The Unethical Depiction Of Women In Homer's The Odyssey
Courtney Verblaauw
Literature I
Dr. Graves
October 8, 2010
The Unethical Depiction of Women in Homer’s The Odyssey In Homer’s The Odyssey, women are depicted and morally seen as “the controlled” ones with the men being “the controllers.” The treatment of the women by men can most certainly be exemplified as sexist. Unfortunately, women are only acknowledged and viewed differently based upon their physical appearance. Throughout The Odyssey, the imperative men deem a woman rewarding if she is beautiful. Women are also acknowledged if their husband or son is a hero, or if the woman is a goddess. The reader sees various types of women throughout this journey, with Penelope, Calypso, and Athena being the most important. Not once are these women’s …show more content…
When Odysseus is trapped on her island, she mainly is used as his sex slave. However, when the male gods decide that it is time for Odysseus to leave her island she whines and conveys an emotional indictment of the male gods and their double standards. “You gods are the most jealous bastards in the universe—persecuting any goddess who ever openly takes a mortal lover to her bed and sleeps with him” (V, 118-120). Here Calypso complains that the male gods are permitted to take mortal lovers while the relationships of the female gods must always be disturbed. She then shows Odysseus that she has more power than most women and can grant him immortality. Calypso states to him, “I don’t mind saying she’s not my equal in beauty, no matter how you measure it. Mortal beauty cannot compare with immortal” (V, 211-213). Sadly this immense power that she has will not even convince him to stay. Unethically, this shows how Homer trapped one of the most attractive women of that time on an island because of her powers. This perfectly shows that the male gods would rather see her lonely and secluded rather then free to use her
Literature I
Dr. Graves
October 8, 2010
The Unethical Depiction of Women in Homer’s The Odyssey In Homer’s The Odyssey, women are depicted and morally seen as “the controlled” ones with the men being “the controllers.” The treatment of the women by men can most certainly be exemplified as sexist. Unfortunately, women are only acknowledged and viewed differently based upon their physical appearance. Throughout The Odyssey, the imperative men deem a woman rewarding if she is beautiful. Women are also acknowledged if their husband or son is a hero, or if the woman is a goddess. The reader sees various types of women throughout this journey, with Penelope, Calypso, and Athena being the most important. Not once are these women’s …show more content…
When Odysseus is trapped on her island, she mainly is used as his sex slave. However, when the male gods decide that it is time for Odysseus to leave her island she whines and conveys an emotional indictment of the male gods and their double standards. “You gods are the most jealous bastards in the universe—persecuting any goddess who ever openly takes a mortal lover to her bed and sleeps with him” (V, 118-120). Here Calypso complains that the male gods are permitted to take mortal lovers while the relationships of the female gods must always be disturbed. She then shows Odysseus that she has more power than most women and can grant him immortality. Calypso states to him, “I don’t mind saying she’s not my equal in beauty, no matter how you measure it. Mortal beauty cannot compare with immortal” (V, 211-213). Sadly this immense power that she has will not even convince him to stay. Unethically, this shows how Homer trapped one of the most attractive women of that time on an island because of her powers. This perfectly shows that the male gods would rather see her lonely and secluded rather then free to use her