Introduction
The oldest surviving monuments of Greek literature are the two great poems, Iliad and Odyssey, the author of which antiquity considered Homer. The aggregate concerns connected with these poems constitute a complex and far from resolved Homeric question. They raise numerous themes, but one of the most significant interests is provided by Homer’s portrayal of male and female ideals. Each hero has different values, and comparing them presents an opportunity to describe the image of the ideal individual of ancient times. The Odyssey is a gallery of outlined typical outstanding images, both masculine and feminine.
Male Imagery in the Odyssey
All the heroes of the poem manifest themselves through deeds and speech. Although Homer resorts to the method of accumulation, cataloging details, it happens that one point, one word will tell about the hero more than lengthy descriptions. Herein lies the peculiarity and maturity of Homer’s craftsmanship. First of all, it is noteworthy in the male characters, and to compose an image of an ideal strong man, it is necessary to compare several characters. Readers are usually confronted with established personalities who do not change (Thornton 16). However, the widespread belief that Homer’s characters are simplistic and schematic is unfair. A close look at them reveals that they are often psychologically multifaceted and complex.
Homer’s ideals are aristocratic, and he addresses the bearers of aristocratic culture and self-awareness. The highest value for a noble warrior and an epic hero is posthumous glory, the eternal memory of the name of a courageous fighter and his exploits (Thornton 36). Bravery and courage, inherent in many of the male characters of the Odyssey, are critical necessary character traits. For example, the central character Odysseus is a genuine hero, but his main feats are not on the battlefield or in the war council but among wizards, monsters, and enemies in his homeland. Therefore, he needs cunning and courage no less than strength. Telemachus is another character who embodies these same traits. As befits a king’s son, he is a brave, honest, skilled, and courageous warrior. The young man cherishes family ties and remembers his duty as heir to power. In the poem, the author glorifies a man who did not fear antiquity’s fickle and willful gods (Homer 9). The main features necessary for overcoming difficulties were determination and courage, which were required for every male.
Analysis of Women’s Images in the Poem
Besides, the male heroes, of particular interest, are the female characters, each of which has various features based on which you can build a picture of the ideal image. Homer mentions both average women and militant Amazons, for whom men were only indispensable but a temporary condition for the continuation of the female race. Without the Amazons, the typology of women would be incomplete. Of course, Homer also has the blind soothsayer Cassandra, who not only foresaw but likewise saw the future, but whose stories no one believed (Lesser 215). However, Cassandra cannot be called a female type, for she is only an unfortunate victim in the battle of the gods. Therefore, there are only four fundamental, earthly types of women. The first is Helen – a symbol of female beauty, often unattainable but adored by men ideal, in respect of which it is sinful to think of carnal relations (Lesser 215). At the same time, Circe symbolizes women as a source of sensual pleasure, an inescapable attraction for the average man. The Amazon is the embodiment of self-sufficiency, universality, and female solidarity.
Penelope as the Ideal Woman of the Past and the Present
Penelope is the most remarkable image, which allows one to establish the qualities of the ideal woman. She is a true paragon of family virtue and fidelity because for twenty years, while Odysseus was absent, she did not change her feelings for him and stubbornly believed in his return (Homer 16). Penelope is a symbol of devoted service to sense, the ability of creative imagination to endure all the hardships on the way to the heart’s chosen goal. She is the model of a faithful wife, but her fidelity should not be taken literally; in some versions of the myths, Penelope’s marital fidelity is questioned (Lesser 198). This woman is hardworking, multi-talented, strong-willed, and imaginative. Nevertheless, she is also completely independent, her life position is stable, and her inner fire has become the warmth of the home, the center that attracts many.
A hundred suitors, for example, are attracted not only by the possibility of getting the kingdom but also by the woman herself. She concentrates her incredible power and energy inside and entirely dedicates herself to what her heart is given to (Lesser 194). In a sense, Penelope is an ancient prototype of a superwoman, an ideal to which many modern women aspire. She is capable of fidelity in love, and at the same time, she has strength, an inventive mind, creative imagination, and tireless energy, thanks to which she is quite able to rule her world according to her laws and does not need a solid male shoulder or a socially acceptable label.
Conclusion
Thus, by comparison, it can be concluded that the courage, valor, and bravery possessed by the heroes of the Odyssey are the main qualities of real men. The defenders and fighters fought stubbornly for the future of their families and country, and that is how women wanted their husbands to see them. At the same time, loyalty, independence, and resourcefulness were women’s most valued qualities. The ability to combine autonomy and custody of the family home characterized the ideal woman at that time and today, and Penelope, one of the main heroines of the Odyssey, was merely such a woman.
Works Cited
Homer, Homer. The Odyssey. Xist Publishing, 2015.
Lesser, Rachel H. “Female Ethics and Epic Rivalry: Helen in the Iliad and Penelope in the Odyssey.” American Journal of Philology, vol. 140, no. 2, 2019, pp. 189-226.
Thornton, Agathe. People and Themes in Homer’s Odyssey. Routledge, 2015.