In Homer’s, “The Odyssey”, Odysseus struggles to return home not only to rejoin his wife Penelope and son Telemakhos but also to fulfill his duty as ruler and legend. As Odysseus struggles homeward, the idea of his true self and what defines him shifts. His longing for family and sovereignty serves, at times, as a raging fire that propels him home. At other times it seems to be lost in the shadows of his adventures. At the end, when all conflicts are resolved and Odysseus is reunited with his wife and son, He becomes the Odysseus that is truly himself. We learn that a united family can overcome any obstacles and that true devotion and dedication will triumph in the end. Odysseus’ true self is defined by four terms. The first is …show more content…
Having her husband home with her makes having to tend to the suitors and put up with their abuse seem unimportant. Their love conquered everything in the end. This love is key to understanding who Odysseus truly is.
In Book 23, “Death in the Great Hall”, we clearly get an idea of the father-son relationship Odysseus now has with Telemakhos. They must devise a plan to kill the suitors. Odysseus lays out the plans and proposes to go around and test servants for loyalty before taking back their house, but Telemakhos shows his good judgement when he proposes a change to the plan to the plan: to kill the suitors first since they are using up all of Odysseus' resources. This change is accepted by Odysseus which shows that Telemakhos is as wise in planning as Odysseus. Odysseus' relationship with his son is that of equals now that Odysseus is able to watch over Telemakhos' further education ensuring that he will one day be a good successor. Odysseus, Penelope and Telemakhos stand strong against the world: “We three stand / ready to follow you and fight. I say / for what out strength avails, we have the courage.” (Homer 433 lines 144-146). A strong family is of great importance since it is through family that values and education are best handed down from generation to generation. Treating Telemakhos as an equal signifies that Odysseus has respect for his son and is ready to educate him so that he can become a great leader. Odysseus' family is portrayed as a
Odysseus’s love for Penelope has not been changed even though he spends almost eight years with goddesses. When Odysseus meet his mother in the House of Death, he asks her about his family and royal rights. His shows the values of kingship for him as he says, “do my royal rights still lie in their safekeeping?” (XI.269). So let’s look to the feeling of kingship that is internalized within him due to a period of hardship.
In my eyes a hero is a person who shows courage, is humble, does not give up, and is someone everybody can relate to. The protagonist in “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus is a hero because although he is emotional throughout the book and lets his emotions take over his actions, he displays immense courage and perseveres through his journey and hardships.
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
Odysseus, king of Ithaca, was probably on of the greatest warriors in the history of Ancient Greece. It is said that the poet, Homer, wrote the story of the Odyssey. In this story, Odysseus and his crew are trying to make their voyage back home to Ithaca after they have fought with the Trojans. During the long journey, Odysseus will show some of his character traits which include his bravery, cleverness, and wisdom that will assist him with the situations he encounters on his journey home.
The term “dynamic” is often used in literature to describe a character who changes drastically from one point in the story to another. When reading “The Odyssey” an epic poem by Homer, we see that our protagonist, Odysseus, changes throughout the course of the novel. This essay will argue how he changes, and also what changes him, such as his travels, his relationships, and how fate and the Greek gods affect and change him.
Odysseus only cares about himself and his personal benefits, like a villain. “With great power comes great responsibility” this quote is used by many heros and odysseus obviously shows no responsibilities, so his power is simply bad, or evil . When “trapped” on Calypso’s island he shows no attempt to escape and instead finds pleasure in being their. After 7 years on this island he finally decides to go home to has son which he has never seen and his dog who is nearly dead due to old age (not to mention he barely does anything with his dog and the first thing he says to his son is basically to ask him to risk his life for Odysseus's house). “ Don't waste your time on revenge. Those who hurt you will eventually get their own karma”. This quote shows that good people and heros should not seek revenge and should show mercy to their enemies however Odysseus obviously shows no interest in mercy… After killing many people and not letting a single person out which many heroes would have especially if the people did not directly mistreat him and believed he was dead which would be a logical thought he finally revealed himself to his wife. At first his wife did not recognize him which filled him with rage even though he should be happy that his loyal wife wants to make
Odysseus is the main character in an epic poem called the Odyssey. In the poem Odysseus has had some bad luck getting home, with some of the gods helping him and some hindering him; his journey towards home is a constant struggle. In this poem we see a man being broke and rebuilt, through constant irony his faith was damaged and without the help of Athena he probably would have given up on his journey. Through his hard work and wise spirit he finally does achieve his goal.
