When looking at this painting created in 1891 by John William Waterhouse, we see Circe seated on an elaborately crafted gold throne holding out a cup of wine to Odyesseus in her right hand and holding her magic wand in her left hand, arm outstretched to the sky. A mirror is behind her, showing Odysseus looking at her raising her glass. Decorating her throne are lions standing on either side of the circle, with angry expressions on their face as if guarding her. Surrounding her on the floor of her palace are leaves and greenery in shades of dark brown, purple, and green. At the very bottom of her throne, we can see the face of a god enclosed on either side by a pair of wings with claws at the bottom. On her right lies a boar either asleep or dead. Circe has her head tilted up in invitation, and she’s wearing a very sheer dress, draped so it’s exposing her left breast.

When researching this painting I found that not a lot of information exists on this painting other than it was painted in 1891, and is a mythological painting created by using oil paint on canvas. As I’ve read more about Circe, especially in book ten, I understand her character more. Circe is a powerful and intelligent sorceress who uses her beautiful voice and appearance to lure in men and turn them into swine. I believe this painting perfectly captures that, with Circe drawing in Odysseus and inviting him to have a (poisoned) drink. Circe is a very confident and tricky character, always seeming to be two steps ahead; and I think this painting captures her confident and cunning energy well through the knowing expression she has on her face.

When analyzing this painting and searching for further subtext, I began to understand the purposeful way in which the artist portrayed Circe in this representation of her. As I mentioned in my overlook of the painting, Circe is wearing an incredibly sheer dress with nothing underneath, completely exposing one of her breasts to Odysseus and the other men present. I see this display as purposeful, as Circe is aiming to be alluring to the men who find her so they can easily fall into her trap. By exposing skin she is making the men think she is being vulnerable and open, letting them see something special and secret, when in reality she is using the men’s sexual attraction to her against them. This brings up modern-day expectations of female beauty, that a woman is most alluring and desirable to a man when she is showing some skin or is undressed. In this painting, Circe represents giving into one’s carnal desires and the temptation of lust, which throughout the book is seen as bad and is meant to be an obstacle for Odysseus and his men to overcome. From the lotus eaters to the sirens to Circe, Odysseus and his men must not give in to these temptations and stay loyal to Odysseus and their journey or get punished for their sins, which in the case of Circe is getting turned into pigs.

Avery Bryson

ENG 107

22 Oct 2023