Female characters Flashcards
Book 1 events:
Athena intervenes to help Telemachus, disguised as Mentes
Athena encourages Telemachus to be like Orestes, who avenged his father by killing his mother
Penelope gets upset by a bard’s song and is commanded by Telemachus to go to her rooms.
1 analysis:
Athena shows her role in shaping the mortal world by encouraging heroic action in Telemachus
1 scholarship on Clytemnestra:
‘The Odyssey appears to be set in motion by Zeus’ consideration of the revenge of Orestes on Aigisthus’
M. J. Alden
1 scholarship on Athena:
she is acting as the instigator of the initiation quest into
manhood, preparing Telemachus for a new life stage.
F. Merritt
2 events:
Eurykleia obeys Telemachus’ command to not tell Penelope about his journey
2 analysis:
Eurykleia’s actions reinforce the expectation that women should be faithful and loyal.
4 events:
Helen drugs wine with a potion to ease grief
Helen and Menelaus tell stories that suggest at Helen being on alternating sides of the Trojan War
4 analysis:
Helens actions show female unpredictability- as she could be both a helper or a potential traitor
5 events:
Calypso keeps Odysseus captive in a breach of Xenia
When Hermes comes to tell her to let Odysseus go, she complains to him about the double standards between male and female gods having relationships with mortals
Ino helps Odysseus survive when his boat is destroyed by Poseidon
5 scholarship:
‘suffering and enduring is part of the heroic pattern’
S. Schein
‘suffering and enduring is part of the heroic pattern’
S. Schein
This means that Odysseus’ endurance on Ogygia forms the suffering he needs to endure the rest of his journey home and recover his kingdom
6 events:
Athena sends a dream to Nausicaa to ensure she goes to where Odysseus is sleeping
Athena put courage in Nausicaa’s heart when the other girls were scared of Odysseus, ensuring he received aid from her
Nausicaa looks out for her own image and reputation by telling Odysseus to not come into town directly with her, as she would blame any girl she saw entering town with a strange man.
6 scholarship:
‘The speech can be read as a charmingly naive confession; but it can also be seen as a skilful negotiation or manipulation of the rules for male/female interaction’
L. Doherty
7 events:
Athena, disguised as a young girl, shows Odysseus to Alcinous’ palace, and hides him in mist away from the Phaeacians
Athena explains Arete’s unusual influence
Odysseus appeals directly to Arete when he reaches the palace.
7 quotes:
‘Gave her such honour as no other women receives who keeps house under her husband’s eye’
7 analysis:
Odysseus’ direct appeal to Arete shows that powerful women can be crucial allies, not just threats
7 scholarship:
‘It is important to emphasise that in Homer the Gods help only those who are worthy of it’
- Jones
8 events:
Arete shows influence by being the one to question Odysseus about his identity and his clothes
9 events:
Odysseus describes plundering of the city of the Cicones, talks about women as if they’re goods
9 quotes:
‘The women and the vast plunder that we took from the town we divided so that no one should go short of his proper share’
9 analysis:
Women are commodified in war narratives, reinforcing their vulnerability
10 events:
Circe turns Odysseus’ men into pigs
Circe becomes Odysseus’ lover after he overcomes her magic
Circe tells Odysseus what he has to do to get home, and instructs him carefully on how to perform the rite to talk to Teiresias
11 events:
Anticleia tells Odysseus of her death and the sorrow of Penelope
Agamemnon warns Odysseus not to trust women because of Clytemnestra
12 events:
Circe helps Odysseus again by explaining the dangers to come and how to survive them
Sirens try to lure sailors to their death
Female monsters- Scylla and Charybdis- Odysseus’ men killed, and Odysseus nearly dies.
Lampetie, Helios’ daughter, tells her father that Odysseus’ men have killed his cattle- this leads to their death
12 analysis:
Minor female figures can trigger huge consequences
13 events:
Odysseus bids the greatest farewell to Arete
Athena tells Odysseus he is in Ithaca, and helps him plan his next steps
Athena explains that it was her who ensured the Phaeacians took so kindly to Odysseus
13 quotes:
‘My Queen, heres fortune all your life’
15 events:
Athena went to Lacedaemon to tell Telemachus to come home, using Penelope and the possibility of her being unfaithful as a reason why.
Eumaeus explains how he was brought up with Odysseus’ sister, Ctimene, and that he, a slave, was treated almost as the daughter’s equal.
15 scholarship:
Athena functions to heighten the suspense the audience experiences about Penelope, not as a means of assuring them of her unwavering loyalty
R. Nickel
16 events:
Athena changes Odysseus back into his old self, allowing his son to recognise and accept him.
