Is Homer a Sexist?

Would Homer Be bonsidered a Sexist?

Homer’s treatment of women now may seen slightly sexist, but in the time period he was in, Homer was a feminist. He made his respect for women clear in his works, especially in The Odyssey. Homer shows his point of view through the nymph Calypso, a temptress who has captured Odysseus. When Hermes tells her she has to finally let Odysseus go, she flies into a rage. Calypso complains about the Gods being sexist. She whines about male gods being able to be with mortal women but not the other way around. This was how Homer portrayed his idea to people. He is saying that he doesn't agree with the inequality of relationships. He is saying that women should have just as much power in a relationship as men do. Also when Odysseus returns to Ithaca his home disguised as a beggar, he witnesses his wife tricking her suitors. Penelope has been portrayed as a weaker character who was dependant on her husband. Now though we see that she is intelligent and holds quite a bit of power over all of her suitors. Homer is portraying his view that women can be intelligent and have power.
Pallas Athena is another dominant female character in The Odyssey. Not only does she guide Odysseus through the entire poem, but she brings the peace of the end. A fight breaks out at the house of Odysseus' father as attempted revenge for killing the suitors. Athena then breaks into the fighting and orders a stop to the fighting. She tells Odysseus that war is not always the answer. He is depicting women as wise as we see this play out. In this instance the woman is indeed wiser than the man. Another example is when Odysseus shows up on an island and is helped by a princess. When he meets her he is naked. This fact humbles and lowers Odysseus to the woman. This is a very feminist idea of putting a man in the hands of a woman. Odysseus had no option but to trust a girl, implying his feminist ideas.