Summary Of Odysseus

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.

Odysseus states, “The dangerous nymph Calypso lives and sings there, in her beauty and she received me, loved me”(ll.991-993). Calypso loves Odysseus because of his looks and his wisdom, and so do the other women on her island, especially since they have never seen a man before. When Odysseus explains the reasons of why he can not stay on Ogygia, Calypso tells him that Ogygia is his home from now on. Within hearing this, Odysseus loses all hope of ever getting back home to his sweet wife, Penelope and his dear son, Telemachus. The god Hermes tells Calypso to free Odysseus or Zeus will punish her, she frees Odysseus, and he returns to the sea, with all hopes restored to returning

“I am Laerte’s son, Odysseus./Men hold me/formidable for guile in peace and war” (Homer 488). It is evident that the author of the famous epic poem intended to portray the voyager, Odysseus, as a valiant and compassionate person. However, one may believe that he is a foolish man who delayed his own journey home. In the epic The Odyssey by Homer, the main character, Odysseus, is a hero because he always tries to keep his thoughts on home, he keeps his crew focused on the next task, and he is intelligent to win the gods’ favor. Odysseus is a hero because he never loses sight of his homeland during his tedious travels.

For Odysseus to feel safe and secure again in his homeland, he tests the local swineherd Eumaeus for his loyalty in order to get information about the palace. Odysseus does not know much about the palace. To get information, he tests Eumaeus for his loyalty by seeing his reaction to his prayer to the gods. “May Zeus. . . give you your heart’s desire for the royal welcome you have shown me here!” (303) Eumaeus says it is his duty to welcome Odysseus because of his loyalty to the King. This makes Odysseus feel secure around him. After being welcomed, Odysseus tests Eumaeus about the palace by asking him who the king is. “[W]ho was the man who bought you. . . [w]hat’s his name?” (305) By asking Eumaeus this, Odysseus is able to acquire information about the suitors and Penelope. He needs to feel secure

He shows loyalty to his family by risking his life on the search for the knowledge of Odysseus’ situation. He journeys to Pylos and Sparta to seek news of his father whether he is dead or lost. This shows loyalty to Odysseus because he risks his life to know of his well being. This also shows loyalty to Penelope by journeying to Pylos and Sparta, even though his path may be dangerous, just so he can find knowledge of Odysseus and ease his mother’s pain. He also shows loyalty to Penelope by trying to protect her and keeping the suitors away from her. During the final battle, Telemakhos shows loyalty to his father by fighting side by side with him against the suitors even though he knows he might die in battle.

While Odyesseus was gone his son Telemachus has grown into a man and his wife Penelope is overwhelmed by suitors who think Odysseus is dead. These suitors have been living in Odysseus’ home eating his food trying to overrun his palace. While Poseidon is away from Olympus, Penelope convinces the other gods to help Odysseus return home. In disguise in Ithaca, she convinces Telemachus to look for his father. Telemachus goes to Pylos and finds out that Odysseus is being held prisoner by Calypso. Zeus orders that Odysseus be allowed to go home so he leaves on a raft.

For generations, heroes have always fascinated people and people have strived to achieve certain qualities of their heroes. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is considered the hero of the story. While Odysseus does demonstrate some qualities that are not heroic, he is still defined as a hero because of his better, more heroic qualities in which he is far superior in than any other man. The qualities in which define Odysseus as a hero are courage, intelligence, and leadership.

In the novel The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus ventures on a life-changing journey where he comes to realize the things and people that make his life so special. The people who are loyal to Odysseus, including Penelope, Eumaeus, and Eurycleia, always believe he is coming home, and they never stop thinking about him. Their actions show their commitment to him throughout his journey, which they maintain no matter which hardships arise in their own lives. Through the loyalty of those who waited for Odysseus, he is able to maintain a place in the community, and complete his odyssey.

Loyalty: Loyalty is most apparent in Penelope's resisting of the suitors, but it is a trait essential to all the characters in Odysseus' family. For twenty years Odysseus never stops wanting to return home. Telemakhos will not send his mother back to her father and force her to choose another husband. Instead, he sets out to find news of his father. The servants Eurykleia and Eumaios are also important exemplars of loyalty. Athena's devotion to Odysseus is another.

Telemachus, Odysseus only son, shows his loyalty to his father by going on a voyage to search and investigate his father's destiny. Telemachus comment's "He father me, left me behind at home, and from me he got not joy ( Homer, Book XVI, 135). The author clearly demonstrates how this character, despite of never -----with his father, stays true to his cause: finding his father. Many times the author states Telemachus's will to bring back Odysseus, "If men could have all they want, free for the taking, I'd take first my father's journey home ( Homer, Book XVI,135).

Another trait that Odysseus demonstrates repeatedly throughout the story is his loyalty. In various situations he never gives up on his crew, even when he has reason to. During an episode in the epic, Odysseus travels to the underworld to receive a prophecy. He meets his great friend Elpenor, who has died earlier in Circe’s hall. Because he is unburied and unmourned he asks Odysseus to build a cairn in his honor. Odysseus replies, “Unhappy spirit, / I promise you the barrow and the burial.” (Homer, lines 609-610). Although Odysseus is preoccupied with finding Tiresias, he shows loyalty to his crew mate by spending time with his spirit, and carrying out the spirit’s request. It could have been easy for Odysseus to ignore the spirit of Elpenor, but Odysseus shows a real emotional reply to this meeting. Not only does he show loyalty to his crew but his homeland as well. Although he could have given up during the ten year span Odysseus wandered from home, he persisted even though giving up would have been easier. At one point Odysseus is detained by the enchantress, Circe, but remains determined to reach home:

One of the main themes in The Odyssey is loyalty and how Odysseus’ loyalty justified his actions towards the wooers. Odysseus showed loyalty to his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, and his home of Ithaca from the beginning of the story until the end. He was willing to kill and/or die to protect them if he had to. In one of his visits from Athene she told him what the wooers planned for Telemachus when he returned. “Truly the young men with their black ship they lie in wait, and are eager to slay him ere he come to his own country”

“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.

Homer's epic tale The Odyssey is a story of the triumphs and downfalls that are in store for one warrior's long pillage home.  Odysseus, the hero from the Trojan wars, has led his people of Ithaca and other Achaean soldiers to victory and now wishes to return home to his wife and family of Ithaca.  Through his twenty year journey Odysseus is often tested not only of his physical strength, but his wits as well.  The many accomplishments he achieved earned him great status and recognition throughout ancient Greece.  The mistakes he made caused the deaths of many men.  Consequently, we as readers are able to see the many personas that Odysseus carries with him.

Twenty years ago in Ithaca, Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War. Ten years later, the war ended and he attempted to return home. He fought hard to return, but got caught in many different city-states and was unable to go back home for another ten years. By now it had been 20 years, but there was a certain someone that recognized Odysseus when he returned, and that someone was me.