“Odyssey” – Women of Greece vs. the Women of Sicily
“Odyssey” – Women of Greece vs. the Women of Sicily
(May 13, 2013)
Women of Greece meet Women of Sicily in the "Odyssey"
Previous articles (see Related Articles box) reported on the research of classical scholars Samuel Butler and L.G. Pocock who documented an overwhelming ‘preponderance-of-evidence’ supporting their theory that names of places and locations in the Odyssey where metaphors for actual locations in Sicily. Thus, for example, the descriptions of the Odyssey city “Scheria” perfectly match descriptions of the actual Sicilian city of Trapani. Given that Butler and Pocock proved ‘beyond-a-reasonable-doubt’ that the physical settings of the poem are in western Sicily and western Mediterranean, and do not remotely match places in Greece and eastern Mediterranean, it is reasonable to hypothesize that the ‘ideologies’ developed in the poem are also ideologies prevailing in western Sicily at the time of the poem’s composition. For example, commenters have noted the extremely different representations of women in the Iliad vs. the Odyssey. This dichotomous female representation is also internally manifested within the Odyssey text itself; for example, the differences between the Ithaca woman Penelope and the Scheria woman Arete. Could it be that these juxtaposing representations of females in the Odyssey depict the view of women in Greece (e.g. Penelope) and the women in Sicily (e.g. Arete) circa 750 B.C.? This hypothesis is reasonable because at the time that the poem is generally thought to have been written (ca. 750 -700 B.C.), Trapani was Not a Greek city, it was indigenous Elymian Sicilian. At that time, the Greeks had just begun colonizing the east coast of Sicily (Naxos 734 and Syracusae 735 B.C.). However, there is historic evidence that Greeks were present in Elymian Trapani at that time. In short, consistent with Butler’s theory that “the poem was written by a young Trapani women”, it could be that the wife or daughter of a Greek immigrant trading merchant living in Trapani wrote the poem. She would know Trapani personally, know other Mediterranean ports from husband/father’s reports, and know the dichotomous female ideology of “Women of Sicily vs. Women of Greece” from experience. Indeed, the poem may be a glimpse into the mysterious Elymain society at the dawn of historic Sicilian culture?
Introduction – Women in Iliad and Odyssey
At least as early as the beginning of the eighteenth century, Homeric cognoscenti discussed the significantly different representations of women in the Odyssey as opposed to the Iliad. Butler cites some examples:
“It is admitted on all hands that the preponderance of interest in the "Iliad" is on the side of man, and in the "Odyssey" on that of woman. Women in the "Iliad" are few in number and rarely occupy the stage. True, the goddesses play important parts, but they are never taken seriously.
“Shelley… "The 'Odyssey' is sweet… Strength is felt everywhere, even in the tenderest passages of the "Iliad," but it is sweetness rather than strength that fascinates us throughout the "Odyssey."
“William E. Gladstone in his work on Homer: It is rarely in the "Iliad" that grandeur or force give way to allow the exhibition of domestic affection. Conversely, in the "Odyssey" the family life supplies the tissue into which is woven the thread of the poem. (The Authoress of the Odyssey p. 107)
“It was Bentley (Richard Bentley in 1700, some say, began modern Homeric research), who said that the "Iliad" was written for men, and the "Odyssey" for women. (p .4)
However, the trickle of such commentary, under the influence of late twentieth century women’s studies, issues, liberation, etc., became a torrent of publications on the role of women in the Odyssey (e.g. see results of Google search ‘women in Odyssey’).
There seems to be no disagreement about the fact that women are represented in the Odyssey in quantitative and qualitative terms differently than in the Iliad. However, there is little agreement about the implications of that fact in terms of authorship, historiography, cultural studies, etc.
One scholar (Helene Whittaker of Tromso University in Norway) posited an especially pregnant thought:
Within the Odyssey, there is a significant difference between women of Ithaca and women of Scheria.
Sadly, to my mind, the implication of that observation had for Butler’s female author theory and Sicilian cultural history was not extrapolated.
The purpose of this present article is to explore further the implications Whittaker’s cogent observation has for the possibility of an Odyssey female author, and more generally Sicilian cultural history ca. 750 B.C.
The Authoress of the Odyssey – A Greek Woman Living in Trapani?
In short, Butler’s thesis:
“I believe …that the "Odyssey" was written by one woman, and…that this woman knew no other neighbourhood than that of Trapani, and therefore must be held to have lived and written there. (p. 200)
Both the work of Butler and Pocock demonstrate, based on the ‘preponderance of topographical evidence’ and ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’, that the author of the Odyssey was a resident of Trapani and was familiar with various places on the coast of Sicily and the western Mediterranean.
