For this image reading study, I picked this picture of Calypso which is illustrated above and it is her and two other men and by the looks of the picture you can see that they are on her island and she is having a conversation with the two other people which I presume that they are actually gods. Everyone describes Calypso as a selfish goddess who purposely kept Odysseus captive on her island for seven years. As well as how Odysseus is illustrated as the victim in this situation but is he really the victim in this story? I feel like it could actually be Calypso in this situation. I can sense that Calypso isn’t liking the conversation she is having with those two gods by the expression she has on her face. I believe the conversation she is having deals with her getting the order of letting Odysseus go and let him return back to Ithaca. 

By doing my research this picture does a really good job at illustrating the type of character Calypso is throughout the book but especially book 5 as well as how she is treated by the gods and how other people view her too. Hermes gives her the order to release Odysseus and allow him to return to Ithaca in book 5. Calypso retaliates back saying that the only reason she is in trouble is because she is a goddess but if a god did that they could care less. In my opinion I feel like Calypso is the victim in this scenario and not Odysseus because she is just standing up for herself and not letting the gods walk all over her. Plus it is not like Odysseus was torture while he was on her island she took good care of him. I feel like there is another example of double standard taking place in this situation because if we read about a god doing this to a woman he would get praised for it and he won’t get punished for his action But once a woman does it, she is in so much trouble for it and gets punished by one of the gods or mortal men taking him away from her. So why can’t Calypso do it and get away with it? But if a god or mortal man can do it all the time and get away with the action and no one questions them what they are doing, but as soon as a woman does the same thing, they are punished for it.

There is so much more meaning to this picture of Calypso that I have chosen above but you can see how much Calypso wants to fight back for her rights. How she is trying to  stand her own grounds against Hermes giving her the direct order of letting Odysseus go and letting him return to Ithaca. Because of the hierarchy taking place between the gods and goddess, Calypso doesn’t really have a say in things and is just supposed to follow orders from the gods regarding Odysseus’ release.