Comparison of the Role of Women in Genesis and The Odyssey

Comparison of the Role of Women in Genesis and The Odyssey

In early years, women were regarded as frail beings that are heavily dependent on men. In Genesis, the author depicts women as a root of all evil and the cause of human suffering in the planet. On the other hand, The Odyssey portrays women as having multiple roles ranging from motherhood to seductress (Puchner 174).

Homer’s Odyssey is an epic take about man’s heroic mission. It revolves around Ulysses’ quest to go back to Penelope, his wife. He yearns to assume control of his palace and to be reunited with his spouse. His mission is successful at last because of extensive help from his wife. Notably, Homer presents women in limited scenes and assigns them narrow roles of seductresses, mothers, or those that can serve both roles.

In genesis, significant roles of women occur behind the scenes, though in many cases, such events have a powerful impact on the behavior and personality of the main characters. The book shows man's perspective on a woman with regards to their episodic roles. Genesis’ authors portray most of the women ad deceiving seductresses that are the source of trouble more than they are worth. In the book, some of the most monumental events include the temptation of a tree of knowledge of evil and good, and the creation of Eve and Adam. From the start, Eve’s pride stirs up trouble and dooms the future of humankind (Puchner 263). Resultantly, all women created later inherit her wicked personality as a source of discord.  Worth noting is that her wrongdoing emanated from temptation. Eve’s pride coupled with serpent's cunning moves lead her to taste the fruit of “evil and good” to be as all-knowing as the Supreme Being. While Adam eats the fruit too, he is seen as a victim of Eve's seduction. God subjects a woman to harsher punishment and penalties for playing a key role and influencing man in violating the established rules.

Women in The Odyssey persist as motherly figures, but they are givers of sorrow and pity rather than genuine supporters for actions of their husbands and sons as they pursue personal and military activities. The weakness of women surfaces due to their need of support from men. They are evidently inconsolable and lost if a male hand fails to offer guidance and direction. Aside from urging men to be safe and mourning them when killed in battle, women’s role is insignificant in the book. The death of Ulysses seals the fate of her mother after he dies in the battle. Anticlea, his mother, could not even exist—she eventually dies after a long wait for Ulysses' return. Mother’s role is to nurture, protect, and look after their husbands and sons. It sharply contrasts with the role of women in the book of Genesis. The Odyssey places a greater value on the bond between sons and fathers than with daughters or mothers (Puchner 312).

Abraham’s story in Genesis portrays woman as a troublemaker and an object of beauty and admiration. Sara’s beauty stirs up trouble for Abraham. She causes him to fear for his life as other men are attracted to her, thus, some admirers may opt to kill Abraham to have Sarah. Abraham lies on several occasions to prevent detection of his relationship with Sara. As a result, the Egyptian authorities detain him for trying to camouflage Sarah as his sister. Eventually, Egyptian Pharaoh kicks him out on learning about his real intention and the truth.

In The Odyssey, Penelope (Ulysses wife) is mostly grief-stricken throughout the book. While she is a motherly figure, she possesses distinct traits of a seductress. As a mother, she mourns her lost love. Her assumption of husband’s death begins when one of the bards sings about a deadly battle that Penelope’s husband participated. It takes masculine presence and leadership of Penelope’s son to calm her down. Telemachus openly scolds his mother for consciously hatching a plan to lead on the suitors and as a way of asserting his role in the masculine order. Penelope’s simultaneous roles as seductress and mother figure are evident throughout the plot. Numerous persistent suitors including Antinous observe Penelope’s alternating behavior. Antinous engages in an intimate relationship with Penelope but complains to Telemachus that she lured him into her trap. Penelope leads suitors by mourning his husband’s death to gain material wealth. She promises her potential husbands that she will commit to marriage once her wedding veil is ready but at night, she destroys veil material to prevent the task from being accomplished. Her seduction persists, even though she employs such ruse to attain fortune and wealth.

A trait of a disobedient companion is observable in Lots Wife. When God intends to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, he sends his angel to warn Lot and his family to vacate the city. Lot intends to follow his master's instructions to the later, but his wife intends to disobey. God turns her into a pillar of salt as a consequence. Thereafter, two of Lots daughters play a role of seductresses as they target their father. They wittingly intoxicate their father with an intention of committing incest. Both of them conceive and give birth to a son each (Puchner 185).

Readers of The Odyssey receive a complex image of masculinity because the book presents a hero who intends to return home safely, but women's portrait is less complete. Men have all the freedom to roam and stay for prolonged period with strange females. On the other hand, strict social codes of conduct hold women from engaging in manly chores. Such regulatory measures in the society drive the existent extremes of selfish betrayal and self-sacrificing and intense motherhood. Penelope mostly represents the theme of mothers and seductresses. The story fails to end tragically because Agamemnon returned home. Still it is undeniable that Penelope’s nature was based on her tricky behavior when her husband was absent.

Specifically, Genesis entails different stories of distinct women labeled as sources of evil and trouble. Times and again, the majority of wives, mothers, and daughters that disobey rules, commit adultery, or plan deaths of their husbands and sons, thus proving such resounding claims. Some women use their beauty as a tool to exploit male weaknesses for their own malicious gains, hence the similarity with The Odyssey’s female characters.

The authors of both Genesis and The Odyssey were inspired by the events that occurred at the time. The two literary works encompass and reflect societal views on women as subjects of male dominance, most of their roles were limited to catering for man's needs and procreation. Still, numerous characters in both books demonstrate a heightened level of emotions, devotion, and plan to overhaul the system (Puchner 342). The authors conclude The Odyssey and Genesis with women struggling to carve their own niche and to prove that they are equal to masculine characters.

Work Cited

Puchner, Martin. Norton Anthology of World Literature-Volume A. WW Norton & Co., 2012: 1-742.