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? When reading the Odyssey, it is hard not to notice that women do play strong roles. During this time period and up until the twentieth century when women were given suffrage, women were looked down upon. Homer instead creates several strong female characters su ....

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.... side and watched men go off to war and then waited hopefully for their return. But in the Odyssey, it is a woman who saves the day several times. The story starts with Athene interrupting the chief god, Zeus, and reminding him of Odysseus' troubles on Earth. She convinces them to back her against Poseidon, who is angry with Odysseus, and allow her to start him on his journey home. She then continues to watch him throughout the story to make sure he was safe. Everywhere he goes, she is there. In Book Five, when Odysseus is leaving Calypso's island, Poseidon is leaving Ethiopa, where he was visiting. When he sees Odysseus on his turf, he whips up a la ....