Throughout the poem The Odyssey, we see the gods often “playing” with the mortals for purely their own entertainment. Athena’s role basically the whole book, was to orchestrate this entire play, starring Odysseus and co starring his son Telemachus. Especially in these last chapters, we can see Athena going to extremes to make sure her play’s dramatic final scene happens perfectly: the scene where Odysseus with throw his revenge and paints his home with the blood of the suitors invading his home. However, Athena doesn't want that scene to just happen. She wants it to happen in a way that would be “aesthetically pleasing”, in the same way Poseidon turned the phoenicians boat into stone after helping a stranger instead of just smiting them and killing them. The point is the gods want to make a show, and they want it to be a good one.
So going back to Athena, she is just pushing herself to extremes to make her play happen, but we can also see Odysseus at many points slipping out of “Athena’s puppet role”, and playing the “puppet master” role himself. Unlike how Athena really controls Telemachus in the beginning chapters of the poem, Odysseus actually takes it upon himself (of course with Athena’s help) to create and carry out his own plan to kill all the suitors. This really starts when he finally lands in his homeland. However, I believe Athena can never let her plan completely go into the hand of someone else, so of course we see her cover Odysseus in a cloud of smoke so she could keep him confused until she could get him to be familiar with her plan. Although I believe this is a key scene because this is the first time we see both Odysseus and Athena working hand in hand to come up with a plan. Athena first comes to Odysseus as a shepherd, and Odysseus using Athena’s same tricks, makes up a fake story about himself when he “introduces” himself to “Athena”. He tells her he was a murderer, and now he is running away from his land. Athena actually praises this quality of him, the quality that he is able to make up lies right on the spot. When Athena reveals her true form, the two seem to talk to each other like they are old partners who praise each other's trickery and cunningness, and here we see them planning revenger together. 
Nice post! I totally agree with you. I think its more of Athena doing the manipulating but Odysseus also definitely does some. It's mostly Athena because shes the one coming up with all the big plans. Shes the one egging Odysseus and the suitors on. However, to some extent, Odysseus is manipulating others as well. He's telling completely BS stories to gain the trust and sympathy of others.
ReplyDeleteOdysseus does exhibit a lot of the same traits as Athena, but he is also very reliant upon her in his own right. In the final battle, when he call upon her for aid, she gives it to him, but only after he has "proved himself worthy" in that battle. Telemachus, on the other hand, is rather under the thumb of both Athena and Odysseus. One question you could tackle more in depth is how the relationship between Athena and Odysseus relates to their relationships to Telemachus.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that the gods are in just for a show. Like what we've been discussing in class, the gods seem to play the loose role of the puppet master. It is really interesting to see Athena and Odysseus play off of each other, and how they seem to really click. However, is their relationship as equal as it may appear when they're getting along and joking together? I think you've made a great point about Athena having a slight upper-hand; she is the one to come up with the initial murder plan; she creates the mist so she can stall Odysseus, etc. This post is a great summary of what we've been discussing in class, and highlights important points regarding god-mortal relationships.
ReplyDeleteFor sure, Athena never lets the plan get out of hand. She gets the ball rolling for Odysseus and lets him and Telemachus to do some work themselves. But she makes sure everything will happen as she likes- for the revenge, but also for the show for her. I think part of the reason she likes Odysseus and wants to help him is because of how similar he is to her in the cunning and trickery sense- which you also touched on. I think it's pretty impressive for Odysseus to play off his disguises since he is a human and only has so much he can do. But as for Athena, she can manipulate many more things to create convincing lies. Anyways, as for her help- Odysseus also really did need that in the battle. She shielded him and helped him take his rightful spot back.
ReplyDeleteThat definitely an interesting point that all the gods enjoy a good show. They really don't get much out of messing with the mortals, but I think they enjoy playing the puppet master in a lot of these mortals lives. Also you bring up a good point about the relationship between Odysseus and Athena, which I think contrasts a lot from Athena's relationship with Telemachus (where she is basically telling him what to do).
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