Introduction

Within the world of Ancient Greece–along with the myths and legends of the time–we are able to catch a glimpse of what life was like all the way back then. Whether this be the wars fought in Sparta, Troy, and marathon, the way the gods interacted with the common folk of the time, or the way people treated each other; whether it be based on gender, nationality, creed or social class. In this ancient world, we see no clearer parallel towards our own current time, than the treatment between the men and women of Ancient Greece. There are many stories, myths and tales that highlight the way men and women were treated.

Within the city state of Athens, for example, we see the treatment of women involving very few rights for the common woman. Women were subjected to reduced legal protections, compared to men at the time who were often able to get away with much more. Women were relegated to domestic tasks, usually involving housework and the raising of children. Women were also rarely educated, as men saw no reason to educate them on matters that they deemed they didn’t need to partake in, such as jobs within the society, and other social activities. Within the democratic and political systems of Ancient Greece, women were also forbidden from voting in the public meetings of the time, as well as partaking in public meetings of any kind, severely limiting their ability to educate themselves on the matters of society, as well as be a part of society as a whole. This is in direct juxtaposition to men, who were able to vote without worry, but also capable of taking part in public meetings.

The Odyssey, whilst not explicitly talking about the plights of women, highlights through its storytelling and writing the fundamental differences and views on women at the time, as well as the intrinsic biases that were had. We see this through the way Penelope was portrayed, as she was painted as a trickster, and a woman who was deceiving and lying to the suitors who plagued her home, pillaged her resources, and abused and assaulted the very housemaids who tended to the property and helped the male suitors, who were able to get away with almost anything since they had the privilege of being male at the time. This is also seen in the way the female gods were depicted, especially Athena, whilst not mistreated due to her being a woman, was often fit into the stereotypes of women at the time. Her demeanor was often attributed to being motherly, taking on a guiding and nurturing tone in her interactions with the characters of the Odyssey, as opposed to the other male gods, who were seen as more aggressive, bold, and better leaders. Finally, we see the actions and viewpoints of Circe, the witch who was often characterized as evil and a trickster, due to her actions of turning people into animals. The context of her actions are quite often not understood, as Circe had a complicated past that shouldn’t be used as justification to portray her in negative lights, especially without the understanding of her point of view.

It is these misunderstandings and single frames of mind that only serve the purpose of confirming stereotypes that shouldn’t exist, as well as cementing the biases that only serve to divide. Whilst society as a whole has come an incredibly long way from the laws, standards, and actions taken towards women, not all is perfect, and there is still plenty that can be done to improve the nature of things. There are still attitudes and stereotypes that exist that are harmful and only serve to stoke embers of negativity and reinforced social expectations. Along with that, it is useful to look at the past–and all of its gritty and dark tones–to learn the mistakes and negative actions, so that we not only prevent ourselves from making those same mistakes, but to reinforce the idea that we can improve and set new norms that don’t seek to disenfranchise. We must look through the lens of history to never repeat the mistakes that plagued many.

Case Studies

Throughout the Odyssey, gender is portrayed in an extremely narrow-minded and outdated view.  Women are sexualized, portrayed as weak, and only the feminine aspects of their physical appearances and personalities are emphasized. We have analyzed the Odyssey as well as several other mediums to better understand and expose how women specifically were portrayed during the period.

Athena: The Underappreciated Goddess of Wisdom and War

A statue of Athena.

The first medium that we chose to analyze and compare to the Odyssey is the Percy Jackson series. The Percy Jackson series is an extremely popular young adult series written by Rick Riordan. Many of us grew up reading these books, and they gave us a base understanding of Greek mythology. The series portrays its female characters in a more modern way than the Odyssey does. Specifically, Athena is represented as a much more powerful and dominating figure in comparison to her representation in the Odyssey. 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. The second medium we chose is a novel written about Circe.

The Misunderstood Circe:

Circe is seen sitting on a throne.

In ancient Greek history, Circe, the Goddess of Sorcery, is an intriguing character with a captivating tale to tell. Madeline Miller, the author of ‘Circe,’ takes a fresh approach to her story. Instead of painting her as a typical wicked witch, Miller portrays her as a goddess struggling with her own past and the challenges she faces, especially in her encounters with the legendary Odysseus and others. This retelling is significant because it dives into the details of Circe’s journey to the mystical island of Aeaea and reveals her past, marked by family trauma and abuse. This sheds light on her character and the reasons behind her actions.

