Calypso is a witch/nymph who wants Odysseus as her husband. She is important in the story because she keeps him away from Ithaka and his family for seven years while she holds him prisoner on her island. Odysseus is first seen on Calypso Island grieving to return home to Ithaka. For many years Odysseus grieves during the day and lies with Calypso at night. Finally Athena intervenes on his behalf and conviences Zues to sent Hermes to Calypso's island to force her to let Odysseus return to his home. She tells Odysseus that she had a change of heart and that he was free to leave her island if he wished but if he stayed she would give him immortality. She also said that Penelope has aged and would not be as beautiful as her. He replies by telling Calypso that he has also aged and that he would rather be with Penelope for just a moment than to live forever without her. She then gives him tools and tells him where to find wood to build a raft. After the raft is completed she bathed him and gave him a scented robe wine and boilded meat and last she created a landbreeze to blow.
There are many differences between the movie and the book. The first major difference is the maidens in the movie. Odysseus was the first man they have ever seen and the first mortal man Calypso has seen in 100 years. The book does not mention anything about the maidens. Also, the scenery is very different. In the book, Calypso island is described as a lush paradise with flowers and birds and a violet ocean. In the movie, Calypso's island has
white sand and white stone the ocean was blue and violent. In the movie, Odysseus has bad dreams about his men dying and Calypso comfortors him by lying with him. This is not mentioned in the book although it does say that Calypso lies with Odysseus. Another difference deals with the messager Hermes, inthe book she invites Hermes into her cave and gives him ruby colored nectar to drink, in the movie he just flies to her window to deliver Zues message.
Temptation poses the bigger problem in the story for Odysseus because Calypso was very beautiful and he was under her spell although he longed to be home with Penelope.
Calypso is the woman in this part of the story. She is bad and strong. We think she abused her powers as a goddess to try to keep a mortal man from returning home because of her selfish desires.
There are many differences between the movie and the book. The first major difference is the maidens in the movie. Odysseus was the first man they have ever seen and the first mortal man Calypso has seen in 100 years. The book does not mention anything about the maidens. Also, the scenery is very different. In the book, Calypso island is described as a lush paradise with flowers and birds and a violet ocean. In the movie, Calypso's island has
white sand and white stone the ocean was blue and violent. In the movie, Odysseus has bad dreams about his men dying and Calypso comfortors him by lying with him. This is not mentioned in the book although it does say that Calypso lies with Odysseus. Another difference deals with the messager Hermes, inthe book she invites Hermes into her cave and gives him ruby colored nectar to drink, in the movie he just flies to her window to deliver Zues message. Temptation poses the bigger problem in the story for Odysseus because Calypso was very beautiful and he was under her spell although he longed to be home with Penelope.
Calypso is the woman in this part of the story. She is bad and strong. We think she abused her powers as a goddess to try to keep a mortal man from returning home because of her selfish desires.
Erica Gillie
Stacy Therrell
Cheryl Jordan
10 comments:
The women in the Odyssey are all depicted as powerful beings having control over mortal men. They are still weaker in a sense than the male, though, in that they are all subject to Zeus. I just think its a little ironic that the great and mighty hero Odysseus is almost defeated by women.
I agree with you! At least their was one good women in the story and that was his wife! She was so faithful to him! I think it was kind of wrong for him not to be faithful to her since she was faithful to him.
Yeah, I was hoping that Odysseus would be faithful as well. He proved not to be several different times though. His wife was a very good woman and I'm glad he made it back to be with her. It's funny to me too that Odysseus was almost defeated by a woman. Not only on one occasion either. This shows just how powerful women can be!
to Robin I agree with you they are all depicted as powerful but are subject to the powerful Zeus. Yes, the women almost got the better of Odyesses, but his heart and his cunning got him through with Athena's help.
to Jennifer Yes I think women are more powerful than they think in this day an age. In the story though they could not defeat Odyessus's bravery, cunning, strengh, or love of home and family.
I don't like how unfaithful Odysseus was to his wife either. She never once was unfaithful to him. Most women would have given up on their husband, but she never gave up. She believed the whole time that he was still alive. She watched her son grow up alone. I am very glad that Odysseus was finally able to be with his wife.
I too was hoping that Odysseus would remain faithful, because we all knew that Penelope was and continued to be. I found it weird that a goddess of such beauty would want to lie with a commmon man though.
I thought it was weird how Odysseus stayed on her island ten years and didn't know that that much time has passed. I wish Odysseus would have remained faithful to his wife as she did. At least he talked about her and told Calypso that he wanted to be with his wife.
To robin.. women did play an important role in this book. It seems like over half of his troubles/struggles deals with women. I am just glad that in the end he came back to the best woman of all of them. I was very impressed that she did not cheat on him. He cheated on her numerous times. That's kind of not fair.
To lindsey.. It was very weird how he didn't realize how the time had passed. I just don't see how he didn't realize how he had been there for ten years! But it is very good that he thought of her the whole time he was gone.
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