Through her actions in this epic poem, not only does Penelope create her own destiny, she gets her own glory. At that time, in Ancient Greek society, the dominant role was played by men and the women were considered and given an inferior position.
Women in The Odyssey are portrayed as powerful, wise and controlling because they ensure that the illusion of male success will go on - they speak as men through women. Amongst the many women portrayed in the book, the two most important women are Athena and Penelope. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus and the mortal queen of Ithaca. She is portrayed as the average Greek woman , but in reality is very cunning.
Though both these women are two different characters, their roles are similar, and they both are equally powerful. Athena is the cunning Goddess who guides Odysseus back to Ithaca for his family and countrymen without letting him know her reality — she disguises herself every now and then to help him by testing him and his knowledge.
Though Odysseus only sees her as a. Show More. Read More. Summary Of Jesmyn Ward's Salvage The Bones Words 8 Pages Ward is able to show that women are not only powerful but can also be strong, independent yet vulnerable and ferocious. Greek Ideal In The Iliad Words 4 Pages Akhilleus possessed these qualities, while the antagonist, Agamemnon, was lacking the field of leadership and of being a warrior.
Essay On Feminism In Antigone Words 5 Pages Sophocles presents a female character in this play, who is a strong believer and who shows feminist logic. Powerful Women In The Odyssey Words 3 Pages Whether it be a movie or novel, women are commonly portrayed as objects of beauty and the weaker gender.
Related Topics. Open Document. When Odysseus defends his marriage, he does so against the offer of marriage to a goddess. Immortality comes with this offer. This attempt to have something lasting and stable, but still transient and mortal may offer some form of compromise with the pressure that time exerts on our thinking.
For it is not just the suitors that put Penelope on the clock. It is her mortality also. Loyalty to a person can lose its substance if that person no longer exists.
And her Odysseus may be dead or so changed as to no longer be hers. Even if this is not the case, there is a cost to loyalty.
The dog was bred by Odysseus and he is its master and it has clung to life loyally, it has waited twenty years to die only when its master returns. But they have not shared life with one another.
How much better off Penelope is may just be a fortunate accident of her span of life. She has chosen to remain loyal to this thought even though aware of its inadequate founding. We can see this in the way that she comes to recognize that her Odysseus has returned. It is unlike the other recognition scenes.
A distinctive scar may be enough to mark an individual as singular, or performance of a feat that only he can do may be enough. But this is not how Penelope recognizes that her Odysseus has come back. When she pretends to order that their immovable marriage bed be moved, Odysseus responds with strong anger. It is his emotional response not his knowledge of the details of a material secret that convinces Penelope that her Odysseus is back.
The marriage of these two, impressive and inspiring as it is, exists primarily in the realm of thought and feeling. And thus it is fragile; if Odysseus had not returned when he did, waiting for his return would not have been the best choice.
But the fragility of such a marriage does not mean the marriage is not a real thing. We can and do live substantially within our thoughts. Since this is our situation, we should take as much care as we can regarding the quality of our thinking. Skip to Main Content Get the latest on our fall planning. News and Features. Previous Article Next Article.
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The weaving and unweaving of the shroud and the test of the bed are two examples of the way Penelope thinks. She does what is thought to be her duty to her husband to resist the suitors and remain faithful and loyal to her husband. Homer reveals the feminine psyche in Penelope, a loving and faithful wife to Odysseus. She was loyal to Odysseus the entire time he was away on his journey, and even when it appeared that he would not return she still had faith that he would.
Penelope resisted the advances of the suitors because she loved Odysseus and could not see herself with another when he could still be alive. The Greeks thought of her as playful, sweet, kind, and trusting.
The portrayal of the goddesses in many myths was that of a beautiful and majestic creature which contained many aspects to her personality. These personalities live on today through stories in the forms of poems, myths, and epic tales. Modern movies, art, and literature help to show these creations of the Greeks in powerful along with interesting ways. Unlike Helen who forsakes her husband, Penelope remains faithful.
Unlike Clytemnestra who assassinates her husband, Penelope patiently waits for Odysseus. She becomes a model of female patience and of female intelligence. The Odyssey presents a wide array of women and demonstrates the influence that women have in the life of a hero.
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