Maidens to Monsters: Women of The Odyssey
Female characters in fiction come in all shapes and sizes: from good to morally grey to evil, young to old, extravagant to mediocre, from damsels in distress to the heroes that save them. They don’t all have to be the epitome of strength, beauty, roundness, dynamic, intelligence, and morality, or without flaws. But, when indubitably bad women in media become a trend and their negative traits are inherently intertwined with their womanhood, the work fosters an overall negative view of women, intentionally or not. Though Homer’s epic The Odyssey contains a highly diverse plethora of female characters, the overwhelming majority of them are portrayed in a light that would not be appropriate or empowering
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One such, Pallas Athena, seems to contradict the above entirely at first glance. As the goddess of war and wisdom, her beauty goes hand in hand with a strong, sharp mind and an independent air. However, throughout the text, she only exists to serve and uplift men. For example, Telemachus is stuck, defeated, and unsure in his first appearance, shown daydreaming while the suitors mingle, with no idea what to do about his predicament. A short while after, though, the narrator says, “Poised Telemachus answered, / filled with heart, the heart Athena herself inspired” (3.83-84). Telemachus’ disposition changes entirely, proving whenever Pallas wings away from a male protagonist, she leaves them with confidence and courage and doesn’t gain anything. From Telemachus to Odysseus to Laertes, the goddess doesn’t once work in self interest or take on endeavors that impact her character. Her servitude continues through to the end of the journey when the goddess literally “breathed enormous strength in the old man” (24.573), giving her own breath to help Laertes. She exhales life out of her lungs and into the man. To clarify, that’s not to say that there isn’t honor and integrity in helping and uplifting others, or that Athena is unimportant or weak in the slightest. She is a central part of Greek culture, an immensely powerful woman, and her characterization in this canon doesn’t make her any less than that. However, even as a formidable figure, she acts only as a tool to support and propel the men of the story physically and