Odysseus and Athena
1. Compare their relationship with that of Job and God. What does this suggest about the religious attitudes of the Hebrews and the Greeks?
2. Discuss Woman’s role in the Odyssey . [Faithful consort (Penelope, Arete) or temptation (Circe, Calypso, the Sirens, even Nausicaa). Helen has been one and is now the other. How “female” is Athena?]
1. - The goddess Athena is Odysseus' guardian throughout his quest to get home. She also helps take care of Odysseus' son, Telemachus, while disguised as his advisor, Mentor. Athena fears her uncle, the God of the sea Poseidon, she is hesitant to help Odysseus at first, so she disguised herself to help him. Odysseus is very clever and Athena admires him for that.
- Athena and Odysseus' relationship is similar to the relationship of God and Job. God can be seen as a protector to Job such as Athena is to Odysseus. However, Athena did not let anything bad happen to Odysseus, whereas God did let Job go through some through some troubles, but Job still has faith in God. God rewards Job when he proves his loyalty to God.
- While both Greeks and Hebrews show respect to their Gods, the Hebrews tend to respect their Gods more. Examples are throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey where Gods orders are defied
2. Throughout the Odyssey, women's roles were portrayed in very important ways. The Goddesses tended to be demanding and controlling. Out of all the Goddeses, Athena was considered the most powerful. She could dictate the outcome of situations by disguising herself as a mortal to help Odysseus get home. Calypso was also very powerful because she was able to hold Odysseus captive on the island for so long.
- Helen, Arete, and Nausicaa were the mortal women. They were all very strong and wise women but the one who stood out the most was Odysseus' wife, Penelope. She was especially a clever and wise woman. Penelope would weave during the years Odysseus was gone. She fought off the suitors and told them she had to weave a burial shroud for Laertes. At the end of the day she would then pull apart her work and start all over the next day. When Odysseus finally returned home, Penelope, she was still cautious because she thought he may have been an imposter.
- Telemachus' father
- Penelope's husband
- A suitor to Penelope when he returns to prove it was really him
- A traveler because of the distances it took him to get home
- A lover to many goddesses who tried to seduce him
- A king
2. Discuss Woman’s role in the Odyssey . [Faithful consort (Penelope, Arete) or temptation (Circe, Calypso, the Sirens, even Nausicaa). Helen has been one and is now the other. How “female” is Athena?]
1. - The goddess Athena is Odysseus' guardian throughout his quest to get home. She also helps take care of Odysseus' son, Telemachus, while disguised as his advisor, Mentor. Athena fears her uncle, the God of the sea Poseidon, she is hesitant to help Odysseus at first, so she disguised herself to help him. Odysseus is very clever and Athena admires him for that.
- Athena and Odysseus' relationship is similar to the relationship of God and Job. God can be seen as a protector to Job such as Athena is to Odysseus. However, Athena did not let anything bad happen to Odysseus, whereas God did let Job go through some through some troubles, but Job still has faith in God. God rewards Job when he proves his loyalty to God.
- While both Greeks and Hebrews show respect to their Gods, the Hebrews tend to respect their Gods more. Examples are throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey where Gods orders are defied
2. Throughout the Odyssey, women's roles were portrayed in very important ways. The Goddesses tended to be demanding and controlling. Out of all the Goddeses, Athena was considered the most powerful. She could dictate the outcome of situations by disguising herself as a mortal to help Odysseus get home. Calypso was also very powerful because she was able to hold Odysseus captive on the island for so long.
- Helen, Arete, and Nausicaa were the mortal women. They were all very strong and wise women but the one who stood out the most was Odysseus' wife, Penelope. She was especially a clever and wise woman. Penelope would weave during the years Odysseus was gone. She fought off the suitors and told them she had to weave a burial shroud for Laertes. At the end of the day she would then pull apart her work and start all over the next day. When Odysseus finally returned home, Penelope, she was still cautious because she thought he may have been an imposter.
3. List and differentiate the different recognitions of Odysseus, in- tendedand unintended.- Odysseus is reconized as...
- Telemachus' father
- Penelope's husband
- A suitor to Penelope when he returns to prove it was really him
- A traveler because of the distances it took him to get home
- A lover to many goddesses who tried to seduce him
- A king
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