Mythology: a Woman World too

Calypso shows how important women were in all mythology. Being a godlike sea-nymph, Calypso shows to us how gods in Greek mythology interact with humans all the time in what has to do with love, future and decisions. Her love towards Ulysses shows how women are passionate and persistent in what has to do with love. “Calypso received Ulysses hospitably, entertained him magnificently, became enamoured of him, and wished to retain him forever, conferring on him immortality.” Calypso is an example of how female love is present throughout Greek mythology with intense stories of forbidden love, obsessive attractions, disappointment, rejection and tragedies. These are the royal soap operas of antiquity.

Calypso was hard-working and devoted to Ulysses, even if he was to leave her. “She supplied Ulysses with the means of constructing a raft, provisioned it well for him, and gave him a favoring gale.” One can extract how important love is for women, and how superficial men’s love is. Calypso was also interested in Ulysses son, which is a clue to the age of gods in relationship with humans. This is also an example of how love in Greek mythology was open to sudden mood swings. “Among other places at which he arrived, following on his father’s footsteps, was Calypso’s isle, and, as in the former case, the goddess tried every art to keep him with her, and offered to share her immortality with him.” This part of offering immortality gives us the idea of how the gods are open to negotiation and will use any benefits and means they have to reach what they want.

I hope to learn more about Calypso and other female immortals, what they thought, felt and accomplished and the deep, eternal lessons and intense drama and entertainment they have for us even today. These stories confer timeless immortality to these characters and show us our similarity to the divine.