiding Odysseus away from the rest of world.
Women are greatly judged by their looks throughout the book. They believe that a woman is successful if any of her direct family have an important position (e.g. King, God) or is a heroic figure. Even though Athena and Calypso are very different, one evident similarity, is their ability to influence and control men. Athena greatly interferes in Telemachus’ and Odysseus’ lives by utilizing her intellect. Her power, influence and control on men can either be seen as a positivity or as a negativity.
Countless of these tearful songs have been written, describing the image of the woman behind a hero’s victory. In The “Odyssey”, Homer transforms the audience’s perspective about women significantly. All of them, whether beautiful woman or powerful goddesses, are occupied by sorrows. Especially, Penelope and Calypso--the two most influential women in both appearance and the complicated relationship with the guile hero. Although they have very different personalities and backgrounds--one is the queen of Ithaca, and the other is a magnificent goddess.