Athena In Homers Odyssey The Persuasiveness Of Athena

A Father’s Daughter: The Persuasiveness of Athena in The Odyssey In Homer’s The Odyssey the reader is introduced to a number of powerful women, who, as per the social rules of the time, are expected to bend to the whim of their male counterparts. These women, while persuasive and cunning, fall victim to the patriarchal status of Greek society; Penelope, wife of Odysseus and mother of Telemachus, must obey the word of her son; the nymph Calypso must obey the command of Zeus through Hermes; Nausicaa must obey the word of her father. However, the goddess Athena does not fall as low as these women, and therefore through her status, quick wit, and strength of character is able to persuade the King of Gods himself to allow Odysseus to return†¦show more content†¦Now, how on earth could I forget Odysseus? ...No, it’s the Earth-Shaker, Poseidon, unappeased, forever fuming against him for the Cyclops whose giant eye he blinded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Odyssey, 79). Imm ediately, Zeus is at the psychological mercy of his daughter; she has used his past love for Odysseus, the devout warrior who has many times before made sacrifices in Zeus’ name, against him. Her father, unaware that he is falling for her plan, states that he and his fellow gods will â€Å"work out [Odysseus’] journey home† (The Odyssey, 80). Always two steps ahead; Athena states her plan for the gods, placing herself in charge of its fruition, therefore giving herself power over the situation. While Athena is a major goddess, she is still a woman—the daughter of Zeus who must remain subservient to him. For this reason, she chooses her words carefully while speaking to him, making sure to grant him the illusion of power over the situation. Athena speaks to him with honorifics, such as â€Å"Olympian†, as well as referring to him as â€Å"†¦our high and mighty king† (The Odyssey, 80), inflating his ego enough for him to consent to her p lans. This pushes her father to the precipice of superiority, making him feel above his brother, which then allows her to coax empathy into his heart. The clever Goddess uses her powerful words to coerce Zeus without him realizing the extent to which his daughter has him wrapped around her finger, all the while making him think he has control