Intro: The women of The Odyssey are dichotomized into two distinct categories: nymphs and feminine humans. The nymphs bought time to keep Odysseus away from his home, while the feminine humans sacrificed their own happiness to get Odysseus home. The Odyssey presents sexual promiscuity as a deterring factor in Odysseus journey, while sexual purity is regarded as loyal and conducive to him returning home. However, how much of the fact that it took Odysseus nineteen years to return from Troy can be attributed to the entrapment of nymphs, or to his own illusions and selfishness?
Outline:
Nymphs
Circe
- She was a fertility goddess
- She lived in the forest and had the ability to charm wild animals
- She charmed Odysseus this way
- Kept him from his travels for a full year, he only left her grasp when his crew came looking for him
- Scenes between Circe and Odysseus were depicted as erotic and vulgar
Calypso
- Odysseus initially chooses to stay with her
- However, they soon reached an impasse, as he wanted to leave the island and she did not want him to
- Calypso was ordered to let Odysseus leave after many years on the island
- She promises him eternal youth, but he declines
- Once ordered by the gods to allow him to leave, she weaves her loom in hopes that he will decide to stay. This contrasts with Penelope weaving her loom in order to stall the suitors in hopes that he will come home.
- The ‘perfect life’ on her womb-like island was not enough for him. He wanted his true love, Penelope
- She did not help him leave, and he did not say goodbye to her
‘Pure’ Females
Nausicaa
- Nausicaa demonstrated purity
- Odysseus first encountered her as she was washing clothes, and he was not clothed. He sheepishly tried to cover himself with a branch. (something that he would not have done in the presence of a goddess)
- Scenes between Nausicaa and Odysseus were depicted as romantic and innocent
- Nausicca wanted to marry Odysseus
- Their proposed union was the most realistic and tempting romantic option for Odysseus
- Nausicaa was major factor in Odysseus’s homecoming, as her father Alcinous helped him on his way
- Odysseus wanted more than what Nausicaa could do for him as a wife – he wanted his one true love, Penelope
Penelope
- Penelope was presented as the ‘One true love’ of Odysseus
- Despite his various sexual infidelities his soul remains ‘loyal’ to Penelope
- Penelope was completely loyal to Odysseus, expecting him to return home from Troy
- She was sexually desirable, as many suitors wanted to marry her
- Penelope promised that she would choose a suitor as soon as she was done weaving, she unwove her loom every night to buy time for Odysseus’ arrival
- She put her life on hold for Odysseus
- Penelope was initially ambivalent about his return
- SHE decided to welcome him back and live into their old age together
Hi Deborah,
Your outline is really detailed and well done! I especially liked the contrast between Calypso’s weaving in hope for Odysseus to stay and Penelope’s weaving to buy time for him. I disagree that “Penelope was initially ambivalent about his return.” Rather, she was skeptical that Odysseus really came back, which would further your point about Penelope being loyal to the real Odysseus.
Hi Deborah!
I really like this topic idea. It’s so great. It shows just how much Odysseus thinks he is in control when his trip home actually depended very much on the women. I can definitely see how most of Odysseus’ delays might have been both a combination of the nymph/goddess seduction as well as Odysseus own selfishness for remaining so long.
I think you can especially strengthen this idea when you get into talking about Penelope who remains completely loyal, because it is the fact she has not done what Odysseus did (hook up with other people) that allows him to actually come home to his inheritance and life. If she had not waited and went with another man, where would he be? He is definitely living under illusions.
Hi Deborah,
The distinction you draw between nymphs/sex/hindrances on the one hand and human women/’purity’/aid on the other seems to me really smart–well-done! Some notes on claim and evidence:
CLAIM: It’s not quite clear to me what you’re arguing (the intro ends with a question–which is a solid question! Is it these women, or Odysseus’ interactions with them, that propels or slows his progress? A strong claim is often born out of a strong question, but a question is not, yet, a claim.
EVIDENCE: I’m interested to see what specific passages you pick. Some of the material on Circe runs slightly counter to the way I myself read the text–which is not to say you are wrong, but rather, that you will need to work to convince me, using evidence (quotations from the text) + analysis of that evidence.
Really excited to see the final product.
Best,
Prof Kolb