The Odyssey begins with the fall of Troy. Odysseus, the main character of the story. Just got through with the ten year battle and is now considered to be a god like hero and great warrior . He now faces the challenge of returning to his home country, Ithaca. Throughout the ten year journey he faces many different challenging tasks. While he is going through various adventures, there are things going on back in Ithaca. Odysseus’s kingdom has been taken over by suitors who are trying to take his place. His son, Telemachus w

Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus was helped emmensly by the goddess Athena. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and battle, she is the daughter of the god Zeus. Athena takes great interest in Odysseus because she admires him for his nobility and his own natural capabilities. Athena also often helps Odysseus’s son Telemachus. Athena would always come to the rescue in different forms. She would often appear in dreams, most often to Odysseus’s wife Penelope. Another one of Athena’s schemes is changing a persons abilities or appearance for their own advantage. But she is most often helping with her master of disguise, she uses disguises on others as well as herself. Without Athena’s guidance Odysseus’s journey would have been a lot more strenuous and probably couldn’t have made it.

When I look at Athena’s roll in the Odyssey I see it as if she is playing a game, and getting Odysseus back to his wife and country makes her the winner. She follows him through his journey, helping him out in anyway possible along the way, whether it be directly through him, through his son, or through the dreams of people around him. Without Athena as his right hand woman, I don’t think Odysseus could have possibly made it home alive. Especially with such things as the God Poseidon, trying everything possible to make his journey a more stressful challenge. Athena is known as a great warrior, and with her knowledge she helped keep Odysseus one step ahead of the game.

ent off to find word on his dad, leaving the suitors to take over. But through disguise and quick thinking, Odysseus journeys home, takes control of his kingdom and all is well.

Historians believe that the Odyssey has a more comedic and story-like feel then the Iliad because it was written in a later part Homers life. It focuses on the journey and struggles of one single man, whereas the Iliad had more of a war and battle theme.

Some topics in this essay:
Princess Nausicaa, Odysseus Shepard, Ithaca Odysseus’s, Reaction Athena’s, Penelope Athena’s, Homer Greeks, Odysseus Telemachus, Telemachus Mentor, Iphthime Penelope, Troy Odysseus, master disguise, athena appears, telemachus disguised, book 13, son telemachus, begins fall, journey home, book 22, kingdom book, disguised beggar,