Journey of Life in The Odyssey
In the ultimate story of love and hate one man was torn between two lives as he watched the shores of the mighty world get swept away in a swift act of fate. With only destiny on his side to return home, he pushed on and tried to leave the life he had lived for so long. In order to achieve his destiny Odysseus had to first achieve loyalty, overcome temptation, and take revenge upon his enemies. Plagued by constant attacks of self-doubt and reinforced by guile, Odysseus conquered what became to be known as a one of the greatest odyssey’s ever written.
Love is a strong bond that is shared between two people. In The Odyssey not even time and war could separate the bond that Odysseus and Penelope
…show more content…
This is not a only a show of love on Odysseus' part for his wife but is also a show of love on Calypso's part because she loves him so much that she is willing to do what is in the best interest of Odysseys, even if it means letting him go.
Staying loyal to Odysseus was one of the hardest things Penelope ever did, but it was because of the love that they shared that she did. When suitors came to offer her gifts in return for marriage, she refused with a single shred of hope that her husband would return home and once again regain his estate and life. The reward for her loyalty is finally paid when she finally reunites with her long-lost husband. The happiness and love that is shared is shown in this quotation,
"So she spoke, and stirred still more his yearning after tears; and he began to weep, holding his loved and faithful wife. As when the welcome land appears to swimmers, whose sturdy ship Poseidon wrecked confounded by the winds and solid waters; a few escape the foaming sea and swim ashore; thick salt crusts their flesh; they climb the welcomed land, and are escaped from danger; so welcome to her grazing eyes appeared her husband. From round his neck she never let her white arm go"(226).
It takes a great man to have a wife that will wait so long for him. Not only does this quotation show that Odysseus has achieved loyalty but it also
The theme of loyalty repeats many times throughout the Odyssey. But no other character shows the same great deal of loyalty as the wife of Odysseus, Penelope. Penelope demonstrates her loyalty to her husband by remaining faithful to him in 30 years of his absence. Even as suitors court her in marriage. Penelope would not choose to marry a suitor until she was certain Odysseus had died.
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
In The Odyssey, Odysseus realises how much he truly loves his wife and country. For many years Odysseus was held captive and had an intimate relationship with the nymph Calypso. She held him there for years, "by nights he would lie beside her” yet he was not happy “all the days he would sit upon the rocks, at the seaside, breaking his heart in tears and lamentation and sorrow
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
After twenty long years away from his family, Odysseus still has motivation to return to Ithaca. Odysseus could have stayed with the princess of the Phaeacians, but instead he wants to go home to his family. Odysseus’ wife, Penelope and their son, Telemachus motivate Odysseus. Alkinoos offers Odysseus his daughter’s hand in marriage: “My daughter should be yours and you my son-in-law, if you remained. A home, lands, riches you should have from me if you could be content here” (Homer 120). Odysseus refuses the king’s offer: “O Father Zeus, let all this be fulfilled as spoken by Alkinoos! Earth of harvests remember him! Return me to my homeland” (120). Odysseus knows that his family has been waiting for him for years. The motivation to see his family and homeland help Odysseus win his battles and continue his journey home.
This tell the readers the suitors wanted to marry Penelope,but she didn’t want to because she is being loyal to Odysseus.The author states,”But they were loyal to their city-state”(Donn 1). This quote tells the readers that in Ancient Greece the Greeks were loyal to their city-state.
Calypso is viewed as Odysseus’ lover who offers him immortality instead of her hand in marriage. The only reason Odysseus refused immortality is because “a woman’s promise of immortality will kill a man” due to the untrustworthy nature of women (Barnes 130). This slander of immortality from a woman’s love is caused by the patriarchal society which “changed the way it [immortality] was to be achieved” (Barnes 135). Instead of receiving immortality through a woman it could “only be achieved through male heroics in battle” (Barnes 135) which is why Odysseus says, “A hero’s funeral then, my glory spread by comrades—now what a wretched death I’m doomed to die” (Od. 5.44-45). The cause of switching the means of immortality is because the patriarchal society “says that the constant is women’s ineffectiveness to bring it about”, such as Calypso not being able to give Odysseus immortality since she could not defeat the will of Zeus (Barnes 132). Calypso’s portrayal as a seductress and attempt to seduce Odysseus with immortality exist because of the patriarchal society that was present when the Odyssey was
They must stay true to people, no matter what the obstacles they encounter are or the temptations they are faced with. Being faithful is part of everybody’s job, especially for a hero. The first paragraph in Book Twenty-one of The Odyssey shows her love and devotion to her husband, Odysseus, even after years and years
Odysseus relationship with Penelope indicates the sturdy marital values. Penelope and Odysseus love each other even though they are separated for twenty years. Odysseus uses his intelligence to get domestic to Penelope, and Penelope makes use of her intelligence
Odysseus has a recurring complicated relationship with being loyal to his wife, Penelope, and being unfaithful. He seems loyal to Penelope by always wanting to go home and asking for help to get back to his home. For example, when Calypso asks him to marry her and live on her island for ever he declines. Even when she said she could bring Penelope and his son, he
She is certainly not in love with him, but she wants him. Thus, she makes the time pass very quickly so that Odysseus will stay with her.