Even though Odysseus may show plenty of traits describing him as a noble hero, he does show unloyalty. He posses a touch of unloyalty due to fact that he was trapped in Circe’s palace for over a year. Odysseus had stayed with another woman or goddess which was not his wife or any known relative which conveys unloyalty towards him. Also she is willing to help him so he can return back home and be reunited with his son, Telemachus, and wife,
Home is a place of comfort, clarity, and relaxation. In The Odyssey, Odysseus uses a reverse metaphor in order to prove that one is truly at home in the presence of family and loved ones. When separated from this amenity, the emotional toll can cause a change of identity. In this particular passage, Odysseus morphs into the image of a distraught woman. This dramatic change represents the effect of Odysseus’ lack of contentment within his body and soul while away from home, which is represented by his wife, Penelope.
As one can surmise from the tumultuous situations he is forced into over the following years at sea, Odysseus endured great hardships all due to his hubris. His crew was decimated and he was forced to live without his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, for far longer than he ever expected. However, like Gilgamesh, Odysseus is ultimately not ruined by his hubris. Instead, Homer decides to end his tale by finally allowing him to arrive home with “More [gifts] than he ever would have taken out of Troy / Had he come home safely with his share of the loot” (13.142-143), suggesting good fortune in the end for Odysseus. Although he indeed finds trouble at home as his wife has many suitors competing to win her hand in marriage and hoping to kill
Odysseus had many relationships in his life. All the relationships are a segment of who he is. One of his important relationships is with his son, Telemachus. When Odysseus returned home They share an impressive bond because Odysseus was gone for twenty years and Telemachus was loyal and faithful when Odysseus returned. It's a very
The great soldier Odysseus has had many relationships in his journey, as the epic progresses we meet these characters. Odysseus’ wife Penelope, and their adolescent son Telemachus play extreme and important roles in the decisions Odysseus makes on what seems like an everlasting journey. Odysseus' interaction with his loyal wife Penelope gives Odysseus insight on how his absence truly affected his family, he's able to gain this perspective when he sees how distant Penelope is and how painful the reunion is for her.
Throughout the last few books of the Odyssey, Homer explains to the reader how Odysseus reestablishes his relationships with his family and friends of Ithaka. It’s possible the restoration of his relationship with his son, Telemachus, is the most significant event of all. This reconnection carries out three main purposes. First, it serves to characterize Telemachus' likeness to his father in the virtues of wisdom, humility, patience, and organization. Secondly, it enables Odysseus a chance to coach Telemachus on how to be a powerful ruler like he is. Lastly, Homer uses the reconnection to highlight the importance of a healthy family structure to a society. To be able to understand
As Odysseus travels from one Greek city to the next, the native citizens inquire about his identity and family. Although Odysseus has not seen his native land in twenty years, he defines himself as the product of family: either the son of Laertes or the father of Telemachus. Odysseus is treated like family in the foreign lands he visits. Telemachus embarks on an adventure of his own and is accepted by Nestor and Menelaus, especially because his father suffered through the Trojan War along with the two kings. Family is at the heart of decisions, central in society, creates a frame of reference for individual members of society, and is a source of learning. Family, the central theme in The Odyssey, connects individuals, cities, and gods to one another and is a driving force in decisions and emotional reactions.
The son of the Odysseus, though he has never seen his father, valiantly defends and believes that he is not dead. He also tries to step into his father’s shoes. He is inexperienced, nonetheless. Yet, this is soon resolved though interactions with Athena and his journey to Pylos and Sparta. Telemachos does not have just hope that his father is alive, but sound faith. We as Christians in the same manner, have faith that our Heavenly Father will come someday to take us home to eternal felicity, our eternal family. In addition, In the Odyssey, we see how the family regards growing up. As head man of his father’s estate Telemachos regards his mother with courtesy and respect. He does, however, rebuke her at times. When she comes down from her bedchamber moved by a barb’s song to tears, Telemachos reprimands her, saying if she did not wish to hear the song, she should go to her own quarters. Thus, Telemachos assets growing into adulthood by the way he interacts with his mother, taking control of the relationship.