Vitoria – Outline + Intro

Introduction:

The Odyssey, an epic poem taking place in Ancient Greece, describes a time where men were seen as the backbone and providers of a household, whereas the women were portrayed as dependent housewives. The men would go on lengthy journeys overseas and fight great wars, in hopes of being remembered for their heroic acts and creating a legacy for their families. Meanwhile, their wives would wait at home anxious for their unpredictable returns, having to invariably face the dreadful consequences of not having their husbands around. As a result, one is inclined to assume that women are constantly relying on the respective men in their lives not only for financial but also emotional support. However, in The Odyssey, godlike Odysseus is continually depicted as truly depending on some of the women he encounters—for both guidance and nurturance—in order to survive, remain perseverant and gather strength to ultimately achieve his objective.

Body Paragraphs:

I. Athena – Odysseus indirectly relies on Athena to make his journey smoother than it normally would be. She is continually by his side, shaping his encounters and nurturing him through the use of her powers and ability to disguise.
1. Athena is the first to bring Odysseus’ current situation to Zeus’ attention while emphasizing the need to end his suffering and allow him to finally return home. (Book I, line 50)
2. Athena can almost be seen as a guardian angel to Odysseus in the sense that she is constantly attempting to improve the situation he is in.
a. Athena sprinkles dust in his eyes allowing him to fall asleep although he is in the middle of the woods covered in leaves and mud. (Book V, line 498)
b. Athena goes to Phaeacia and pretends to be Nausicaa’s friend to influence Nausicaa into going out to the river with her servants to wash her clothes so that Odysseus could approach her. (Book VI, starting on line 13)
c. Athena puts courage in Nausicaa’s heart to avoid her from running away from Odysseus as well as making him look more attractive than he really did. (Book VI, starting at line 108)

II. Nausicaa – Nausicaa seems to have a minor role in comparison to some of the other women Odysseus encounters. However, without her help and support, Odysseus would have not known how to approach the kingdom of Phaeacia, through which he was able to reach Ithaca.
a. Under Athena’s influence, Nausicaa behaves courageously and tells Odysseus that her country (Phaeacia) will provide him with everything he needs. (Book VI, Lines 191-292)
b. Nausicaa orders her servants to bathe Odysseus and rub him with oil even though he refuses it out of embarrassment, as well as give him food and drinks. (Book VI, Page 401)
c. Nausicaa tells Odysseus how to get to Phaeacia and to her father’s estate. She also gives him advice by telling him he needs to throw his arms around her mother’s knees if he wishes to go home. (Book VI, Page 402-403)

III. Calypso and Circe – Both are island goddesses who in their respective homes temporarily act as Odysseus’ wives by providing him with love, food and shelter for as long as he chooses to stay and also giving him information regarding his journey. However, Calypso and Circe differ when it comes to their feelings for Odysseus. Calypso does not want him to leave while Circe doesn’t mind and even specifically tells him what he needs to do and where he needs to go in order to successfully reach Ithaca.
1. Calypso is angry when Hermes comes to let her know that Zeus wants her to let Odysseus goes. Although she is angry she agrees to help. (Book V, Line 134-143)
A. Calypso gives him an axe so that he can make himself a raft to continue his journey since he no longer has a boat. She also stocks the raft with food, gives him clothes and a “following wind.” (Book V, Line 160-168)
B. Calypso can be considered a wife to Odysseus due to the relationship they seem to have. She serves him food, bathes him and dresses him, they sleep together and make love…etc. (Book V Line 195-196 & 225-227 & 261-269)
1. Circe has the same role Calypso seems to have, the only difference between the two is that one is very in love with Odysseus while the other understands her temporary role in his life. This might have to do with the fact that Odysseus stayed with Calypso for 7 years and with Circe for only 1. Maybe if Odysseus had stayed with Circe longer she would’ve also developed the same feelings Calypso did.
A. Circe provides food and shelter not only to Odysseus but also to his crew. Circe also sleeps with Odysseus and becomes his lover. She tells Odysseus he needs to stay there until he restores his spirit and gathers enough strength to continue his journey. (Book X, Pages 446-449)
B. When Odysseus is reminded by his men that they should leave, Circe is incredibly helpful and guides Odysseus by telling him of the trip he needs to make to the underworld and what he needs to do in order to consult Tiresias. (Book X, Pages 449-450)
C. Once Odysseus and his men return from the underworld they go back to Circe’s island and she is delighted to see them. They feast and she tells Odysseus exactly what he needs to do to survive all the obstacles he will encounter on his journey back home. (Book XII, Pages 467-470)

Conclusion:
The inclusion of these women in Odysseus’ journey, who evidently serve as his main source of support at given times, opposes the perspective on females we seem to carry throughout the epic. Homer’s view on women is often understood to be a negative one, in the sense that they are powerless and have no other purpose rather than distracting men. By describing these women’s role in Odysseus’ voyage, he highlights the idea that women are actually strong characters. Throughout his journey, Odysseus is constantly being taken care of by them when it should be the other way around. They feed him, bathe him, clothe him, care for him and even give him advice. As a result, we often see this great warrior behaving almost like a homeless child who needs maternal support to survive and finish his odyssey.