However, the evidence Butler posited supporting his theory that the author was a young woman is circumstantial based on internal literary criticism of the text; while highly supportive, such evidence is not conclusive. For example, the premise of his argument is an a priori generalization about men vs. women writers:
“What, let me ask, is the most unerring test of female authorship? Surely a preponderance of female interest, and a fuller knowledge of those things which a woman generally has to deal with, than of those that fall more commonly within the province of man. People always write by preference of what they know best, and they know best what they most are, and have most to do with. (p. 105)
Having stipulated this general theory of female writers, he proceeds to develop a great many specific examples of the prominent and dominant women characters in the Odyssey. For example,
“When there is any exhibition of domestic life and affection in the "Iliad" the men are dominant, and the women are under their protection, whereas throughout the "Odyssey" it is the women who are directing, counseling, and protecting the men.
“Minerva, omnipresent at the elbows of Ulysses and Telemachus to keep them straight and alternately scold and flatter them. In the "Iliad" she is a great warrior but she is no woman: in the "Odyssey" she is a great woman but no warrior
“Euryale, the old servant, is quite a match for Telemachus
“Calypso is the master mind, not Ulysses
“Nausicaa, delightful as she is, it would not be wise to contradict her; she knows what is good for Ulysses, and all will go well with him so long as he obeys her, but she must be master and he man. (p. 107)
Butler fills whole chapters with these types of ‘women superior to men’ anecdotes, which he thinks imply a female author. Thus, the essence of his logical deduction that the author of the Odyssey is a women seems to be, in an overly simplified form for purposes of illustration, is as follows:
Major Premise: A Woman writes from a woman's perspective
Minor Premise: The Odyssey is written from a woman’s perspective
Conclusion: The Odyssey was written by a woman.
While Butler brings forth an enormous amount of anecdotes supporting his Minor Premise, thus supporting his Conclusion; nevertheless the whole of his argument is based on the ‘assumption of the Major Premise generalization about how women write.
Surely, there are, as he documents, many examples in the history of women’s writing supporting his Major Premise; but, the generalization is far to sweeping, covering as it does all women’s writing for the past three-thousand years. Even it if were true in the modern period, how could one know about the mentality of a woman writer living in western Sicily circa 1000-700 B.C.?
Nevertheless, the volume of evidence Butler brings forth, supporting both his Major and Minor Premises, is so substantial that his conclusion cannot be dismissed or ignored. His theory warrants further research and consideration.
As noted above, Professor Whittaker’s observation of the difference between the representations of Ithaca and Scheria women suggests a line of external evidence (i.e. historical rather than internal literary criticism) that can be brought to bear supporting Butler’s theory.
Ithaca (Greeks) vs. Scheria (Sicilians)
The juxtaposition of the Penelope character and Arete characters is the key to significant historical evidence supporting Butler’s theory.
In her essay “Gender Roles in the Odyssey” (http://www.gvsd.org/cms/lib02/PA01001045/Centricity/Domain/559/Gender%20roles%20in%20the%20Odyssey.pdf)
Professor Whittaker makes the especially cogent observation that there is a difference between the Ithaca woman Penelope and the Scheria woman Arete. She characterize the differences as “reality vs. mythical”
Professor Whittaker agrees with the Homeric critical tradition that there is a significant difference in the representations of women between the Iliad and Odyssey. She writes:
“Of relevance is the fact that while the Iliad does contain some notable female characters, in the Iliad women are seen fairly infrequently and are not as a rule the focus of interest, in the Odyssey, on the other hand, they are everywhere and have major roles in the action (p. 30)
However, apart from the differences between the two poems, she also notices that there is a difference in the representation of women within the Odyssey. For example, consider the difference between Penelope of Ithaca and Arete of Scheria:
“Penelope comes down from her room and asks Phemios to choose another song, since hearing about Troy and the suffering brought about by the war causes her too much sorrow in reminding her of Odysseus.
“Telemakhos then makes the following reply to his mother Penelope: "go to your room and occupy yourself with your own affairs, weaving and spinning and tell your maids to get busy.
“Also, Penelope has arranged a contest with Odysseus bow in order to test the suitors. Telemakhos, however, prevents Penelope from being present at and watching the contest by again telling her that she should attend to her weaving and spinning since weaponry is the concern of men only. (p. 31)
This male dominating attitude of Telemakhos is consistent with that in the Iliad. Prof. Whittaker writes:
“Telemakhos' replies [to Penelope in the Odyssey]…are modeled on Hektor's reply to Andromakhe in the Iliad, where he tells her that war concerns men only and she should attend to her weaving and spinning.
