Throughput the play, the parenting styles of both Micio and Demea are questioned by the audience. Despite each other thinking that their specific parenting style is superior to the other both of their sons end up in similar positions. Both sons marry significantly below their social status. Even though Mico prided himself on letting Aeschinus make his own decisions, it was clear that he did not approve of Aeschinus marrying Pamphila. As for Demea, he does not agree to let Ctesipho marry his love interest until the very end of play, in scene 5. In most cultures, including Greek and Roman culture, bravery is valued. In the end, Aeschinus convinces Demea to let Ctesipho marry his love interest in addition to being the one who allow the
Ironically, both Eumaios and Philoitios are among the weakest physically, yet their strength appears more possessive than the suitors. In contrast to the ostentatiousness that fuels the suitors’ empty strength, Eumaios’ and Philoitios’ humble nature establishes a meaningful strength by remaining loyal to Odysseus, despite the circumstances. One understands through their devotion that having meaning behind one’s intentions contributes largely to achieving manhood, and consequently, how being meaningful elicits a more genuine strength.
In Shakespeare's Othello, Othello's pride prevents him from finding the truth, eventually leading to his demise. Initially, Othello and Desdemona are deeply in love, despite her father's disapproval of their marriage. However, when Othello promotes Cassio instead of Iago to Lieutenant, Iago has his revenge by convincing Othello that Desdemona cheats on him with Cassio, destroying the marriage between Othello and Desdemona. Othello grows to meet his downfall when his trusted friend Iago causes him to think that his wife Desdemona is unfaithful.
Odysseus, the main character of The Odyssey, is a man of great courage who is married to Penelope, Queen of Ithaca. Even though it is clear that Odysseus is married to Penelope, he is involved in intimate relations with a few goddesses on his journey home to Ithaca from the Trojan War. For example, regardless of Odysseus’ longing to return home, he is tempted first by Calypso, spending eight years imprisoned on her island, and ultimately remaining true to Penelope in his heart. Also, he spends a year with Circe, a seductress, in order to liberate his men from living as swine. Furthermore, Odysseus’ faithfulness to Penelope is almost compromised when he and his men pass the Sirens—women who entice men to their “death” utilizing their beautiful voices. Additionally, Greek and Christian marriage standards are distinctly different. Christians believe that marriage is a sacrament, or union between one man and one woman that is blessed by the church, while pagans hold to a belief of self-uniting marriage known as “handfasting”— a historical term for a betrothal or wedding that is sometimes acknowledged as a temporary engagement. This paper will explain how Odysseus remained faithful to his
Through the tragedy of Julius Caesar, Shakespeare showed the importance of respect between couples. Through not found in primary manuscripts, Shakespeare effectively developed the perceptive and loyal personalities of the wives. Wedded to Portia, Brutus distanced Portia from his emotional battle. Aware of this, Portia spoke to Brutus showing great oratory skills as she emphasized three-points displaying why Brutus must consult her. Likewise, Calpurnia pushed persistently to convince her husband, Caesar, to remain in the safe confines of their villa, because she noticed the oddities occurring and knew the severity of her dream. Though in a worldly environment, the godly principles of listening to wise council, but also submitting to one’s spouse
Greek society is highly stratified, one where the distinctions between Nobles, peasants, and slaves are explicit. While many people consider women oppressed in the ancient hierarchy, this notion is somewhat contradicted in the Odyssey, where many women act as powerful figures. Penelope separates herself from the suitors that plague her palace, who are relentless in their pursuit for her hand in marriage. Circe has the capability to seduce an entire unit of Odysseus’ men and turn them into pigs. Athena benevolently guides Telemachus over the many obstacles he faces on his quest to seek out his father. Helen defects from Sparta, rallying all of Troy for her cause. Clytemnestra deceitfully plans Agamemnon's death for her new love interest, Aegisthus. Women in the Odyssey show that through seduction, trickery, and wisdom, women of Ancient Greece are able to obtain significant power.
