Introduction
The Odyssey is an epic poem written between the 8th and 6th century BCE, narrating a long journey home of Odysseus, a Greek hero. Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, sails from the Trojan war back to his homeland but has to overcome various misadventures and delays because of battling storms and monsters and resisting the advances of beautiful women. The Odyssey has an enduring story with incredible action scenes and a wealth of information about the topography of the Mediterranean and legends with a captivating plot. The piece is one of the most significant in literature, as it stands out significantly from other works. Although the poem presents the protagonist as the Greek ideal of a man celebrating his bravery in returning from war, it also has independent and influential female characters aligned with a more modern approach.
Odysseus as an Ideal Greek Man
Odysseus makes his way back to Ithaca through his cunningness, courage, heroism, and wits. The author uses a predominantly solemn tone, which is characteristic of epic poems and emphasizes the heroism of Odysseus. At the same time, Homer places the protagonist in various settings to demonstrate how he manifests himself in multiple situations. For example, Odysseus appears in Ismaros, fights a cyclone on a desert island, is held captive on Ogygia, and even visits Underworld. Odysseus uses his cunning wits to protect himself and his men and is viewed as a hero because he always considers his men before himself. For instance, Odysseus outsmarted Circe by using a magic herb, helped his men escape the siren’s allure by plugging their ears with beeswax, and dexterously fought two monsters – the Whirlpool Charybdis and Scylla. A hero is brave and selfless and puts the lives of others before theirs.
The hero often uses cunning but does not always consider his actions’ consequences. When Odysseus and his men are stuck in a cave with a giant by the name of Cyclopes, Odysseus gives the giant the false name “nobody” (Homer 148). He then distracts the Cyclopes with drinks and leads his men to remove the giant’s eye with a wooden stick. Odysseus’s identifying trick prevails when Polyphemus is incapable of asking for assistance from other Cyclopes, who are mixed up when their friend says he was attacked by “nobody.” However, Odysseus’ pride prevails over him, and already fleeing from the island of Cyclops, he gives his real name. Odysseus uses strategy in his actions when competing with his wife’s suitors. Odysseus disguised himself to perform an investigation of the kingdom. He reunites with his son Telemachus, obtains crucial military intelligence, and meets his opponents. As a result, the author presents the qualities of his character through his adventures.
The characters of heroic poems reflect the images of ideals that collect all the characteristics valued in the societies of their time. For example, Homer represents in The Odyssey all the qualities that the ancient Greeks appreciated – the character is bold, even fearless, disregards restrictions, is curious, cunning, and shows a thirst for knowledge (Zieliński 192). In comparison, the main character of the Latin epic poem Aeneid, written by Virgil, Aeneas, has simultaneously similar and different features, presenting characteristics that the Romans appreciated.
Aeneas and Odysseus are strong warriors, each of whom is the champion of their time’s history. Nevertheless, Odysseus is defined by his cunning and strategic abilities compared to his martial capability. Aeneas is a combination of strength, honor, and skill in fighting. Vigil depicts Aeneas as a man of war who is predominantly guided by a sense of duty in his actions (Moore 76). Aeneas has a sense of solid intention, which is a kept part of his character and a robust demonstration of culture based on the honor of the ancient Romans. The priorities that Aeneas gives importance to are those around him, particularly his family.
At the same time, both characters are also leaders whose values are also influenced by society. For Aeneas, leadership is the source of his duty and manifests itself in fairness (Moore 72). Odysseus displays the character of a clever and tough leader, which attributes to the preferences of his society. The Greek values of an ideal man include rhetorical skill, cunningness, and strength, all shown in attributes by Odysseus. Aeneas is a person who puts the duty of his family, country, and the gods first above his own. The characters portrayed by Aeneas were vital to the Romans, who played by a strict code of patriotism, honor, religious devotion, and family ties.
