THE ODYSSEY BY A WOMAN
Many times throughout ?The Odyssey? women are given the characteristics of men and men the characteristics of women. Contrary to the fact that kings and rulers are males, the females obviously possess more power and control leading one to believe that ?The Odyssey? was written by a woman.
The author sets the tone by introducing Odysseus, the main character as a damsel in distress and Athena as the ?knight in shining armor?. (I, 1-119) Odysseus is being held on the island of Ogygia by the nymph Kalypso after his ship and crew were destroyed leaving him shipwrecked on her island. Athena seems to feel empathetic for Odysseus and asks Zeus, king of the gods, to send Hermes to order Kalypso to allow Odysseus off the island of Ogygia (I, 53, 64). Athena was definitely the one who has to save the day, as a male author would most likely not think the same thing.
Penelope establishes dominance over the suitors by keeping them at bay for almost four years. She told the suitors that it would be dishonorable not to have a shroud to bury Lord Laertes, Odysseus?s father in when he died
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