Gender Roles In The Odyssey

In The Odyssey written by Homer and translated by Emily Wilson is from the perspective of Odysseus, a mortal who has a strenuous journey in order to get back to Ithaca. We follow Odysseus through the story as he faces difficulties on the way back to his home. The challenges Odysseus's faces are primarily brought on by gods and magical creatures for instance, sirens who try and hypnotize Odysseus and his crew, Polyphemus, Circe, Calypso, Scylla, Charybdis, etc. In The Odyssey, women have far less power than men because, by ancient Greek standards, men have much more physical strength rather than female manipulative and psychological strength, for instance, with mortals, goddesses, and female mythological creatures.

In The Odyssey, mortal women

Even though, a goddess could have more beneficial, effective, and overall stronger capabilities. She will always be lower in the hierarchy because she is a woman. Men throughout history as well as the Odyssey are displayed as stronger because of their physical appearance, smarter, and overall seen as superior. Zeus is seen as the most powerful among all the Olympians. Since, Ancient Greek values, value masculine power more than feminine power. Feminine goddesses use their power as trickery and seduction, and male power is more respected because it’s more physical power than mental power. Goddess powers are usually revolving around spirituality, sexuality, and/or relationships, as well as femininity, love, and fertility. God's powers are usually revolving around the capacity to transform into other forms, teleportation, and increased intelligence. Gods are seen as having more mental strength, rather than physical like gods. Goddesses are prone to having gender-based stereotypical powers. For example, Hera the god of marriage, Iris goddess of rainbows, etc. Rather than physical ability powers that men have, for example, strength, and stamina, as Zeus

Sirens are seen as inhumane monsters who only want to seduce men. For example, Circe said, “The Sirens who sit there in their meadow will seduce him with piercing songs” (12.43-45). In this quote, Circe is warning Odysseus that when he tries to sail past the waters, the sirens will try and lure the men in. Magical creatures or goddesses' power is villainized, and are always portrayed in a dark light. Circe’s power is to lure men into her island and turn them into pigs, which is displayed as manipulative seduction. She is displayed as a trickster, manipulator, and seducer. For instance, “Round it were mountain wolves and lions, which she tamed with drugs” (10.212-213). In this quote, Odysseus exclaims how Circe is known to drug humans. While traveling Odysseus and his crew stumble across an island called Aeaea, where Circe, “Led them in, sat them on chairs, and blended them a potion of barley, cheese, and golden honey, mixed with Pramnian wine. She added potent drugs to make them totally forget their home. They took and drank the mixture. Then she struck them, using her magic wand, and penned them in the pigsty” (10.233-240). This quote indicates that Circe is evil and manipulates men, like all goddesses in the Odyssey. Calypso has power over Odysseus by detaining him for seven years on the island of Oygia. Calypso is displayed as clingy throughout the narrative for example, “Calpyso held me in