Summary:
The connections in Homer's The Odyssey between Odysseus and the women he encounters contribute significantly to the movement of the narrative. The female characters, including Helen, Circe, Calypso, Nausicaa, Ithaca, and Penelope, all connect Odysseus' life together in the story and lead him back to where he rightfully belongs. Without these women and their stories, the poem would have nowhere to go.
When reading the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, modern readers are confronted by a world quite different to their own. The society of the Homeric Greeks was a strong one, with well-defined roles for all members of it. The differences that existed between men and women are quite extreme when first observed at face value: the men went off to war to face the world; the women stayed at home to remain cloistered and protected. While Men and Women's lives take very different paths through the story, there is purpose for the role of each life, therefore making each life powerful. However, no matter how powerful any figure may be, there is a common bond that connects them all, something that they are all affected by, regardless of gender: Odysseus. When focusing on the connection.....
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