Throughout the Odyssey, trickery is evident from a variety of characters in their adventures around the world. But trickery is not always portrayed in the same light for both genders. Beginning with Odysseus’s famous Trojan horse, trickery is shown to be an ingenious trait in men, and only used when necessary. Through blinding the Cyclops, and his custom not to reveal his true identity when he comes to new islands, Odysseus perpetuates this view. Also, Odysseus is frequently referenced as “the great tactician” in his epithets, further presenting him as a brave hero, capable of treachery as a means to a warlike strategy. Beyond Odysseus, however, it is more difficult to find instances of treachery in the male characters. Especially at the level of the gods, they are particularly blunt about their methods of disruption, whether it be a lightning strike by Zeus or a massive storm by Poseidon.
It is the women of the Odyssey who are constantly portrayed as the more treacherous gender, and most often placing them in a negative light. Whether it is Calypso’s ability to keep Odysseus on her island for far longer than he wants, Helen’s crafty slip of drugs into the men’s drinks, the Siren’s seductive singing in order to capture the men, or even the poisoning of Agamemnon by his wife, the women in this epic continually use treachery to disrupt the journeys of the men. Even when the positive female characters use treachery in the Odyssey, they do so because, seemingly, they are women and do not have the power to use another tactic. Athena’s constant disguises represent a sharp contrast to the efforts of Zeus and Poseidon. Penelope’s use of the treachery of her loom to keep the suitors at bay is admirable, but is a weak hold on the “doom” that the manly, heroic Odysseus will surely strike upon them.
I love how you compare the methodologies. of the gods and goddesses - so true! In comparison to Athena, Zeus and Poseidon are blunt and direct while she is careful, cunning, and clever.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's interesting how you mention that the epithet relating to Odysseus' own cunning. I actually thought the opposite of what you suggested here. Instead of it being a compliment to his mind, a slight of his character. Chloe I believe observed that Telemakhos' epithet "clearheaded" was omitted in times of distress or thoughtless action. I pondered the same with Odysseus and an idea we haven't explored, the fact that trickery is not something appreciated in any capacity in either of the genders. I noticed that in the epic Odysseus is either referred to as a hero or tactician - never both in the same instance. Perhaps suggesting that the qualities of a virtuous hero do not include the type of deceptive "tact" Odysseus utilizes?
Furthermore there is the concept of when trickery is and is not considered "necessary" as you say. Odysseus seems to constantly be punished for his trickery. He spends years roaming the world after his deceptive defeat of Troy, and then after defeating Poseidon's son with his trickery, and hubris, he loses all of his men and spends approximately seven years with Kalypso on her island.