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Roles Of Women In The Odyssey

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The definition of a perfect woman in Ancient Greece is a beautiful woman who bears children and sacrifices their life for their family. These perspectives on women are exemplified in The Odyssey multiple times. The story The Odyssey was about a hero named Odysseus. After his long journey back home from the Trojan War, it took him 20 years to finally return. He left his family and wife back at home, leaving them clueless about his status. His wife, Penelope stayed faithful throughout the 20 years he was gone and stayed true to him. Throughout The Odyssey, they exposed the significance of this. In the book, The Odyssey by Homer, ancient Greece's stereotypes play a part in how women are characterized as nothing more than prizes and housewives. …show more content…

Homer brings into play the suitors, making them more interested in Penelope because they want to lay in bed with her. The suitors were in competition to win Penelope as their wife after everyone thought Odysseus would not return. Athena suggests to Penelope that she greets the suitors and shows herself. Penelope does not care to fix herself up for she wants them to want her just how she is. Athena wanted to help Penelope and she then put Penelope in a deep and peaceful sleep, which in the end made her beauty shine. Penelope went to go see all the suitors and when they saw her¨… the suitors were so overpowered and became so desperately enamored of her, that each one prayed he might win her for his own bedfellow¨ (Homer 191). The fact that the suitors were more interested in laying in bed with her than just appreciating her beauty indicates that women are only recognized for their looks and bodies. Throughout the whole book, women are only perceived in very few ways, but the one that always occurs is their objectification of them. The suitors' first thought was sleeping with Penelope before anything else. Homer proves once more that women are men-pleasers when saying Nausicaa's parents would be proud if she tended to a man. In book 6, Athena disguised herself as Nausicaa, a goddess, and daughter to King Alcinous, her friend. Athena, pretending to be her friend, calls her lazy. Athena tells her that she needs to pick herself up and doll up for all the men courting her. She explains to her that it is important to dress well and look good for ¨This is the way to get yourself a good name and to make your father and mother proud of you¨ (Homer 63). If Nausicaa does not present herself well to the men, she will disappoint her parents. This demonstrates the importance of pleasing a man. It is essential for women to have a man's approval, if they do not get the approval they will not only be a

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