"The Odyssey" is an epic tale by a famous Greek poet, Homer. After being away from his kingdom in Troy for twenty years due to war, Odysseus and his crew started to make their journey back home. Unfortunately, they ran into some trouble along the way. Little did he know, his kingdom had been taken over by gentleman called suitors. While he spent years with other women on his journey back to the kingdom, his wife, Penelope, was holding off marrying anyone else because she had faith he was still going to return home to her and their son, Telemachus. Women played a vital role in this epic tale. One that not even today 's society could compare to. There are three different types of women in this story: the seducers, the goddesses, and the wives.
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Odysseus thinks that he can "wow" any woman that he meets just by taking her to bed, but on the other hand, that soon lead him into some trouble. Calypso held him hostage as her husband for seven long years. It is hard to tell if Calypso truly loved Odysseus or if she just loved the thought of him. She probably does not have many handsome men like Odysseus come her way often, so in her mind if she can keep him hostage she can try to keep him there with her forever. Calypso seemed very obsessive over the fact she had someone who could potentially be her husband (if she could talk him into it). Unfortunately for her that did not get to happen. "Calypso offers him immortality if he will stay. When he declines even that offer, Calypso leads Odysseus to believe that letting him go is her idea: "I am all compassion," she lies. While we may admire Calypso 's spunk and her very early advocacy of women 's sexual equality, her possessive obsessions make her more trouble than she is worth for Odysseus" (Harcourt). Luckily, Zeus sent Hermes to tell her that he needed to be let free. So even though Calypso probably did not want to, she helped Odysseus and his crew rebuild their ship and sent them on their …show more content…
She kept the kingdom in order and took care of her and Odysseus 's son, Telemachus. Even after the kingdom was taken over by a group of gentlemen called suitors, destroying everything in sight and acting like the pigs they were, she did not leave. They all wanted to marry her so they could become king; however, she did not budge and had kept high hopes that her love Odysseus would make his appearance. "She never refuses to remarry outright. Instead, she puts off her decision and leads them on with promises that she will choose a new husband as soon as certain things happen. Her astute delaying tactics reveal her sly and artful side. The notion of not remarrying until she completes a burial shroud that she will never complete cleverly buys her time." (The Odyssey) Penelope is a very strong, independent women. Even though she waits the entire time while Odysseus is away, she does not cheat, nor did she lose hope that he would not come back to them. If only she had known how he spent seven of those years, she may have chosen to marry one of the suitors rather than waiting for him to come back to
Odysseus thinks that he can "wow" any woman that he meets just by taking her to bed, but on the other hand, that soon lead him into some trouble. Calypso held him hostage as her husband for seven long years. It is hard to tell if Calypso truly loved Odysseus or if she just loved the thought of him. She probably does not have many handsome men like Odysseus come her way often, so in her mind if she can keep him hostage she can try to keep him there with her forever. Calypso seemed very obsessive over the fact she had someone who could potentially be her husband (if she could talk him into it). Unfortunately for her that did not get to happen. "Calypso offers him immortality if he will stay. When he declines even that offer, Calypso leads Odysseus to believe that letting him go is her idea: "I am all compassion," she lies. While we may admire Calypso 's spunk and her very early advocacy of women 's sexual equality, her possessive obsessions make her more trouble than she is worth for Odysseus" (Harcourt). Luckily, Zeus sent Hermes to tell her that he needed to be let free. So even though Calypso probably did not want to, she helped Odysseus and his crew rebuild their ship and sent them on their …show more content…
She kept the kingdom in order and took care of her and Odysseus 's son, Telemachus. Even after the kingdom was taken over by a group of gentlemen called suitors, destroying everything in sight and acting like the pigs they were, she did not leave. They all wanted to marry her so they could become king; however, she did not budge and had kept high hopes that her love Odysseus would make his appearance. "She never refuses to remarry outright. Instead, she puts off her decision and leads them on with promises that she will choose a new husband as soon as certain things happen. Her astute delaying tactics reveal her sly and artful side. The notion of not remarrying until she completes a burial shroud that she will never complete cleverly buys her time." (The Odyssey) Penelope is a very strong, independent women. Even though she waits the entire time while Odysseus is away, she does not cheat, nor did she lose hope that he would not come back to them. If only she had known how he spent seven of those years, she may have chosen to marry one of the suitors rather than waiting for him to come back to