So I've been thinking a lot about this lately. Can Gods and Goddesses actually be heroes? And if so, why? Sure they go around saving the world and helping mortals, but does it truly count if they have supernatural powers?
While reading the Odyssey this felt really relevant in terms of Athena. Without her help, our two "heroes" Telemachus and Odysseus would not have been able to complete basically any of their heroic acts. So does that make her a hidden hero in the Odyssey?
I really cannot come to a concrete conclusion about this, honestly. With her ability to transform into anyone she needs to, along with countless other powers that mortals do not possess, how can we compare her to Odysseus or Telemachus?
I think for me this came up when I started noticing just how much she was doing for Telemachus. I don't think he would have gotten anything done with out Athena. If it weren't for her, wouldn't he just still be stuck at home, moping surrounded by suitors?
Obviously, Athena doesn't have to be the only example of this. Can all greek gods/goddesses be truly heroic in our classic notion if the term if most of their heroic acts are backed by the knowledge that they're either immortal or have supernatural powers to save them?
This has been a rambly and confusing post of my thoughts. I apologize.
There has to be some hero in _The Odyssey_, be it the gods, the mortals, or both...or does there? Telemachus really isn't a hero (yet), his actions are essentially controlled by Athena. Odysseus seems like a hero, yet he is mentored and assisted by the gods on every step of his voyage. Maybe the gods are the heroes? But now I hit the same issue that you mentioned: since the gods have supernatural powers, can they be classified as heroes?
ReplyDeleteI would think yes, because many of their "heroic" acts are against the other gods. God vs god, mortal vs mortal, both can be considered heroes.
Does having supernatural powers really affect a character's ability to be a hero? Superman, Batman, Gandalf, Harry Potter, and most other heroes in pop culture all have supernatural powers that give them an advantage over everyone else, yet they are still regarded as classic heroes. I think that Athena's heroism has to be evaluated in context with Athena’s ability, but I think helping Telemachus in all the ways she does, as well as supporting and helping Odysseus, seem like pretty heroic things for Athena to do.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting post because it brings up the question of who is being the hero in The Odyssey? We haven't seen any instances where someone does something heroic. However, we have to remember that Odysseus IS the hero of this story because of his heroic displays in the Trojan War. A prophecy said that Odysseus would have trouble returning home if he goes to fight in the Trojan War. Odysseus, however, goes on to fight showing his heroism.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that Athena seems like the hero of the Odyssey in some ways. In this story, at least, Athena is always seen as helpful to Odysseus and Telemachus. As you said, she provides Telemachus with an opportunity to be seen as a hero and she is constantly giving Odysseus divine help. One thing that I don't understand about Athena is why she shrouds Ithaca in a mist. It seems like she is trying to mess with Odysseus, which doesn't make her seem very heroic.
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree with what your saying because it made me think about what the Gods are doing in this story. We've got Athena actively trying to help Odysseus, Poseidon trying to stop him and Zeus just sitting up in the sky telling people how to help him but not actually doing anything. If Athena was so powerful why didn't she just use her magic and send him straight home? Why must he have this journey if everyone except Poseidon is fine with him going home? It's more like the Gods are bored and using Odysseus as something to occupy themselves instead of actually trying to be heroes.
ReplyDeleteAthena's role sort of fluctuates throughout the poem, as does her degree of direct involvement in the plot. But two of her roles are akin to author and audience--there's a sense in which she herself isn't being "heroic," because as you say this stuff is all pretty easy for her, but she's making the heroism happen in the human hero figures, advancing the plot, bringing the threads together. But by the time of the Slaughter in the Hall (and leading up to it), she becomes more of an appreciative audience. There' s the sense that Odysseus is a favorite fictional character of hers, and she's put him into this new adventure/revenge plot, and now she's going to sit back and enjoy the bloodletting.
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