“The contexts both of Hektor's words to Andromakhe in the Iliad and Telemakhos' to Penelope in the Odyssey are closely comparable.
“In both instances in the Odyssey, Penelope accepts Telemakhos' rebuke which indicates that there was an absolute respect for the division of roles. (p.31- 32)
Now consider how differently Arete of Scheria is presented:
“In Skherie, Arete seems to enjoy exceptional power and influence. Nausikaa [her daughter] advises Odysseus that when he comes into the palace, he should first approach the queen, Arete, in supplication.
“When Odysseus meets Athena disguised as a young Phaiakian girl and she gives him the same advice and adds that Arete is honoured as no other woman. By securing her favour, he will have good chances of having the Phaiakians help him return home. (p. 34)
Also, in this context recall Butler’s words quoted above:
“Nausicaa, delightful as she is, it would not be wise to contradict her; she knows what is good for Ulysses, and all will go well with him so long as he obeys her, but she must be master and he man. (p. 107)
Clearly, the women of Scheria are ‘cut from a different cloth’ (so to speak) than the women of Ithaca. How is this difference to be explained?
Professor Whittaker posits that Ithaca represents “reality/normality”, while Scheria is “irreality/mythical”. She writes:
“The prominence of Arete is more likely part of the otherness of Skherie. Skherie is not yet reality…In fact, Nausicaa words tell Odysseus and the listeners of the poem that Skherie is not yet normality. (p.34)
“In the Odyssey, Arete is shown as mixing freely with men in the main hall and this has been taken to indicate that it was not irregular for women to take part in the social events of the household. However. Arete is not to be considered typical. Arete does not belong to the real world. (p .34)
“Ithaka represents normality against which the other environments encountered in the poem are contrasted…there is a fundamental antithesis between the real world represented in the main by Ithaka and the otherness of the literary, mythical landscapes visited by Odysseus between the time of his departure from Troy and his arrival on Ithaka. (p. 29)
“Skherie [is] a borderland between reality and irreality (p. 30)
In short, according to Professor Whittaker, Ithaca and its culture represent reality / normality and Scheria and its culture is irreality / not normal / mythical.
Frankly, Professor Wittaker’s conclusion that Scheria is not real and mythical is demonstrably wrong. Butler and Pocock proved that Scheria is the very real city of Trapani.
Given that the poet is describing a very real city of Trapani, what then is the implication of the dichotomy between the Ithaca women and the Scheria women. Poetic license? Is it just the poet’s conjuring muse generating mythical female ideology?
If, as per Butler, the poet was describing the real city Trapani, then is it not possible s/he was describing the real women’s culture (ideology) of Trapani?
The Authoress of the Odyssey
If the city of Scheria is real; then why are not the women of Scheria also real? And who better to describe the women of Scheria than a woman of Scheria?
Summarizing:
Fact #1 The author of the Odyssey clearly was Greek as evidence by the fact that the poem was written in Greek, and the author also was very familiar with the Iliad and Greek mythology.
Fact #2 The author also had detail knowledge of western Sicily and Mediterranean; proven by Butler and Pocock.
Hypothesis to explain facts #1 and #2:
The writer was a Greek living in Trapani. Perhaps, the author was a Greek merchant trader who was based in Trapani and traveled around the Sicilian coastline and the western Mediterranean.
Facts supporting Hypothesis
Butler cites various ancient authors such as Thucydides and Virgil etc. indicating that Greeks were present in western Sicily in the early part of the first millennium B.C. (p.5). Similarly, the classical scholar Arnold Toynbee noted some linguistic evidence.
Fact #3 The poem is written from a woman’s point of view and depicted women in a very non-Greek manner.
Hypothesis to explain fact #3
The author was the wife or daughter of a Greek merchant living in Trapani:
- As a Greek, she would know the Iliad, and Greek language and culture
- Living in Trapani, she would know the topography of the city and its surroundings, and she would know the Elymian Sicilian women residents directly. Thus, she would know the prevailing attitude about women in Trapani.
- As a wife/daughter, she would hear reports from husband/father about his travels to around Sicily and the western Mediterranean.
In short, a Greek women (and possibly ONLY a Greek women) living in Trapani would have all the information necessary to account for the topographical and female ideological details in the Odyssey!
Finally and perhaps most importantly, Butler’s theory
if extended beyond topographical representation of western Sicily into the realm of western Sicilian women’s ideology,
then the Odyssey may be much more than a great poem; it may be a very significant historic source document describing the hitherto virtually unknown indigenous pre-Greek Elymian-Sicilian society.
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