In the Percy Jackson series books, Athena is portrayed as a godly figure. One of the first times she was seen in the books, she appeared in an elegant white dress and was described as a beautiful woman. She was seen helping her daughter multiple times in battle where she was still portrayed as an elegant goddess, but this time she was wearing Imperial Gold armor over her flowing robes to make her appear more regal. She was consistently portrayed as a beautiful woman who was also scary at times. In one of the books, Percy recalls Athena’s face as beautiful and regal, but also scary at times. No one wanted to cross her because it was shown that she made enemies quickly. But, this was the way that a warrior goddess should look as well. In these books, she was portrayed more as the warrior goddess than the goddess of wisdom. This didn’t take away from her wisdom, but it allowed a fiercer and more masculine approach to a beautiful female character. When thinking of warriors, the first thing that comes to mind can be men, but not in these books. Just like in the Odyssey, there was a significant focus on her eyes. They were stormy grey and were “full of fierce energy” that allowed people to keep their distance. She was portrayed as this dominant female character who could do anything to anyone without hesitation, but she wasn’t portrayed like this in the Odyssey. 

In the Odyssey, Athena is portrayed as a warrior but still undergoes a lack of attention in the book, unlike the male characters. Her character is incredibly important to the story, but it isn’t seen as such until only certain parts. In the Percy Jackson series, she is one of the main characters’ mothers who comes and helps out and knows how to stand her ground. All of the gods in Olympus know to take her seriously or else something bad will happen. She was simply characterized as more badass than in the Odyssey. Are there obviously generational and time period differences? Absolutely. But, the goddess of wisdom is portrayed in a weak manner. The most important scene that she is in changes the outcome of the story, but she is only there to help a man. She’s not fighting her own battles and securing her seat at the table with the rest of the gods like in the Percy Jackson series. Athena in the Odyssey is portrayed unfortunately as just another background female character who is treated badly unless she disguises herself as a man or shows her true identity. 

This approach is insightful because it shows the ways in which she can be powerful. After all, she is a goddess who can help people with the snap of a finger. She is a wise, clever, warrior that fights her own battles and doesn’t let anybody cross her. She is the strong female character. Approaching the Odyssey with this light when reading passages that she is in can help her appreciate her character more as well. In this book, female characters are overshadowed and treated poorly just because they are women, but understanding the power behind their actions can make the story not only easier to read but give a newfound understanding of what she does for the story.