...Love comes in many different shapes and sizes. Their is no doubt that a good story like The Odyssey by Homer includes the major emotional theme of love. The idea of love is emphasized throughout The Odyssey in a variety of different ways: Romantic love, familial love, and love within a helping hand of someone. These types of love all come together in perfect harmony to make The Odyssey the amazing story that it is. In life we often look and search for someone to share the love and journey with. Odysseus and Penelope’s strong and powerful relationship was no different when it came to a pure representation of love. Their relationship stayed strong throughout all the hardships they both faced. Odysseus was gone on a journey for over two decades,...
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...As we are coming to the end of the Odyssey, Homer explains to the reader how Odyssey reestablishes his relationships with his son and wife. Because Odysseus left on a journey when Telemachus was just a baby, Telemachus’ relationship with his father almost does not exist until Odysseus returns home. It is clear that Telemachus has a lot of love and dedication for his father as he is overjoyed to see his father. He cried for a long time. Odyssey, on the other hand, seems calm and has a much more serious reaction when meeting his son for the first time in quite a while. The idea of a father and son relationships in general is an important concept in The Odyssey. We can see that Telemachus grows from a powerless child who will not take responsibility...
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...implying the relationship/love affair that Odysseus participated in. As a result, it reveals the disloyal and faithless behavior of Odysseus. Yet, despite engaging in these relationships and being unfaithful to his wife, Odysseus is still praised as a hero throughout the poem and within Greek mythology, revealing how it is socially acceptable for men to have multiple relationships and be disloyal to their spouse. On the other hand, if Penelope did engage in a relationship/affair during Odysseus’s journey, she most likely would be punished or killed, just like the disloyal maids that Odysseus hangs for sleeping with the suitors. Therefore, Penelope’s relationship with Odysseus reveals how women are held to a double...
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...Noah Schoonveld Mrs. Kelley Bailey World literature December 13, 2016 Xenia in The Odyssey Zeus, the ruler of the Olympians, the God of the Sky and thunder, was at the epicenter of Ancient Greek Mythology. Those who worshiped the many Greek gods and goddesses would try to emulate and embody the many characteristics of Zeus, one of them being xenia, The Ancient Greek concept of hospitality. Xenia plays a crucial role throughout Homers The Odyssey. Starting in the very first book, Telemachus is seen opening up his father’s palace to Athena, And later in what might be the greatest display of xenia, Alcinous opens his kingdom to Odysseus. Xenia is so important In the Greek culture, because it develops a mutual understanding and trust between...
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...Greeks had certain rules, expectations and customs as part of their culture. Xenia, meaning the relationship between host and guest was a term that the ancient Greeks used to refer to hospitality. Hospitium, was what the ancient Romans used too describe hospitality it meant the divine right of the guest to receive hospitality and the devein responsibility for a host to provide hospitality. Hospitality towards a stranger or a traveler was an important element in the ancient Greek and Roman culture. The Odyssey and the Aeneid best demonstrate 1) why hospitality is so important, 2) what do the gods have to do with hospitality, and 3) what was expected from the host as well as the guest. There are many reasons why hospitality was so important in those times. It was for shelter, food, protection and most importantly it was a matter of life or death. One example would be Odysseus’s long traveling in the Odyssey. Traveling back then was not as advanced as it is today. The method of traveling was done by boat or on foot. This meant that many nights would be spent away from home and the travelers would have to rely on the hospitality of strangers for food and shelter. There were no hotels or restaurants in the ancient times and if there were hotels and restaurants, the travelers would probably not be able to pay for the many nights that they would have to stay. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men relied...
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...Lit 13 October 2016 Hospitality Xenia is defined as the Greek relationship between two people from different regions. Hospitality in Homer’s time was essential because in this day and time, methods of travel were less convenient. The communication and technology during this time period was far less advanced than the modern times to come. With the less progressive communication avenues along with longer travel times, more nights were spent away from home in other locations. The most common forms of transportation of this day were boat or on foot which obviously took longer than today’s modern transportation. In addition to this, travelers were not able to afford to stay in hotels or inns every night therefore it was...
