Berry-Stoelzle

Julianne Berry-Stoelzle

Mrs. Basile

English 9 Period 5

17 April 2018

The Odyssey’s Book 10 and 12 Literary Analysis Paragraph

In Books 10 and 12, Homer shows how men in Greek society were expected to be fierce

warriors that went on many journeys while women were considered the weaker ones that stayed

in the safety of their homes cared for their families. Throughout their travels in the Odyssey,

Odysseus and his men arrive on the island of Circe, a goddess who after some original conflict

was a generous hostesses. Odysseus accepted her offer of food and shelter, “As we were men,

we could not help consenting. So day by day, we lingered feasting long on roasts and wine”

(lines 177-179 p. 929). This shows the Greek expectancy of men to be these strong and brave

warriors that need lots of food to keep up their strength, so they would stop and rest throughout

their dangerous journeys. They may be fierce but also need to be tended to, which is the

woman’s role of Greek society. Women were considered the caretakers of their families and the

battleworn males. They were the ones that stayed at home and were only there when the men

need them. In this case, Circe is providing food so that the men can gather their strength before

continuing on their journey. Even a goddess, who has immense power compared to a human, is

still shown caring for the warriors like a human woman would. She also stays on her safe home

on the island and is not met in a place where there are possible dangers. This shows how

Greeks understood that even the strongest warriors need to rest sometimes but had a very

limited opinion about what women could do.