Women in the Odyssey: Valued Beings or Forgotten Slaves? When reading the Odyssey, it is hard not to notice that women do play strong roles. During this time period and up until the twentieth century when women were given suffrage, women were looked down upon. Homer instead creates several strong female characters such as Penelope, Athene, and Calypso. All of these women are not only a main part of the story, but are active participants in it. Not only are these women involved, but they play respected roles that bring attention to their qualities, such as guile, virtue, and devotion. They are treated seriously by Homer, not ridiculed for disobeying the tradi