Odysseus is always a topic of conversation with Penelope and, twenty years later, is still waiting and hoping for Odysseus to come home. She weeps for him every day and “[her] heart pines away” (394). Her loyalty to Odysseus is displayed when the suitors come into question. Penelope is extraordinarily opposed to the idea remarriage and continues to put off the topic despite the persistence of the suitors. To keep the suitors at bay she even tells the suitors that she cannot marry until she finishes weaving the shroud for her father. The catch is, she unravels her work every night. This trick allowed Penelope to occupy the suitors for three years. Her loyalty persists enough though she believes Odysseus to be dead. Odysseus is not faithful, however, he is loyal. He has several affairs with different women, yet that does not change how much he loves Penelope. When we first see him on Calypso’s island, he is weeping for his wife and home and even denies the offer of immortality so he can return to Ithaca and see his wife. When he returns home, he still worries about Penelope and tries to offer her comfort as best he can. Odysseus also shows his loyalty when he is offered a foot bath by Penelope once returning to his palace and specifically requests an older woman bathe his feet. Part of the reasoning behind that could be that he wishes to show himself as faithful once he reveals himself as not a beggar, but the old king.
Odysseus has shown this many times throughout the poem, but mainly his disloyalty shines through in love. One may say that “love hurts” is a major theme in this epic, escecially for Odysseus wife Penelope. Penelope has waited 20 long years for her husband to return home to her and their son Telemachus. She has avoided the “love-hungry” suitors and stayed loyal to her husband, not sleeping with anyone, but much to her dismay Odysseus has cheated on her more than once. Once, while on Kirke’s island where Odysseus says, “’ I entered Kirke’s flawless bed of love/’” (X. 390). And twice again on Calypso’s Island, the “hero” Odysseus sleeps with a women other than his wife, adding to the long list of why he is not a modern
Odysseus showed that he was loyal to his men just not by leaving them behind, but he revealed his true colors to notify his men that they cannot not ever give up even when things get difficult. He was known for his leadership skills; leaving home for so many years, to return back to his family. During Odysseus early life, he had the ability to solve problems as well as outwit his opponents. He promotes his own code of conduct through his exploits. Odysseus is more intense than Achilles, more pensive, but still is able to create explosive violence. Odysseus is all about being victorious; even when it was time for him to return back to his home.” A man who has been through bitter experiences and travelled far enjoys even his sufferings after a time” (Odyssey). This quote represents all of the misery that he came upon his excursion. He played a special role in Homer’s lliad; demonstrating his abilities to advise his followers so they can be independent.
Calypso was a goddess nymph in Ogygia. She was the daughter of Atlas, who held Odysseus for 7 years in her island. It is their only similarity with Penelope is that they love that man more than anything else. ‘You are cruel, you gods, and quickest to envy, since you are jealous if any goddess openly mates with a man, taking a mortal to her bed.” (Book 5, Lines 103-105) In this, Calypso had no intentions of letting away Odysseus to go back to Ithaca for she was in love with him. She argued that why do gods can love mortal women but why goddesses can’t do the same. “Be sad no longer, unhappy man, don’t waste your life in pining: I am ready and willing to send you on your way” Calypso said (Book 5, Lines 150-151).But she had no choice as Zeus is the gods of all gods and goddesses as she had to let him go. Calypso was a desperate, possessive, clingy kind of woman. Because she wants to love that she became desperate because no one comes in her island. The way their relationship goes is like a hostage, she forces her love to Odysseus but he did not accept her love.