Role of women in Odyssey

p THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN ODYSSEY

2006

The Red-Haired King and His Lady ' comprises Book IV of Homer 's Odyssey . It pertains to the King and Queen of Sparta - Menelaus and Helen . One striking similarity about that culture with the present one is the very real emotions of people regarding war . In Book IV , men and women alike weep as they recount the Trojan war and their fallen comrades . Similarly , men and women today have felt real grief for the lost brothers , fathers , uncles , husbands , in World War II and the

br Vietnam War . Upon hearing Menelaus speak of Troy , Telemachus , his guest and Odyssey 's son (not known to them in the beginning of the narrative weeps for his father . They stirred Telemachus to weep . And so he let a tear fall from his eyelids to the ground on hearing of his father but his hands held up his purple cloak before his eyes (p . 66 . Another similarity is greed : the need to accumulate treasures and wealth , to outdo one 's fellow men . In this regard , we see in Menelaus a pragmatism that no doubt other wealthy but wise men share today : money and wealth will not necessarily make you happy . Also , there will always be someone richer or more powerful than you . Menelaus says , As for my wealth there may be other men to match me , or they may , by chance , be But it has cost me many wanderings and many griefs to bring these treasures here (p .65 . But he also declares , But for me , in all this wealth , there 's no delight (p . 66 . We see here that , similar to present times , wealth is hard-earned , and will not necessarily bring complete happiness or joy to whoever possesses it

One moment in the narrative wherein one of the characters is telling a story is when Helen speaks of Odyssey 's entry into Troy . What is noticeable in this action was that Helen speaks of Odyssey as a sort of tribute . She discusses not his war strategy but to point out how brave he was , which was received well by the rest of the guests and listeners Another striking thing about this narrative is that before Helen tells her story , she puts a drug in the wine that all the guests are drinking The drug is supposed to help the men forget their grief . Whoever drinks of this , once it is mixed within his bowl , forgets . On that day he will never let a tear fall down his cheek , not even if his mother and father die , not even if his brother or son is killed by bronze before his eyes (p . 70 . In what Helen did we see one of the roles women play in this culture . Women like Helen feel the need to comfort their men from the grief of war - in fact , not just comfort , but to shield them from the pain and to help them forget their tragedies

This world Homer presents is full...