Importance Of Loyalty In The Odyssey

Words: 428
Pages: 2
Open Document
The value that is most vital to a relationship is loyalty. With loyalty comes reward and with disloyalty comes consequences, for loyalty builds trust while disloyalty destroys relationships. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey, Homer expresses the significance of these values. The characters’ acts of loyalty and disloyalty have dramatically different results. In a relationship, loyalty strengthens the bonds between two parties. In the Iliad, Hector knows that Helen adores him, but he only loves his wife and fighting alongside the Trojan forces (Iliad 56). Keeping his loyalty to his wife and the Trojans, Hector keeps up an excellent image and achieves glory for his people. Later on, Achilles listens to his mother’s wisdom and advice (Iliad …show more content…
Odysseus’ men act against Odysseus’ instructions and open the bag of wind that could have brought them home because they think it is filled with treasure (86). Consequently, they end up back to where they started: Aeolus’s homeland. Because of the men’s greediness that led to their infidelity, they all go through a much more treacherous journey. Years later, they are not loyal to him once again when Eurylochus persuades them to disobey Odysseus and eat Helios’s sacred cattle (96). As punishment, the gods kill them and Odysseus is the only man who returns to Ithaca. Shortly after, Odysseus learns that the arrogant suitors betrayed him by wanting to desperately marry Penelope, not caring whether or not he is alive (100). In vengeance, he kills them all. Disloyalty ruins people’s lives. Loyalty is displayed when Achilles does the right thing, Hector obtains glory for his people, and Penelope remains loyal to Odysseus. Disloyalty is shown when Odysseus’s men disobey Odysseus twice and the suitors plan on marrying Penelope. Loyalty is highly beneficial while disloyalty is extremely damaging because loyalty creates friendships whereas disloyalty creates enemies. The importance of fidelity is highly emphasized throughout the Iliad and the
Show More

Related Documents: Importance Of Loyalty In The Odyssey

Loyalty In Odyssey

The Importance of Loyalty and the Consequences of Disloyalty Throughout the epic “The Odyssey” Odysseus, the ruler of Ithaca, experiences true disloyalty and loyalty throughout his twenty year journey and even returning home. His one desire was to get home as soon as possible, no matter what it took. He had setbacks throughout his miserable journey, and those setbacks were because of the difference between loyalty and disloyalty. Even in the years of 750-700 BC, people throughout the universe…

Words 800 - Pages 4

Comparing Homer's The Odyssey And Paulette Jiles News Of The World

The Odyssey and Paulette Jiles' News of the World several values are shared, including humility, a recognition of the power and responsibility of the spoken word, and an admiration of loyalty. Each work represents the values differently, and the works outdo each other in some of the respective values, but the ideas outlined in each book can be simplified to timeless shared concepts. Throughout time, excessive pride has been seen as a main factor behind the downfall of characters. The Odyssey and…

Words 1844 - Pages 8

Loyalty To Family In Homer's The Odyssey

Homer uses metaphor and allusion to reveal the theme of importance of loyalty to family. In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, he discusses how loyalty to family is worth the effort put into it. The protagonist, Odysseus, is stranded on Calypso’s island and is presumed dead, so suitors swarm his household in an attempt to gain his wife Penelope’s hand in marriage. In dialogue between Penelope and Antinous, “Wait until I finish this cloth, for I don’t wish to waste all the thread I have spun… there she…

Words 278 - Pages 2

The Odyssey Essay FINAL Draft

Jessi Zirker Pre­AP English P. 2 March 11th, 2015 The Odyssey Essay The Time to be Heard As alpha is to omega: men are to women. The constant fight for rights, a voice, even freedom has lived on throughout history up until today. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer translated by Robert Fitzgerald women are seen as nothing more than a boatload of problems. Whether this belief rooted from Pandora releasing all things bad into the world, or Eve being the root of sinful nature,…

Words 1861 - Pages 8

Odysseus As A Hero In Beowulf And Homer's Odyssey

A hero is in every shape and form, which lies throughout many stories and or movies. A hero can be someone very important “Beowulf” and “Odyssey” we see these characters acting and doing what a hero is to their people and the things they have gone throughout their stories to the people. A hero, is brave; courageous but more importantly shows intelligence. When we refer to someone as a hero it means that they aren’t afraid to step up and perceive to be in the wrong, regardless of the situation they…

Words 898 - Pages 4

Loyalty In The Odyssey

The Significance of Loyalty When one thinks of a poem, they normally envision a short, craftily worded work not a 300 plus page book about the journey of one man. “The Odyssey” by Homer is an epic written about the trip home for the main character Odysseus. All throughout the story he is faced with many trials that test his prowess as a man, a father, and as a husband. On his journey, Odysseus also learns that his guardian angel, the goddess Athena, has not forgotten him and has been watching…

Words 630 - Pages 3

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

The Odyssey Essay

Nadia Mendoza Ms. Kittelson English 9 March 14, 2011 The Odyssey In the epic poem “The Odyssey” by Homer, the journey of a Greek king is traced. Though sailing can sound extremely easy like driving, in this epic poem things are slightly different. Odysseus the protagonist of this epic poem and his sailing crew face frequent temptations that not only determine their loyalty and strength to resist these temptations, but also how long-lasting their sail back home can be. The enlightened message…

Words 960 - Pages 4

Archetypes In The Odyssey

literature that have left a mark on society. In his book, The Odyssey, he uses his skills to not only keep the reader on the edge of their seat, but to help us educate ourselves about the meaning of a true hero. He incorporates life lessons, one of them being that an individual does not have to be perfect in order to be praised or loved. Homer presents this several times throughout the book in order to convey the importance of loyalty and compassion. There are many questions regarding his writing…

Words 1438 - Pages 6

Honor In The Odyssey

them glorious, each individual maintained their own sense of personal honor which did not always coincide with honor as defined or perceived by the masses. Honor was gained through heroism in battle, but also through compelling speech-making, loyalty, and other skills that a person might demonstrate. An example that demonstrates…

Words 970 - Pages 4