THEME

In Greek mythology in general and the Odyssey in particular, metis is an androgynous, amorphous concept.  It can be masculine or feminine, positive or negative, an idea that like the person who displays it is hard to nail down.  Metis when translated to English is a term that can mean something between wisdom, skill, and cleverness.  According to Brill’s New Pauly, metis is first used to describe Zeus, as gifted with wisdom, and is later personified as a goddess.  Here we see the duality of its nature, it is a both masculine and feminine value.

In the Odyssey, we see the same story play out once again.  Odysseus is often described as having metis, being a clever orator and a shrewd and cunning man; at the same time, the goddess most closely associated with him, Athena, shows the same guile.  Odysseus uses his cleverness to respond in ways that make his hosts appreciate him.  At the same time, he uses it to outwit his enemies, such as the cyclops, and ensure his own survival.  Athena uses her cunning and wisdom to convince the other gods to support her wishes and help her champion achieve his goals.  Both female and male show the same skills.

This ability is not limited to immortal women; the same can, in fact, be said of Penelope.  She displays metis in her treatment of her suitors, tricking them every step of the way, from undoing her weaving at night, to offering them the impossible task of drawing Odysseus’s bow as a final challenge.  She uses her wits in a way that is not often shown for women in Greek mythology in order to get what she wants and avoid what she does not.

So far metis seems like a positive concept, its demonstrators being Zeus, Odysseus, Penelope, and Athena, yet it is not that clear cut.  Another character who can be seen displaying metis is Helen.  While one might think she is a hero, she is in fact a very ambiguous character.  When surrounded by Greeks she chooses to tell a tale of helping Odysseus, in which she is portrayed as longing to return to her husband and her Greek homeland, yet in Menelaus’s tale she attempts to ensnare the Greeks and betray them to the Trojans.  In this tale she imitates the voices of the Greek commanders’ wives in an attempt to trick them, a clear display of metis.  In addition, she drugs her male companions while they are unhappy in order to improve their mood, another clear display of trickery.  Unlike Penelope’s use of metis to keep herself honorable, Helen can be seen to use it in quite a negative light.

So, metis can be associated with men or women, good or evil, but what exactly is it.  Just like the people who posses it, it is not a simple concept.  It is the essence of so-called “street smarts,” the ability of the individuals who posses it to mold themselves into whatever form they need to achieve what they want.  Zeus uses his wisdom to rule over the gods, Metis uses her cunning to gain freedom for her daughter, Athena uses her persuasive skills to convince the other gods to go along with her plans, Odysseus uses his trickery to outwit his enemies and protect his friends, Penelope uses her deceit in order to keep rival suitors at bay while she waits for her husband to return and attempts to keep the house from collapsing, and Helen uses her malleability to ensure that no matter what the final outcome that is achieved is, she will come out on top.  Metis is the ability to mold oneself to the circumstances and see what steps need to be taken in order to succeed.  Anyone can posses this ability, man, woman, or child since anyone can have a goal in mind.  It is neither inherently evil nor good, it is simply a means to an end and the ability to achieve that end, be it good or evil.