Question

Write a essay about what roles were played by the female characters in Homer's Odyssey. Describe two female characters including their traits and roles they played in your explanation of the overall portrayal of women. Be sure to consider the selections of the epic that had made characters as protagonists.

Answer 1

The women form an important part of the folk epic “The Odyssey”. Within the story there are three main types of women: the goddess, the seductress, and the good hostess/wife. Each particular female character adds a different element and is essential to the telling of the story.

Step-by-step explanation:

Homer portrays the females in contradictory ways: the characters of Athena and Eurykleia are given strong, admirable roles while Melantho, the Sirens and Circe are depicted in a much more negative way. ... Penelope—the central female character—is given both negative and positive attributes.