Penelope directly confronts the suitors about their plans to kill Telemachus
16 scholarship:
The deity [Athena] who sets in motion and directs so many of the plot’s chief scenes. More specifically, she herself directs many of the recognition scenes’
B. Louden
17 events:
Penelope once again commanded by Telemachus
Athena heightened Telemachus’ looks, drawing everyones attention to him
Penelope questions Odysseus the beggar
18 events:
Athena inspired Penelope to want to appear to the suitors- she also makes her more attractive, which would make Odysseus jealous and could provoke the fight quicker
Melantho insults Odysseus
Melantho is insulted and threatened by Odysseus
Odysseus scared all the female slaves away
18 quotes:
‘You must be soft in the head’- Melantho
‘You bitch! I shall go straight over and tell Telemachus, so he can hack you to pieces’ - Odysseus
18 analysis:
Linking femine allure with strategy- beauty weaponised to provoke male revenge
Melantho’s disrespect shows bad female behaviour being punished in a way that male slaves such as Melanthius aren’t
19 events:
Melantho insults Odysseus again, this time Penelope is the one to shout at her
Penelope questions Odysseus, and tests him by asking him to describe her husband’s clothes
Penelope tells Odysseus about her dream where an eagle broke the necks of 20 geese, then declared it was her husband who had killed the suitors
Eurykleia recognises Odysseus
19 quotes:
‘You bold creature, you shameless bitch’
19 scholarship on the dream and the suitors:
The dream aims to remind us of the inescapability of the slaughter of the suitors
Duckworth
Agree- zeus’ bird is an eagle, shows its divinely sanctioned
19 scholarship on the dream and Odysseus:
Through the dream, Odysseus is for the first time assured beyond doubt that his wife wishes for nothing more than the destruction of the suitors
A. Rozokoki
20 events:
The maids annoy Odysseus as they leave the suitor’s quarters giggling
Athena encourages Odysseus to stay strong before the battle, and to have faith in their victory
Athena affected the suitor’s wits, leading to their uncontrollable laughter as bloody omens fill the room
20 scholarship:
‘By considering who laughs and how frequently, I find in most scenes that laughter… usually indicates some sort of weakness of character’
M. Colakis
21 events:
Athena inspired Penelope to announce the bow contest to decide her new husband- showing control over the situation
Penelope tells the suitors off for not letting Odysseus have a go with the bow
Penelope is again commanded back to her rooms by Telemachus
21 analysis:
Shows women’s ability to influence fate even within patriarchal limits
21 scholarship:
‘Penelope’s seriousness in her offer of mariage was a necessary requirement in driving Odysseus to disposing of the wooers immediately’
W. Allen
22 events:
Athena helps ensure Odysseus, Telemachus and the good slaves aren’t injured
Telemachus kills the maids
23 events:
Eurykleia wakes Penelope and tells her of Odysseus’ return
Penelope tests Odysseus by suggesting moving their marriage bed- which is impossible as it was built into a tree trunk
Odysseus and Penelope are reunited
The Odyssey appears…
The Odyssey appears to be set in motion by Zeus’ consideration of the revenge of Orestes on Aigisthus’
- M. J. Alden
She is acting…
She is acting as the instigator of the initiation quest into manhood, preparing Telemachus for a new life stage
- F. Merritt
Suffering and enduring…
Suffering and enduring is part of the heroic pattern
- S. Schein
The speech can…
The speech can be read as a charmingly naive confession; but it can also be seen as a skilful manipulation of the rules for male/female interaction
L. Doherty
It is important…
It is important to emphasise that in Homer the Gods help only those who are worthy of it
- Jones
Athena functions to…
Athena functions to heighten the suspence the audience experiences about Penelope, not as a means of assuring them of her unwavering loyalty
- R. Nickel
The deity who…
The deity who sets in motion and directs so many of the plot’s chief scenes. More specifically, she herself directs many of the recognition scenes
- B. Louden
The dream aims…
The dream aims to remind us of the inescapability of the slaughter of the suitors
- Duckworth
Through the dream, Odysseus…
Through the dream, Odysseus is for the first time assured beyond doubt that his wife wishes for nothing more than the destruction of the suitors
- A. Rozokoki
By considering who…
By considering who laughs and how frequently, I find in most scenes that laughter usually indicates some sort of weakness of character
M. Colakis
Penelope’s seriousness in…
Penelope’s seriousness in her offer of marriage was a necessary requirement in driving Odysseus to disposing of the wooers immediately
W. Allen