Circe’s story unfolds in her father Helios, the Sun God’s grand palace, where she endures constant neglect, criticism, and ridicule from her family. To escape this misery, she finds solace in the wisdom of Prometheus, who encourages her not to follow the cruelty of the gods in her family. Her path takes an unexpected turn when she discovers the magical herb known as Pharmaka, which thrives in the battlegrounds where the Titans and Olympians once clashed. This discovery sets her on the path to becoming a sorceress, triggering a series of pivotal events. Circe’s life becomes more complicated when she gets involved with a deity named Glaucos, and their relationship ultimately sours. Glaucos abandons her to marry the cruel goddess Scylla. In a vengeful act, Circe brews a potion using the herb, turning Scylla into the infamous six-headed monster of Greek mythology. This act finally garners the attention of her father, Helios, who consults with Zeus, and they decree her banishment due to her formidable skills. Circe finds herself on the remote shores of Aeaea, where she dedicates herself to honing her sorcery.

Circe’s narrative continues as she attempts to reverse the curse on Scylla, joining a group of companions in the effort. Unfortunately, their plan fails, resulting in the death of all but Circe, who narrowly survives a treacherous whirlpool. Back in the solitude of Aeaea, Circe grapples with profound loneliness, comforted only by infrequent visits from acquaintances from her past. During this period of isolation, a group of men arrives unexpectedly on the island, surprising Circe with a plea for assistance. Cautious and vigilant, Circe insists they drink a potion as a safeguard against potential treachery. Her caution proves justified when the ship’s captain assaults her, forcibly silencing her to prevent the casting of spells. Once released, Circe promptly transforms the crew into swine and deals with them accordingly. Later in the story, Odysseus and his crew land on Circe’s island. Initially wary of a potential threat, she turns his men into pigs, fearing a repeat of the previous assault. As she gets to know Odysseus, she discovers he isn’t all bad and decides to help him return to his homeland of Ithaca.

Madeline Miller’s retelling of Circe’s story is significant because it reveals the profound humanity within a character who possesses godlike powers. This narrative portrays Circe as misunderstood, wronged by the gods, and acting out of fear and self-preservation. While her actions in Homer’s ‘The Odyssey,’ such as turning Odysseus and his men into swine, may seem morally ambiguous, they can be understood in the context of her struggles. Overall, Miller’s retelling of Circe’s story complements ‘The Odyssey,’ providing a detailed and character-driven perspective on a character too often reduced to simple malevolence.”

Penelope: An Unexpected but Underappreciated Leader

Penelope is seen weaving and ignoring the suitors.

Lastly, we chose to analyze Penelope’s portrayal in the Odyssey itself. We also analyzed another novel, ‘The Penelopiad,’ by Margaret Atwood, but decided that in order to truly understand how female characters are represented in the Odyssey, we should dive into the original source. After all, Penelope is one of the most underrepresented characters in the novel even though she plays a huge part. In Book 2 of the Odyssey, we are introduced to the cunning and intelligent side of Odysseus’ wife Penelope. The book begins with Telemachus calling for a meeting with all the suitors. Telemachus voices his discontent with all the suitors and complains that his house is being destroyed by the suitors who are courting Penelope against her wishes. He tells the suitors that they should be ashamed of themselves and ended up crying. Antinous spoke after Telemachus and verbally attacked Telemachus for trying to embarrass the suitors. Antinous then exposed Penelope’s trick to prolong marrying one of the suitors. This was the first time in the Odyssey that we learned of Penelope’s cunning and intelligent side. Antinous finishes his speech by stating that Penelope’s father should choose who she marries.

