From Loyalty To Penelope In Homer's Odyssey

Words: 150

Pages: 1

Loyalty is a force strong enough to compel man to do the impossible. In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, must return to his home. Along the way, Odysseus wrestles with many challenges, and suffers excruciating pain. He must cross seas, fight beasts, and stave off women determined to take Odysseus as a husband, all while an angry god is set on him not returning. Along with the physical pain, Odysseus must bear the pain of leaving his family. When Odysseus set out for Troy, he left behind a child and loving wife. Now that twenty years have passed, his son has grown old and his wife, Penelope, may have been disloyal. In some instances, Odysseus must couple with other women, yet he never gives up his loyalty to Penelope.

Show More

Ideal Women In The Odyssey

crafty, and rich beyond measure. In Homer’s the Odyssey, the ideal man is courageous and honorable, and the ideal woman is loyal and a good housewife. Undeniably, the model person is different for each individual, culture, and time period, but even if centuries pass, certain values will always stay the same. The ideal ancient Greek man and woman, shown through Odysseus and Penelope, have similarities and differences to the ideal man and woman today. In Homer’s The Odyssey, the ideals presented are related…

Words 484 - Pages 2

Greek philosophy Essay

morality was introduced by Cicero and means socially accepted notions of good and bad, right and wrong, good and evil, as well as a set of rules of conduct arising from these views. The key word here is society. This implies that the concept of morality was different in various cultures and in different periods of history. Homer in the Odyssey laid that concepts of morality, which for the modern reader may seem strange and even incomprehensible. It should also borne in mind that the main source of morality…

Words 768 - Pages 4

Examples Of Loyalty In The Odyssey

The Odyssey is Homer’s epic of Odysseus’ journey to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. This novel incorporates altercations with mythical creatures when he and his men must face punishments from the many angry gods. Also, Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, attempt to stop the suitors that are looking to take Penelope’s hand in marriage and Ithaca's throne before Odysseus, the original ruler, returns. The Odyssey ends when Odysseus proves his identity (to all who surrounded…

Words 1043 - Pages 5

The Narrow Portrayal Of Women In Homer's Odyssey

Narrow Portrayal of Women In the Homer’s, The Odyssey, arrays of archetypical women are presented through a mostly unfavorable filter. Nonetheless, it is important to bear in mind that the time period in which the epic took place was set in an androcentric based Greek society, within it, women had little to no honorable duty, but to support their spouse and be inferior to their male counterpart. Homer embeds the partially substandard presentation of women in The Odyssey through four main archetypes:…

Words 1599 - Pages 7

Archetypes In Homer's The Odyssey

universal patterns of human nature” – literary devices The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem, sequel to the Iliad, written in the 8th century BCE by Homer. The Odyssey is based on the epic hero ‘Odysseus’, who has a ten-year journey to Ithaca as he struggles to return home following the Trojan War. Throughout Odysseus’ journey, we are shown various archetypes. Archetypes focus on recurring myths and beliefs that are portrayed in a text. The Odyssey contains various types of archetypal characters, Odysseus…

Words 1418 - Pages 6

Roles Of Women In The Odyssey

Women have been considered inferior to men throughout history. This can be seen especially in Homer’s poem, The Odyssey. In The Odyssey, all women are subservient to men, portraying them as property and tools of men. Although Kalypso was able to keep Odysseus on her island, she must obey demands given to her by Hermes, showing that she can be used as a tool by Hermes. With one short visit by Hermes, Kalypso is forced to let Odysseus go. “That goddess most divinely made” makes her resentment to this…

Words 833 - Pages 4

Essay Odysseus

Angela Sun Reading Cultures 29 January 2015 Essay One Infidelity and revenge in The Odyssey as explored through a gendered lens In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, a war hero by the name of Odysseus attempts to return to his wife and son in Ithaca. Littered throughout the poem are short anecdotes told by humans, bards, and gods. From the suicide of Ajax to the revenge of Orestes, these recounts serve to enrich The Odyssey’s already fantastical and mythical tone. Interestingly, several of these tales…

Words 1271 - Pages 6

Loyalty And Relationships In Homer's The Odyssey

Loyalty and relationships are like plants -- they both require commitment and nurturing in order to grow. When a relationship is uncared for and loyalty is broken, the relationship eventually dies and wears out, much like when a plant is neglected. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, loyalty is displayed when individuals are faithful to each other, their actions will be rewarded, whereas, those who are false-hearted will be castigated. Penelope and Odysseus’ mutual devotion throughout their twenty…

Words 861 - Pages 4

The Odyssey Essay

What changes your fate, what dictates whether you live or die trying? In Homer’s The Odyssey, Agamemnon’s and Odysseus’s fate contrast because of their differing homecomings and loyalty of their wives. These two factors leads to the death of Agamemnon and to the success of Odysseus. When Agamemnon returns home he doesn’t think he has made enemies while fighting with his fellow Achaeans for ten long years in Troy. Aegisthus He is spotted by a spy when he arrives, who notifies Aegisthus of his homecoming…

Words 940 - Pages 4

The Consequences Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

mythology, most of them think of Homer's most famous work, the "Odyssey". Because the "Odyssey" was written in the Greek language, there are many different translations, but they all explain the detailed story of a man named Odysseus's, who desperately tries to find his way back to his homeland. Nevertheless, Odysseus's finds himself stuck on multiple islands…

Words 825 - Pages 4