Women In Homer's Odyssey

Although Homer's Odyssey is predominantly a male-centric story, there are several female characters who not only interact with Odysseus but aid him on his journey, such as Circe and Athena. These women assist him in his endeavours by not only offering advice but providing him with the tools necessary to follow their instructions and persuading others to help him, as well. However, these women, especially Circe and Athena, are merely plot devices to reiterate the Ancient Greek idea that men are superior to women, as well as to get Odysseus where he needs to go and keep the story engaging and exciting.
Circe, a minor goddess, is mainly used as a plot device and to engage because she keeps the story exciting, has no traits other than the fact that she is beautiful, and helps Odysseus get to the Underworld. Circe keeps the story exciting for …show more content…
This is illustrated through the fact that she has nothing to do other than get Odysseus home, as well as constantly talking about men's power. However, she does help Odysseus in Odyssey. Although Athena is an omnipotent goddess, her only concern is to ensure that Odysseus arrives in Ithaca safely. As she is talking to Zeus, her father, about returning Odysseus to his home, she says "I myself will go to Ithaca/To put some spirit into his son [...] I'll escort him to Sparta and the sands of Pylos," (1.95-100) meaning that she will take Odysseus' son, Telemachus, to seek news of his father, prioritizing Odysseus' return home over anything else that she could possibly be doing at that point. As well as giving Odysseus special treatment, Athena reminds the males that they are dominant, addressing them with phrases such as "most high," (24.491) and "Father Zeus, whose power is supreme," (1.88). She aids Odysseus on his journey by persuading Zeus to help