Betrayal In The Odyssey And The Song Of Roland

It is the opposite of loyalty, and no matter how hard someone stays loyal they can still be betrayed. An example of loyalty is in The Odyssey, written by Homer. In The Odyssey the main character, Odysseus has just been in a war for about 10 years. He must

Intro: There are a wide variety of themes present throughout the Odyssey, written by Homer. Be it hospitality, perseverance, vengeance or power of the Gods, loyalty is truly the theme that brings the whole book together. Being 10 years after the Trojan War, many have forgotten about Odysseus and his men as they constantly brave what the gods throw their way. This essay will be talking about Odysseus and Penelope’s mutual loyalty to one another, the loyal relationships between Gods and men and finally, the loyalty Odysseus’ men show for him until death. This essay with prove to us that without loyalty, Odysseus’ legendary journey would have been put to an end near where they started. The general theme of loyalty is what kept Odysseus

Despite these few instances, Odysseus remains faithful to Penelope in their twenty years apart.  He does not love either Calypso or Circe as he did Penelope, and thusly chooses not to stay with either of the two.  Although the principle might get lost in the tale, Penelope played the part of the goal for Odysseus to obtain, or re-obtain by the end of the

Loyalty is heroic. Loyalty is defined as faithfulness or devotion to a person, cause, obligations, or duties. In Homer's Odyssey one can see loyalty in many forms. Odysseus is loyal to the gods whom he realized held his life in their hands. Penelope was loyal to Odysseus, while trying not to offend the rude suitors. Telemachus was loyal to a father whom he only knew from the stories he had been told. Time and time again we see loyalty in the strongest sense, complete fidelity in time of uncertainty.

Numerous mythologies we have read throughout this semester have had an underlying message. Those who are loyal to their beliefs, their spouses, and the gods are rewarded, but those who prove to be unfaithful are dealt with harshly. From the multitude of examples in mythology, I have chosen four to discuss: Cupid & Psyche, Odysseus & Penelope, Medea & Jason, and Antigone & Creon. Each of these characters and their stories exemplify either rewards or punishments for their actions from the gods and fates. First, we must discuss how to define loyalty in a way the Greek and Romans would agree with. Loyalty wasn’t just wives obeying husbands, or servants obeying masters, but also the people obeying the rules of the gods. Obedience is a key part of the ancient concept of loyalty, as you cannot be truly loyal to a person or to the gods without respecting their wishes and being obeying them.

Loyalty has always been seen as a commendable trait, not only in human beings but in any creature, all through history. Soldiers have admired their enemies for their loyalty to fallen comrades, thousands of stories have been written about the intense loyalty animals portray for their owners, and even companies in the workforce look for loyalty in potential employees. Loyalty has been seen as something that distinguishes the trustworthy from the untrustworthy, and something that sets the great apart from the good. The archetypal hero commonly has a cause, whether it be another person or personal beliefs, that they are loyal to, and this unwavering loyalty is what makes them appear so highly in the eyes of the reader. Loyalty can be found in practically any work of literature, but within The Torah, The Odyssey, and Inanna is the idea that true loyalty, although a rare attribute, is the key to a successful relationship.

In The Odyssey, the theme of loyalty relates to Odysseus’s physical journey back to Ithaca. Many characters in the epic are loyal and faithful, like Penelope, Telemachus, Eumaeus, and even Odysseus himself. Penelope remains loyal to her husband, by not choosing a suitor during the 20 years he’s gone. “And there she [Penelope] sat down with the case on her knees and burst into sobs as she drew out her husband’s bow,” (Homer 317). Just carrying out Odysseus’s bow with such sorrow shows how in love she was with Odysseus and how the thought of choosing a new husband moved her to tears. As Penelope remained loyal to Odysseus and

Penelope is Loyal Penelope shows loyalty even when things weren't going good, because she does this she gets something good out of it. The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated Robert Fagles, shows a loyal wife waiting for her husband to return. While her husband is away, Penelope is pressured by suitors to choose a new husband, but strings a web of lies in order to hold off making a decision. For twenty years she remains loyal in his absence, and, when he finally returns, she tests to make sure it is really him. Throughout the book the Odyssey Penelope shows loyalty at all times.

