The Odyssey - Role of Women free essay sample

Although women occupied an entirely different position in society compared to men, they too held a certain sphere of influence and power; they simply exerted it in ways that were distinct from men’s strategies. By observing the many female characters in The Odyssey, for example; Penelope, Circe, and Calypso, we are able to understand that back then women were inferior to men yet they had power in that they were able to draw men in so quickly and easily (for example sirens, they sing so beautifully that men get drawn in from lust for these things with such beautifull voices, but the sirens are killers and they kill any man on a ship that passes), also they are portrayed as being very wise in The Odyssey, Athena’s appositive most of the time is â€Å"bright-eyed Athena† which is portraying that as the godess of wisdom, even in disguise, as mentor etc. We will write a custom essay sample on The Odyssey Role of Women or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page , she still has her bright sparkling eyes which portray her as a very wise woman. This is the same with Penelope as she is portrayed as wise throughout most of The Odyssey. By examining the character of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, one can see just how women exerted their power and influence in The Odyssey and to what ends. Penelope uses clever cunning and sexual charm to toy with men’s emotions and to meet her own needs while she is waiting for her husband to return from battle. On one hand, she represents motherly characteristics mothers in The Odyssey are seen as the givers of pity and sorrow rather than true â€Å"supporters† of their sons and husbands in terms of military or personal quests. Mothers as seen throughout The Odyssey are women in need of support and guidance as they are weak and fragile, without a steady male hand to guide them, these women apppear to be lost and inconsolable. but she also has some of the traits associated with the seductresses seen in The Odyssey, such as Circe and Clytemnestra. Following the role of a mother figure, Penelope mourns her lost love, seemingly oblivious (at first) to the attentions of the suitors. One major role of women in The Odyssey is their roles as seductresses. When Odysseus’ crew arrives on Circe’s island, they are attracted to Circe’s house because of the alluring voice of the beautiful but monstrous goddess. Homer describes her as â€Å"singing in a sweet voice as she went up and down a great design on a loom, immortal such as goddesses have, delicate and lovely and glorious in their work. † (Book 10, Line 221) Odysseus’ men respond to this by calling onto her and entering her house. The men’s desire for Circe allows the goddess to exploit their weaknesses, trick them, and magically turn them into swine. Odysseus, only, with the help of a protective drug and advice provided by Hermes, goes to rescue his men from Circe’s island. He follows Hermes’ exact instructions and when the goddess attempts to strike him with her sword, he lunges at her. Odysseus draws his sword and says, â€Å"Swear me a great oath that there is no other evil hurt you devise against me. † (Book 10 Line 344) Homer has Odysseus draw his sword at this moment; perhaps he aims to show how a woman’s appeal and sexuality is a threat to male dominance. Such interactions between men and women add a certain dynamic to the epic and make it more interesting and easier for the reader to identify with the story. Although, Odysseus is very sly and resourceful, many times even he finds himself lost when he is in these types of situations with seductive women. Odysseus was so infatuated with Circe that he remained on her island for a year, completely forgetting about going home until his men convinced him to leave. One other moment when we see the importance of gender in The Odyssey is during Odysseus’ seven-year stay with Calypso on her island. When Odysseus relays the story of Calypso, he changes the story slightly to give the perception that he was held prisoner and lamented the entire time he was there. However, Homer gives us some insight when he says; â€Å"the nymph was no longer pleasing to him. † (Book 5, Line 153) which implies that at some point Odysseus did enjoy himself with the goddess on the island. Calypso offered him immortality and a life of ease. When Odysseus was exhausted with this lifestyle and longed for his wife and homecoming, Calypso tried to use her wiles to convince him to stay with her. She compares herself to Odysseus’ wife Penelope saying, â€Å"I think I can claim that I am not her inferior either in build or stature, since it is not likely that mortal women can challenge the goddesses for build and beauty. † (Book 5, Line 211) When Odysseus still longs to return home, Calypso forces him to stay on the island. This is against the ideals of Homeric Greek women. Calypso diplays a dominant and manipulative side, which is another threat against male dominance. Calypso’s ability to impede Odysseus’ voyage for seven years, signifies the belief that powerful women can create danger. In this situation, Homer tells us, if a woman does not accept her place as an impuissant, she is likely to slow down or prevent a man from reaching his goals. The Homeric Greek men consider women valuable but only to satisfy their physical needs. Zeus eventually sends Hermes as a messenger to command Calypso to allow Odysseus to return home. Calypso complains that the gods are allowed to take mortal lovers while someone always interferes with the affairs of the goddesses. Calypso complains about this double standard but eventually meets Zeus’ request. This is an excellent example of the male biased Homeric Greek society. This epic is dependant on the role of women. It is difficult to completely judge the beliefs about gender roles in Greek culture based solely on The Odyssey. At times, the roles and actions of women in this poem show the male chauvinist view, that they are objects of beauty and have to succumb to manipulation and trickery to accomplish a goal. There are other times when a woman’s strength and intelligence come through. Homer uses this interplay to make the epic more interesting and develops an underlying theme of a battle of the sexes.

Essay Topics For Elementary Students - What Are The Best Topics For This?

Essay Topics For Elementary Students - What Are The Best Topics For This?Thinking about essay topics for elementary students is something that you need to think about as a teacher. While there are many subjects that are of interest to elementary school students, there are only a few topics that can actually make their learning easier.The great thing about essay topics for elementary students is that they are the same as those that will be used in high school. There is no denying that elementary students will be expected to write essays for class. Most of them are able to do it on their own but there are some who are simply not capable of doing so.It is best to keep your child's abilities and interests in mind when writing. It is also a good idea to get their opinions on the subject matter. For elementary, the biggest problem is usually getting them to participate. It is especially important that you help them get to the point where they can express themselves rather than just listeni ng to what they are saying.The best essay topics for elementary students will be ones that are designed around a problem that the child has faced in their daily lives. It is important that you do not overdo this or else it will just be a waste of time. Instead, let the problem that the child is facing be the reason that they need to express themselves.Another good thing about essay topics for elementary students is that they are also the same as those that will be used in middle school. Again, the biggest problem with writing an essay is getting them to participate. Since these topics are easier to complete, it is good to use them as an alternative to those in middle school.The main reason that these topics are used in middle school students is that they are more mature and have already learned how to write a paper. They also have spent enough time in their academic years to be able to solve their problems for themselves. It is a good thing that you, as a teacher, help them out.So w hile essay topics for elementary students are the same as those used in middle school, they also help teach them how to solve problems for themselves. These are also quite different from the topics that are used in high school. They are still ones that will be used in both elementary and high school but they are much simpler.If you want to help your child with essay topics for elementary students, there are a few things that you should know. One of these is that they will be asked to participate in at least one essay and it is good to plan on what topics they will be working on. This way, you can start working on their ideas early and you can choose essay topics that are easier for them to work on.