Circe, Penelopeia, Clytemnestra, and Athena all demonstrate qualities that are nonadherent to the social norms of our society today and in historical civilizations. Athena depicts great vigor and wit while helping the mortals with his or her daily needs. Circe and Clytemnestra illustrate predation and power over men, mortal and not, while Penelopeia conveys both strength and vulnerability with her love to Odysseus and her pure intentions towards his care. From book one of Homer’s The Odyssey, women have a prominent place in the plot, both succoring and impairing the characters, acting as either predators or advocates. As some might find while reading this epic poem, women are very often conveyed as predators who prey on others through exploitation
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Fitting to her name, which translates to mean “famous wooer”, Clytemnestra murders her husband after welcoming him home with false hospitality, thus demonstrating sick manipulation and an utter lack of loyalty and fidelity. Though this lack of integrity turns out hazardous for Agamemnon, it does display to the men of Greece that mortal women, who are not as highly respected as goddesses, are just as powerful while only using their mortal abilities. In particular, another woman who demonstrates predatory and manipulative personality traits is Circe, who, after welcoming traveling men into her home with false hospitality, “put(s) dangerous drugs in the mess, to make them… forget their native land” and then proceeds to turn them in to pigs (Homer 125). Odysseus is only able to fool her and turn his men back with the help from Hermes, which exhibits how powerful …show more content…
Penelopeia, Circe, Athena, and Clytemnestra are all prime examples of women who interfere with mortal men’s lives with both good and bad intentions. While Penelopeia and Athena demonstrate advocacy and succoring tendencies toward Odysseus and are consistently loyal to him, Circe and Clytemnestra both depict the predatory side of women in this Greek epic. Athena especially illustrates qualities of a spokesperson when she advises the god’s council to help Odysseus find his home again, which is a bold action for a goddess. Many say a woman's place is in the kitchen, but Athena fits right in with the
Fitting to her name, which translates to mean “famous wooer”, Clytemnestra murders her husband after welcoming him home with false hospitality, thus demonstrating sick manipulation and an utter lack of loyalty and fidelity. Though this lack of integrity turns out hazardous for Agamemnon, it does display to the men of Greece that mortal women, who are not as highly respected as goddesses, are just as powerful while only using their mortal abilities. In particular, another woman who demonstrates predatory and manipulative personality traits is Circe, who, after welcoming traveling men into her home with false hospitality, “put(s) dangerous drugs in the mess, to make them… forget their native land” and then proceeds to turn them in to pigs (Homer 125). Odysseus is only able to fool her and turn his men back with the help from Hermes, which exhibits how powerful …show more content…
Penelopeia, Circe, Athena, and Clytemnestra are all prime examples of women who interfere with mortal men’s lives with both good and bad intentions. While Penelopeia and Athena demonstrate advocacy and succoring tendencies toward Odysseus and are consistently loyal to him, Circe and Clytemnestra both depict the predatory side of women in this Greek epic. Athena especially illustrates qualities of a spokesperson when she advises the god’s council to help Odysseus find his home again, which is a bold action for a goddess. Many say a woman's place is in the kitchen, but Athena fits right in with the