It seems that women are another test for Odysseus, perhaps sent by the gods to ensure that Odysseus proves worthy of returning home to his wife and son. The role of women in the Odyssey is not necessarily exclusively to support the male heroes, particularly in regards to Odysseus. Rather they are a way, used by Homer, to show the internal struggles that Odysseus is experiencing and even hint at the possibility of an alternative ending if Odysseus had succumbed to his temptations. Odysseus is tested by Athena, the other gods, his family, and even himself on his journey back to Ithaca. The women of the Odyssey are another test of Odysseus' character to see if he can really live up to the name he has made for himself in the years he has been