Odyssey Code Of Behavior Essay

After twenty years apart from Odysseus, Penelope longed for her husband to return with the frank hope that he still lived. She stayed faithful to Odysseus even when everyone declared he was dead and her handsome suitors battled for her hand in marriage. Loyalty is the most desired value in an individual, human or not, whether it’s toward your family, country, or a cause.

They invited visitors into their home on a regular basis; feeding them, housing them, and attending to their basic needs. It was a normal part of everyday living. At times the Greek people didn’t mind helping out and other times they resented it. One never knew who was coming into their home. It could have been a regular person looking for kindness or a god in disguise testing the people, so, “they were forced to treat every visitor as if they were a god” (The Value of Hospitality). The Greek people were afraid. Hospitality then was as common as traffic jams and foul language today. The Greeks believed that the gods could show up unexpectedly to a person’s home disguised as a human, asking for hospitality. This belief made them treat each and every stranger well, because there was the possibility that, one day, it could be a

     Penelope shows her loyalty in several ways. She shows loyalty to Odysseus by waiting for his return for twenty long years. She did not choose a suitor until she knew for sure that Odysseus was dead. To delay the decision of choosing a suitor, Penelope said she would marry a suitor after she had finished weaving her shroud. She showed that she was weaving the shroud during the day, but at night, when it got dark she secretly unwove it. That is how Penelope shows her loyalty to her family.

Hospitality shaped Greek life. This unspoken code, highly valued in Greek society, established responsibilities for both guests and hosts. Demonstrating generosity and kindness, honorable hosts offered their guests extravagant feasts, luxurious baths, and lavish housing. In response, gracious guests showed courtesy and respect to their hosts by refraining from abusing the hospitality extended towards them. Hospitality reveals the moral character of both hosts and guests in the Homerian epic The Odyssey.

Many sides of Odysseus character is exposed through the challenges that he faces. Though he and his crew face crisis and restrictions every step of the way throughout the book. Odysseus still remains humble and sustains his great leadership skills; he longs to see his wife. Loyalty, as defined in the odyssey seems to be the constant devotion to someone, the hopefully longing of their return and victory. Through the use of the characters Penelope, Telemachus and emaeus loyalty is demonstrated to Odysseus who is

One theme in the Odyssey translated by W.H.D Rouse is staying loyal to family. First, Penelope stays loyal to Odysseus, waiting 20 years for him to come home, “She didn’t break her heart for the husband of her youth! She might have looked after the house till he came back!” (285) Also, Odysseus stays loyal to Penelope. Even though he is forced to sleep with both Calypso, and Nausicaa, he remains in love with Penelope. When he returns, and finally reveals himself to his wife, he cries for only the second time: “Odysseus was even more deeply moved, and his tears ran as he held her in his arms, the wife of his heart, so faithful and so wise”(287). The only other time Odysseus cried, another important moment to Odysseus, was when he revealed himself

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

In Homer’s The Odyssey, there is an ill-fated man named Odysseus who is trapped on an is his fretful, teenage son, Telemachus, who rules his palace on the Greek island of Ithaca, and eventually goes on a quest to Pylos to find his missing father. Odysseus eventually escapes his island to go to another island, Phaeacia, where he tells his entire story after leaving his home, while Telemachus learns his dad will be soon coming home. Odysseus, with the help of the Phaeacians, returns to Ithaca where, with his son, kills all of the suitors of his wife, Penelope. One of the main themes of this story is loyalty, which means a strong feeling of support or allegiance to someone else. Someone who is loyal is extremely valuable, back in Ancient Greece and in the modern era. Despite the infidelities and disloyalties, many characters will continue to br faithful and honest to Odysseus, revealing that being loyal always has its rewards.

Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey translated by Allen Mandelbaum, Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, stayed loyal to her husband who had been out at sea for twenty years. She had been surrounded by suitors during all that time he was gone. Penelope was able to put off the suitors for four years until one of the servants found out and told the suitors. She now had to try find other ways to keep the suitors away, but as time went it became harder. Penelope had to deal with every little thing that the suitors are doing and she still was loyal to her husband.

Loyalty is recognized as a high moral value in many different cultures and societies today and in ancient civilizations. It has also been used as a standard for the ideal hero in different populations. Such communities include the ancient Greeks, who had respect and awe towards public heroes because of the “loyalty” shown to the people. To emphasize the importance it holds in the ancient Greek values, Homer’s, The Odyssey, displays loyalty in various characters, such as Penelope, Argos, and Eumaeus. Odysseus, the main character, and hero of the epic poem has many that are loyal to him such as his wife, Penelope.

Loyalty is defined in the Webster's dictionary as faithfulness or devotion to a person, a cause or a duty. Through this definition, it can be expressed that loyalty is a major theme in Homer's epic, "The Odyssey". The author presents four mayor illustrations of loyalty, which are given by Penelope, Telemachus, Eumaeus and Philoetius and Odysseus. Penelope is Odysseus faithful wife who not only doesn't re-marry but also keeps hope that Odysseus is still alive and will someday come home. Telemachus embarks on a journey in search of his father, who has never actually met. Eumaios, the swineherd and Philoitois, the cowherd, remained committed to their duties as true servants of Odysseus. And ultimately, Odysseus

Since traveling was very lengthy, in order to survive such tedious journeys, travelers had to rely on the mercy of stranger’s protection, food, and shelter or good Xenia. According to “The Value of Hospitality” on Union.edu, it was possible for foreign travelers to be killed or captured for entering a foreign land. They could find some hope of safety through Xenia. In accordance with Karen Carr’s article “ Xenia- guest, and hosts in ancient Greece”, “In ancient Greece, xenia meant the way you treat strangers or foreigners. It comes from a very old Proto-Indo-European (Yamnaya) word that means stranger but also guest and host and foreigner and sometimes enemy.” The host had no choice but to welcome them despite their identity or profession. Hosts had to conquer their fear and give the guests proper treatment regardless of what danger the guest might bring forward. However, the relationship between the host and the guest is said to be mutual and friendly. Hence, practicing the proper Xenia was taken very seriously in ancient Greek. In fact, people were almost obligated to follow it’s principles since it was a religious duty. The proper practice of Xenia is widely depicted in various scenes in The Odyssey that gives further insight into the characters such as Telemachus, Penelope, and king Nesto who were civilized and noble. People practicing the Xenia didn’t only mean that they had virtue and piety but also had fear and respect for Zeus. Travelers often relied on Zeus for

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.

TheA fantastic example of the loyal wife archetype and the loyalty they hold to their husbands, also known as is Penelope in Homer’s, The Odyssey. Penelope’s husband, Odysseus has been at war for the past twenty years and is presumably dead. During this time, Penelope and her son Telemachus end up living amongst numerous suitors who attempt to court Penelope. However she continues to mourn the “loss” her husband and vows to never remarry or entertain the suitors out of loyalty to Odysseus. She does this by beginning a large piece of needlework that must be finished before she entertains the suitors. Although at night, she undoes her work, in order to allot more time. This abounding loyalty to spouse can also be seen in Kate, within Kate and

Another example of generous hospitality is when Odysseus landed on the shores of Skheria, land of the Phaiakians. They give him a boat full of supplies and send him sailing home, but Poseidon had not finished teaching Odysseus a lesson. Zeus, not wanting to interfere with his brother, allowed him to destroy the Phaiakians and their boat while allowing Odysseus to live. They were punished because the dared to interfere with the gods' punishment of Odysseus.