“A person who deserves my loyalty receives it (Joyce Maynard)” Loyalty is the building block to success and finding long lasting relationships. Many great examples of loyalty come from the Odyssey. Throughout the Odyssey, there are many people who show loyalty to Odysseus including,but no limited to: Penelope, Athena and also Odysseus’ dog Argos.

Throughout William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar and Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, loyalty is strongly presented as a major motif. In both texts, loyalty is highly valued as one of the most important traits to a person’s character. Not only do the loyal characters receive better fates, but those who are not loyal are punished for the actions, usually through revenge. In Julius Caesar, the characters that remained loyal to Caesar are the few who wind up alive at the end of the play, and in The Odyssey, those who remained loyal to Odysseus were rewarded by Odysseus, and those who weren’t were killed.

During Odysseus’s time of absence, Penelope continues to express her loyalty to Odysseus. After Odysseus was missing for twenty long years, Penelope continued to await his home coming. Unfortunately, she began feeling pressured to remarry but then

“The Odyssey” is read as a moral story. Odysseus learned lessons and faces many obstacles that challenge his faith and loyalty. He was able to survive because he learned he needed to listen to the Gods and Goddesses. An example of Odysseus being loyal to his wife and crew was when he heard the Sirens. In book 12, line 192, it states, “So they spoke, sending forth their beautiful voice, and my heart was fain to listen, and I bade my comrades loose me, nodding to them with my brows; but they fell to their oars and rowed on. And presently Perimedes and Eurylochus arose and bound me with yet more bonds and drew them tighter. But when they had rowed past the Sirens, and we could no more hear their voice or their song, then straightway my trusty comrades took away the wax with which I had anointed their ears and loosed me from my bonds.” He warned his men, told them to put wax in their ears, and tied himself to his ship. This shows how he was loyal and faithful for not being tempted by the Sirens.

Even though he attempts to rationalize his situation, it is evident of a foreshadowing to future complication with regard to loyalty when the ideal life proves not to be as flawless as believed. As James illustrates, “It is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess everything and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here are no aristocratical families, no courts, no kings, no bishops, no ecclesiastical dominion, no invisible power giving to a few a very visible one, no great manufacturers employing thousands, no great refinements of luxury. The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe” (854).

Loyalty, defined as support and allegiance to someone or a country, demonstrated through various aspects of the human condition can be seen through aspects of the epic. Therefore, in the text, when Beowulf went to Herot to help the king Hrothgar it was discovered that he felt loyalty to this king. King Hrothgar after gaining the crown was faced with a conflict. This feud that Hrothgar got involved in saved Beowulf and his father. (ll. 191-207, Burton Raffel). This loyalty relates to the aspirations and growth in characters. This loyalty demonstrated through the Anglo-Saxons text leads to the ideas of the human condition today. That loyalty is an essential part of being human. All beings feel a sense of loyalty to someone or something. Beowulf, for example, felt loyalty to the king because he had helped Beowulf and his family. Later in the text, Wiglaf demonstrate loyalty to a dying Beowulf, when all of the valiant warriors abandoned their loyalty to their leader and king. Wiglaf demonstrates to the reader that he too was loyal to the king due to the wonderful gifts that Beowulf had bestowed upon them, but most of all him. (ll. 754-790, Burton Raffel). Therefore, loyalty played a large role in the Anglo-Saxon time, but not only that, but it still plays a huge role today. Loyalty today demonstrated through patriotism, love for one’s country and the ability to care for one another based on prior experiences. Moreover, the Anglo-Saxon value of loyalty demonstrates the importance of allegiance to leaders and families but creates an illustration of what loyalty today looks

Throughout the poem, Penelope perfectly epitomizes loyalty. Despite the seemingly miniscule probability that her husband will ever return home from Troy, Penelope never compromises her undying loyalty to Odysseus. She resists the lure of 108 suitors for over two decades. Even after all this time, Penelope still constantly “wept for Odysseus” (book 16, line 450) until Athene imposed sleep on her. Penelope even prays to the Gods for death rather than having to settle for an “inferior husband” (book 20, line 82). This displays her virtue and the importance of loyalty in Greek culture. Even when she finally agrees to consider a new husband, this was only because it was Odysseus’s wish for her to remarry once Telemachos came of age. Although loyalty is certainly an admirable trait, this contributes