5. Consider Book 6 as a whole in the context of the view of women and gender roles in society. Include discussion of lines 300-320 and the idea of acting for an audience/according to expectations. Any connections to current society?
In Book 6, Nausicaa says, "one of the coarser sort...might say...'Now who's that tall, handsome stranger [Odysseus] that Nausicaa has in tow?...some shipwrecked stray she's taken up with'...just think of the scandal that would face me then" (6.302, 303, 305, 314). Nausicaa is saying that even though Odysseus is tall and handsome, because he is a shipwrecked stray, she would face a major scandal if anyone found out who he is. But she also says, "[they'd say] unless it's really a god come down from the blue...[they'd say she's] nothing but our best" (6.307, 312). Both of these show how Nausicaa believes that her man's status (shipwrecked stray vs god) reflects how the audience perceives her. I see parallels to this in our society. Through my observations, I have seen how a girl can perceive her self-worth as being determined by whether she "gets the guy" or not.
In Book 6, Nausicaa says, "one of the coarser sort...might say...'Now who's that tall, handsome stranger [Odysseus] that Nausicaa has in tow?...some shipwrecked stray she's taken up with'...just think of the scandal that would face me then" (6.302, 303, 305, 314). Nausicaa is saying that even though Odysseus is tall and handsome, because he is a shipwrecked stray, she would face a major scandal if anyone found out who he is. But she also says, "[they'd say] unless it's really a god come down from the blue...[they'd say she's] nothing but our best" (6.307, 312). Both of these show how Nausicaa believes that her man's status (shipwrecked stray vs god) reflects how the audience perceives her. I see parallels to this in our society. Through my observations, I have seen how a girl can perceive her self-worth as being determined by whether she "gets the guy" or not.
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