Hermes comes to Calypso under Zeus’s order and demands that Odysseus who has been crying and longing of home and being able to be around his wife whom he loves and his son Telemachus. Calypso who is fond of Odysseus thus keeping him imprisoned for 7 years for the sake of her companionship. When ordered to let Odysseus go Calypso engages in dialogue with Hermes whom she is obviously displeased with his order from Zeus to let Odysseus go. “You are hard-hearted, you gods, and unmatched for jealousy. You are outraged if a goddess sleeps openly with a man even if she has chosen him as her husband” This quote is significant because it shows that the stigma against women that’s still every present today. The idea that women are to be the ones who are pursued, that the idea of assertiveness is unattractive and also what she alludes to is that women get punished all the time for this kind of behavior she goes on to say “When lovely Demeter gave way to her desire and made love with her beloved Iasion in the field of the three ploughed furrows, Zeus heard of it quickly enough and struck him dead with his blinding
Through this brief speech, Odysseus informs the suitors exactly what they did wrong, and then proceeds to carry out a bloody, violent end to them, using his bow. The Ancient Greeks would have felt that his awful actions were justified, because Odysseus is able to defeat his enemies using his strength and knowledge about battle. In addition to his physical strength and intelligence, Odysseus can also be seen as a hero due to his faithfulness to his wife, Penelope. Despite his many affairs with women throughout his voyage, Odysseus is determined to return home to his family, turning down a marriage offer from Princess Nausikaa and the gift of immortality from Calypso. To the goddess, he says,
In the play, The Tragedy of Othello, judging from the relationship between Desdemona and Othello, seems to say that marriage based on an innocent romantic love is bound to fail. There is a common thread of betrayal and deceit among many characters. Othello and Desdemona being the most vividly portrayed. The two appear to love one another romantically at first, but it soon after transforms into a secular love. This comes to pass because there is no foundation for a relationship. There is no trust, no communication, and no understanding.
The repeated emphasis on honor, wisdom, and virtue is a recurring theme throughout greek homosexual relationships. The archetypes of the two male partners: the younger lover known as the ‘beloved’ (eromenos) and an older lover (erastes). Cantarella asserts that “love relationships, were also, in fact, intellectual ones that in some ways saw the beloved as the disciple and the lover as the master of life, ethics and civic education” (Cantarella, 8). It will come as no surprise that such relationships were especially prevalent among the upper class and were considered a denotation of wealth and station.
From the Woman in the odyssey we can tell that Ancient Greeks valued many qualities: hospitality, love, faithfulness, strength, bravery and humility. Women were mainly judged by their looks. They didn't have as much respect as men. They were only paid attention to if they were goddesses, like athena; if they had kingdoms; or their husband or children were someone important as in the case of Penelope, Odysseus’ wife.
Change is inevitable. It could be in a person’s looks, personality, beliefs or way of thinking. Changes can be categorized under two main types. Changes that take place in nature we have little or no control over. We cannot, for instance, switch the time of tides, which anyway, wait for no one.
Othello’s anger prevents him from having a healthy marriage, i.e. one with open communication. When Iago implies that Desdemona had sex with Cassio, Othello gets filled with rage. He says, “First to be hanged, and then to confess—I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion without some instruction. It is not words that shake me thus” (IV. i. 40-43). Othello
Daringly, Shakespeare opens this tragedy of love not with a direct and sympathetic portrayal of the lovers themselves, but with a scene of vicious insinuation about their marriage. The images employed by Iago to describe the coupling of Othello and Desdemona are revoltingly animalistic, sodomistic. [. . .] This degraded view reduces the marriage to one of utter
Othello, not knowing that Cassio was in fact speaking with Desdemona in hopes of being reinstated as Lieutenant, mistakenly believes that the two are having an affair and that Desdemona has lost her chastity. Iago skillfully capitalizes on the situation by developing his attack further: "She did deceive her father, marrying you" (3.3.220). Othello begins to see Iago's reasoning: if she could deceive her father, she could just as easily deceive her new husband. Once Othello's bliss has been decimated, Iago concentrates on weakening Othello's perception of himself; Iago very carefully and very tactfully chooses words and metaphors that subconsciously pit Othello against the Venetians. Othello begins to perceive himself as an outsider in his own country, "a malignant and turbaned Turk" (5.2.365). A fruitful marriage with a Venetian woman becomes out of the question in Othello's mind. Iago's successful manipulation takes a self-confidant man and reduces him to one at ends with himself and with the woman he loved.
The marriage of Othello and Desdemona is a real ’marriage’ a true love based on reciprocal knowledge and respect of each other, a love that has no element of lust. The love between Othello and Desdemona surpasses the corporal obstacles of race, nationality, and age. But this love is demolished as soon as jealousy enters Othello’s mind thanks to Iago. Iago suggests to Othello that his wife has been cheating on him with Cassio. Othello disregards his love for Desdemona and evokes for revenge. Certitude has allowed his mind from skepticism and suspicion. Now he vows action, Othello wants Cassio and Desdemona dead, "for she shall not live; no, my heart is turned to stone" (Shakespeare,