Odysseus’s Courage
Along his journey home, Odysseus travels to many strange and dangerous foreign lands with terrifying encounters. As a result, his courage and ability to overcome fear when facing danger are primary features of the character and his image of the ideal man. Various settings and other characters’ involvement help describe Odysseus’s boldness. To show his cunning and deceive Cyclops, firstly, the hero has to overcome the fear of meeting with him and support his team: “Courage – no panic, no one hang back now!” (Homer 148). Odysseus also shows courage in confronting other antagonists – Circe, who enchanted his people, and Sirens, becoming the only surviving person to hear their song. The protagonist also shows courage in descending into the Kingdom of the Dead to meet Tiresias (Homer 174). Thus, Odysseus has to be bold constantly on his way home. Although courage is not his main quality, it lays the foundation for all his actions.
Women in The Odyssey
Women in ancient literature often have less impact in their roles and are rarely the main characters. Their characters in legends, poems, and myths, are often victims and villains, representing the influence of patriarchal traditions (Brahimi and Ben Djoudi 9). Odysseus’s journey home is interspersed by meetings with female characters who seem to prolong his trip and win his consecration. Even though patriarchal ideas influence the development of many female characters in the poem, they share some features of modern women.
The epic poem includes many female characters, which influences its plot. The goddess Athena occupies one of the key places – she patronizes Odysseus, helping him along the way. For example, the goddess forces another woman, Princess Nausicaa, who has enough influence to help the hero, to fall in love with him and save him (Homer 94). Both characters are intelligent and kind to Odysseus; without them, he would not be able to get home. However, they both are accountable to the men – Athena – to Zeus and Nausicaa to the king, her father.
Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, is another important female character in the story. One may consider her as the image of the hero’s faithful wife who hoped for his survival, taking that quality as her main virtue. However, this approach is limited, and one must take other features into account. Penelope remained independent during her husband’s absence and resisted men who wanted her as a wife to take control of her life. She showed strength, cunning, and courage, inventing tasks for suitors and thereby distancing a possible marriage. Such qualities make Penelope similar to the protagonist, who, thanks to them, is the image of the ideal of his time. For example, she used the reason for weaving the burial shroud to gain time:
So by day she’d weave at her great and growing web—
by night, by the light of torches set beside her,
she would unravel all she’d done. Three whole years
she deceived us blind, seduced us with this scheme… (Homer 21).
In their determination to act and be independent, The Odyssey’s female characters exert their power, which brings them closer to modern women. The characters still act despite their social status, which gives them limited options. They use the means available to them – intelligence, cunning, and kindness. While modern women have more opportunities, they still face restrictions. In the past and the contemporary world, women are characterized by a struggle to remain independent and prove themselves.
Conclusion
The Odyssey is one of the most significant epic poems in the history of literature. The author used various literary devices to make the work outstanding. In particular, the written characters reflect the different values of the society of their time, and the multiple settings and included myths make the work epic revealing the virtue of the heroes. Moreover, female characters, although limited in their actions according to the norms of the time, demonstrate the struggle and desire for independence at the level of modern women. As a consequence, The Odyssey stands out among many works.
Works Cited
Brahimi, Yassamina, and Asma Ben Djoudi. A Feminist Perspective on the Greek Mythology: Rewritings Of Greek Myths By Contemporary Women Writers. A Special Reference To The Penelopiad By Margaret Atwood. 2021. PhD thesis. University of Mohamed Boudiaf – M’sila. Web.
Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin Classics, 1996. Boyle County School E-book. Web.
Moore, Gardner Mary. Stoic Pietas in the Aeneid: A Study of the Poem’s Ideological Appeal and Reception. 2021. PhD thesis. The University of Glasgow. Web.
Zieliński, Karol. “Odysseus–Trickster and the Issue of the Compatibility of the Image of the Hero with Its Function in the Traditions of the Oral Epic.” Studia Religiologica, vol. 53, no. 3, 2020, pp. 181-202. Web.