kind. The Seirenes symbolize this role; their song seduces and compels anyone listening to linger until death. Kirke tries to seduce Odysseus before she helps him, and the beautiful Kalypso entices him with sex and immortality and will not release him to go home. It is the hero's job to resist the temptation of the seductress or it will lead to his downfall. In direct contrast with the seductress is the good hostess or wife. Penelope, Odysseus' wife, is the most important of these characters. She is the image of steadfastness, waiting and hoping for years for Odysseus' return. Even the intimidating suitors do not bend her from her constancy. Along with Penelope is Eurykleia who matches Penelope in steadfastness to her job as Telemakhos' nurse. Nausikaa is a good example of a girl who is an excellent hostess to Odysseus (she provides him a bath, clothing, food, and advice), and also cares about her image as a virtuous woman. Her mother, Queen Arete, is good hostess as well, and it was said that her favor would assure Odysseus a ship ride home. The role of the hostess is similar to that of goddess because they are both assisting those in need, Odysseus. More significantly the role of the good woman is to provide a model that makes up for the seductresses. They are there to show that Agamemnon's statement about his women, "that woman (Klytaimnestra) plotting a thing so low, defiled herself and all her sex, all women yet to come, even those few who may be virtuous," is untrue. The women in all three of these roles embody an essential part of the events of the story. The hero is helped by the goddess and the good woman, and must overcome her opposite, the seductress. The relationship between the hero and the women, in fact, forms the majority of the story. Thus the role of women in Homers The Odyssey plays an important part to making this epic poem such a wondrous tale and is essential to making this a wonderf...
