Week One

Homer's The Odyssey portrays women as somewhat cunning and deceitful characters. They are often able to obtain what they desire through their sexuality, enchantment, and trickery. This is exemplified in almost every female character encountered throughout books one through six. From the very beginning, we see Athena taking forms other than her own self in order to make people see her in a way which they are likely to listen to and obey. Penelope, whose husband Odysseus has been gone for seven years, tricks her suitors whom she does not want to marry into believing that she will choose one of them when she finishes her tapestry, but unravels it every night so that time will never come. Calypso, the goddess who seduces Odysseus is able to use her sexuality and spellbinding voice to keep him there as long as she does, it is not without the help of Hermes, a god, that he is able to resist her and leave. Helen, who was born of Zeuss but raised by humans, is the most beautiful woman in the world and uses her beauty to get her way. For example, when Menelaus is about to kill her she drops her robe and he consequently drops his sword. Helen is essentially the reason why there even was the Trojan War. The women of the poem are viewed as cunning, powerful, and generally more deceptive than the men.

There are many questions surrounding why these women are portrayed as so strong. It is possible that while they lived in a male dominated society the men did not understand their mysterious ability to draw them in and hold their attention. The men felt powerless over the beauty and mind games of the women. The gray area which the men did not understand frightened them. For example, weaving was something that only the women knew how to do and taught one another. It was a symbol of their intimidating power and control. The women's ability to manipulate and influence the men was something greatly feared and even ruined lives. The men understood that beautiful women could harm them, but often times felt helpless.