When Homer wove the characters of The Odyssey into a story, he undoubtedly left room for interpretation of their actions. The characters, most of whom are dynamic, colorful, and three dimensional, are used by Homer to give a fun but truthful commentary on the Ancient Greeks and their way of life. The actions of one figure, the man-eating monster named Skylla, are particularly interesting when viewed in the context of the rest of the story. Though her contribution to the plot is minor, Skylla's actions are important in that they are characteristic of several themes found throughout the poem. These themes include the role of the female in Odysseus's struggle, the hunger (figuratively and literally) of the characters in The Odyssey, and the commentary Homer makes on the individuals who live lawlessly.

In The Odyssey, Homer introduces many female characters; some play significant roles, some are in the background. Regardless of their importance, distinctions can be made as to their roles in the story: that is, some put forth effort to help Odysseus and the other men--Arete, Athena, Nausikaa, and Eurykleia are examples--and others (whom he encounters on his voyages home) lea

Odysseus's experience with Skylla is by far the most deadly and disturbing. Whereas the other women succeed only in enticing and delaying the crew, the encounter with Skylla has lethal consequences. Even though he decides to take the sea route that passes near her lair, it seeming to be the least dangerous of the three options, he wants nothing to do with the monster. Yet, instead of passing unscathed, six of his men are taken (XII, 294-7) as the boat sails through the channel. Homer uses an epic simile to help the reader visualize the macabre scene. He compares Skylla to a fisherman who "will hook a fish and rip it from the surface / to dangle wriggling through the air" (XII, 303-4). The crewmen are the fish, of course, and seem helpless as Skylla whisks them from the ship. Describing the attack, Odysseus says, "and deathly pity ran me through / at that sight--far the worst I ever suffered, / questing the passes of the strange sea" (308-10). It seems that he realizes that the losses were his responsibility and that he too could easily have been a victim of Skylla's wrath.

Like most of the other characters in The Odyssey, Skylla is three-dimensional and can be looked at on several levels. On the surface, her role in The Odyssey seems to be only to cause pain and suffering to Odysseus and his men. When examined more closely, she becomes a monster with twelve legs, six heads and three themes. These themes-the threat women pose to a man's motives, the "hunger" seen in the characters, and the disapproval of incivility--are not pervasive in the story, but can be identified when Skylla is examined in the context of the other characters and their roles. Regardless of her importance in tying these themes together, she is a necessary part of the story because she is one of the many characters-or threads-that Homer used to weave The Odyssey.

in the dire grapple, reaching still for me- (XII, 294-307)

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2082
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)