Illustration of Odysseus tied to a ship's mast

The Odyssey

by Homer

Start Free Trial

Editor's Choice

How do gods interfere in The Odyssey?

Quick answer:

In The Odyssey, gods frequently interfere in mortal affairs, manipulating events for their own agendas. Athena aids Odysseus and Telemachus by providing guidance and protection, while Poseidon hinders Odysseus due to a personal vendetta, causing numerous obstacles. Zeus also impacts Odysseus's journey, sometimes negatively, like when he strands Odysseus on Ogygia. The gods' interventions highlight their capricious nature and the subordination of mortals to divine whims.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Here, as elsewhere in Greek mythology, the gods are portrayed as manipulative, constantly intervening in the lives of mortals for their own selfish gain. The gods have plans, and mortals like Odysseus are a part of those plans—bit-players who can be moved around at will by the immortals like pieces on a chessboard.

Yes, the gods can sometimes be incredibly helpful. If it hadn't been for Athena's interceding with Zeus on Odysseus's behalf, our hero would still be stuck on Ogygia without any prospect of returning home. By the same token, Athena shows herself a useful ally to Telemachus, giving him the courage to address the assembly of Ithaca and filling him with the confidence necessary to set out on his own odyssey in search of his lost father.

But even here, there's no real moral imperative involved in the gods' actions, just a lot of Olympian game-playing. Sometimes, this...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

can redound to Odysseus's benefit, as in the examples just mentioned. At other times, however, it has the exact opposite effect. After all, it was Zeus's deadly thunderbolt that caused Odysseus to end up stranded on Ogygia in the first place. Hero or not, Odysseus, like all the other mortals in the poem, must know his place and that he is completely subordinate to the wills and whims of the gods.

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Athena is constantly stepping in to help Odysseus and Telemachus, often disguising Odysseus or wrapping him in mist so that he cannot be seen or identified.  Further, she appears often to Telemachus to help inspire him to strike out and search for news of his father, and she helps him to make a noble name for himself too.  Poseidon interferes in Odysseus's life in a negative way, however, because Odysseus blinded his son, Polyphemus; Poseidon tries to keep Odysseus from being able to reach his home, and he actually turns the Phaeacians' ship to stone so that it sinks and drowns everyone on board since they helped Odysseus.  Zeus even interferes when Odysseus's crew lands on Thrinacia, sending first a storm and then a terrible lull in the winds they needed to get home so that they cannot leave.  Therefore, the gods interfere in The Odyssey for a number of reasons, both to help and to hurt.

Approved by eNotes Editorial