Odysseus & Athena

b. Immortal versus Mortal; Protector versus Protected

a. Athena as Virgin; Odysseus as Man

b. Athena as Wise Protector; Odysseus as Wise Protected

c. Athena as Goddess; Odysseus as Mortal

d. Athena as Spiritual Cleanser; Odysseus as Being Worthy of the Gods’

e. Mutual Identification as the Love Bond Between Athena and Odysseus

f. Athena’s and Odysseus’ as Symbolic of What Man and Gods Should Not

a. The Multifaceted Nature of Athena’s and Odysseus’ Relationship

b. Athena and Odysseus and the Heroic Ideal

The relationship between the goddess Athena and the mortal Odysseus in Homer’s Greek Classic, The Odyssey, encompasses aspects of many different relationships rather than one single type, such as protector and protected or mother-figure and son-figure. One the most significant level, the relationship is between that of immortal (Athena) and mortal (Odysseus), which is primary in import because of the fact that we are continually reminded by Homer that Odysseus is as close to an immortal, or god, as a mortal gets. Odysseus is constantly referred to as the strongest, most cunning, wisest and most beautiful man, i.e., as close to being a god as a mere mortal can get. Athena, therefore, shares a protector-protected relationship with him because he is

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hena’s relationship to Odysseus is also akin to that of a mentor and her protégé as she schools him and protects him while he develops into the heroic ideal. She is his patroness and he is her benefactor, a relationship which helps him achieve his potential to represent the highest level of skills in battle, domestic relationships and all that represented the heroic ancient Greek ideal. We see this come relationship come full circle when Odysseus returns home and resumes his rightful place, now being tested in battle and knowing his relationship to the gods and other men: The fact that Athene is said to work this transformation is more than a mere facon de parler, for this is the first time, chronologically speaking, that she has had anything directly to do with her protégé in more than nine years. This miraculous change occurs at one other critical point in the poem, furthermore, and that is when Odysseus, having accomplished the destruction of the suitors and the purification of his halls, is transfigured before his meeting with Penelope. Both examples mark a rapproachment of the hero and his patroness, and the one under discussion signalizes Odysseus’ reunion with all that Athene represents. It is important in this connec
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Approximate Word count = 2577
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)