The meeting continued with a warning for disaster for the suitors but unfortunately none of them believed the warning and Telemachus was left to continue to search for a solution to his problem. Antinous’ response from lines 87-115 on page 123 contains important diction that portrays Telemachus as a weak boy and Penelope as a treacherous woman who’s wants and opinions should be dismissed. Specifically, Antinous opens with, “Telemachus, you stuck-up, willful little boy! How dare you try to embarrass us and put the blame on us?” Addressing Telemachus like this in front of all the suitors is an attempt to strip him of any credibility and negate his attempt to take charge of the situation. Antinous later describes Penelope and her plot and says that “For three long years her trick beguiled the Greeks. But when the fourth year’s seasons rolled around, a woman slave who knew the truth told us. We caught her there unraveling the cloth and made her finish it. This is our answer, so you and all the Greeks may understand. Dismiss your mother, let her father tell her to marry anyone his heart desires.” This portion of Antinous’ speech says a lot about how women were treated in the early days of Greek civilization and how they are portrayed in the book. Penelope’s feelings/desires are completely negated and instead she is painted as a snake for avoiding a marriage that she has no interest in. Furthermore, Antinous specifically says that her opinion should be dismissed and that her father should decide for her based on his own interests. These few lines of text expose the prolific belief from this time period that women exist to please men and their wishes are dismissible.

In conclusion, book two is the first time in the Odyssey that we realize how intelligent and cunning Penelope truly is. We also see how little the suitors care about the opinion of the female characters and an attempt to discredit Telemachus’ bid to remove the suitors from his father’s house. I thought that this book was a great example of how the female gender is treated in The Odyssey and in historically important literature in general.

Our Voices

The Odyssey is known to devalue the presence of women in its writings. From painting Circe as a villainous, evil person to undermining the wisdom and power of Athena, women are constantly dealing with oppression from their male counterparts. This isn’t just in the Odyssey, this is the everyday life of women across the globe thousands of years later. Although this book was written thousands of years ago when women had no rights, there are still things that happened in the Odyssey that are happening today. All over the world women are continually being sexualized for things that are out of their control or by simply doing everyday tasks. The Odyssey perceives women as objects that are just there to look at and make the men feel stronger and while women have made many advancements in this society, these ideologies still hold true.

As a women in today’s society, I am constantly being talked down upon by men. Don’t bother bringing up anything political because that will be turned down in an instant and don’t even try talking about anything sports related because that will end up in laughter and criticism that it’s automatically wrong. Walking along the street can be scary and dangerous when dozens of men are watching you do so and yelling phrases at you that you can’t even comprehend because you’re so scared. Always make sure to cover your drinks, never approach a man unless you know them, don’t walk alone at night without protection of some kind, always be ok with less pay, get used to being in the background of men. These are things that women are just supposed to be ok with because they’ve been happening for thousands of years. There can be arguments that things have gotten better, which they have, but there’s still a percentage of men out there that believe that they should be the ones with everything. No matter how hard women try, there will always be men that see them as lesser than.

We tried to make a playlist that incorporated songs that are about gender. This playlist has everything from Madonna to Fleetwood Mac to Beyonce that have songs that are all about women being treated in society. They all have undertones of discrimination of men and how badly women are treated in relationships, societal roles and various other topics. This can be related to the Odyssey’s female characters and their experiences even though they lived thousands of years ago as some of these notions still stand today. Women aren’t valued in certain relationships, men constantly walk all over women and their wisdom and ideas are never held to the same standard of their male counterparts. As we look at these songs, the ideas in the Odyssey and compare to how women are treated in today’s society, women have come a very long way since the years of the Odyssey. But there is still work that needs to be done to create a equal, non-discriminatory world for women to live in.

Interactive Map

Conclusion

The Odyssey is an incredibly intricate story that tells the journey of its characters in a very acute way. However, even with its great storytelling and character building, it seems to do quite a poor job at portraying its female
characters: namely their blights, true intentions and personalities, and it fails to accurately focus on their strengths. Women within The Odyssey, regardless of their intelligence, skills and/or abilities are represented in such a way that it makes them appear to be a part of a lower caste in comparison to their male counterparts, as shown and described through the writing of the book itself. We believe that the more modern literary works that encapsulate Greek Mythology and culture do a much better job of representing women in a more positive,
affirming and accurate way. We are truly grateful to have been able to analyze The Odyssey and the
other numerous works, in such a manner that, to our mind, continues to see progress in gender equality throughout the country and world as a whole. After all, it is the literature and art we see that almost always acts as a direct representation of what we as a society pertain to and believe.

Bibliography

Atwood, Margaret. The Penelopiad. n.d. Wilson, Emily and Homer. The Odyssey. W.W. Norton & Company INC., 2018. Miller, Madeline. Circe. 2018. Riordan, Rick. Percy Jackson, The Lightning Thief. 2005.