Calypso’s Definition of a Woman
In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Calypso is a powerful and important figure in Odysseus’ 20 year journey. Poseidon is on a mission to keep Odysseus away from his home of Ithaca, and uses his power of influence as a god to do so. On the journey back home, Odysseus ends up at the island of Calypso, who is a nymph expected to obey the gods. She uses both her manipulative power and enticing femininity to trap him there. Calypso both reinforces and manipulates gender stereotypes with her femininity, power, and confidence. Calypso has an ability to both draw in and overpower a man, which can challenge and reinforce the stereotype of a desperate woman.
Women in the Odyssey are portrayed as fragile and naive, more like a useless side character than anyone of importance. Calypso, however, uses her emotions as a woman to fight and manipulate those who would be seen as a higher power.
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In the outcome of the book, Odysseus makes it home after 20 years and kills all of the suitors, taking over his palace. If Calypso didn’t have this delicate and womanly ability to draw him into her home, he may have never stepped foot into the island, and he would have made it home before the suitors had an opportunity to fully take over. Her stronger and more powerful ability to manipulate a brave leader like Odysseus also keeps him there for a year, unwilling. Her courage in speaking up to a stronger power, like the gods or Odysseus, affects our perception of weak women-like capabilities. This disposition, which she wouldn’t have if she were classically feminine, takes a year out of his journey, and weakens him simultaneously. Calypso's one chapter appearance changes the way we perceive power in relation to gender in the entirety of the Odyssey, and creates the storyline for this