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...Alma Morales Professor Derbyshire English 391 March 9, 2016 The Odyssey: The Power of Gods The epic of Homer The Odyssey is about Odysseus and his 10 year struggle to return home Ithaca where his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus are struggling with the suitors who are waiting to take Penelope’s hand and Ithaca’s throne while they await for Odysseus return. However, Odysseus struggled to return Ithaca for the reason that Poseidon one of the gods that appear during the epic prevent him to return to his homeland. The theme that I considered interesting about the epic The Odyssey is the Power of Gods. Gods were considered ‘supreme’to humans. This was because humans plead to the Gods whenever they need to achieve something, and the gods decided to please or not to please humans according to human’s effort in obtain their help. Through the epic The Odyssey from Homer, in numerous occasions gods interact with humans for example, in Book II ,Athena one of the goddesses interact with Telemachus as Mentor and she advises him to embark in a journey to go to look for his father Odysseus “the journey you have your heart set on won’t be delayed. I myself, your father’s old comrade, will equip a fast ship and sail along with you” (II.309-311). It seems that the power of gods in this epic is a very important part of human’s life. In addition, another aspect of the relationship between the gods and humans is that since humans believe gods have all the power over them, humans...
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...“Those in power write the history, while those who suffer write the songs.” -Frank Harte. In The Odyssey, readers learn how most of the events unfold from Odysseus’ point of view or as the center of attention. He has power and therefore readers are easily influence by what he, and Homer, want them to see and focus on. The minor characters become backgrounds, objects that are simply “there” to add bits to the story and are without much attention or empathy from readers. The Penelopiad relieves this shameful act of the readers, forcing them to see the humanity of the minor characters, more specifically the twelve hanged who mostly tell their stories through song. While reading The Odyssey, the event of hanging the maids is shared in such a cold,...
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...the English dictionary. Love is the overwhelming force between two people that cannot break no matter what the circumstances. In “The Odyssey”, the theme of love is very powerful and becomes the major driving force for Odysseus throughout his journey back home. In “The Odyssey”, the bond of love between Odysseus and his wife Penelope is very strong. When Calypso gives Odysseus the choice to be protected from future foes and immortality by staying with her, Odysseus refuses. This proves that even the most desirable temptations can’t stop Odysseus from returning home to his wife and his family. Also, when Odysseus is reunited with Penelope, Penelope isn’t sure it’s him so she tests him about the moving the wedding bed. Odysseus says it can’t be moved since it was a tree in the ground and can’t be moved. This proves that not only the cleverness of Penelope but they are guided together by their incredible wits. They were made for each other and there’s nothing that could of broke them apart. Penelope also exhibits the same kind of love towards Odysseus. While everybody else thinks Odysseus is dead, Penelope doesn’t give up hope that he’s still alive. At home, she stays loyal to Odysseus by delaying her marriage to the suitors that are trying to court her. By constantly delaying her remarriage plans to the suitors, she’s risking her own safety and the safety of her son Telemachus. Penelope refuses to marry anybody else with the thought of Odysseus still being alive and proves that...
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...only prodigies can master. And when it comes to prodigies, history raises the classic words of The Odyssey by Homer, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and Antigone by Sophocles and puts them on a pedestal of perfect implementation. Throughout the course of these stories, there is one uncut emotion that makes today’s world go round: love. Often times in life people search for the perfect partner -- a true love and a happily ever after. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and Penelope could be considered a power couple even in modern-day society. Although Odysseus is gone for twenty years, he never forgets his faithful wife in Ithaca. This love seems to help him persevere through the many hardships that he encounters on his journey home. On the other hand, Penelope, of course, maintains balance in the scale of affection by unraveling his shroud and delaying her marriage to the suitors...
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...Xenia is the Greek word for hospitality. It is the law that requires both hosts and guests to be polite and respect each other. To be a good guest, one should provide his own stories, or bring trade or gift to the host. On the other hand, a good host has much more things to do than a good guest. He should bathe the guest, give him clothing, food, as well as guest present, and also transportation and protection. Gods might also disguise themselves into human beings to test the hospitality of a host. Xenia is an essential and highly expected quality for both guests and hosts according to Homer. In The Odyssey, he provides several examples: the suitors and Polyphemus (the Cyclops), Telemachus, Nestor, and Menelaus, as well as Calypso and Circe....
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...The Odyssey Essay Topics We will begin work on the essays once we’ve completed the reading. Between now and then you need to consider the following topics and choose one for your paper. Read over each topic; as we continue to read, listen for lines that will fit with your topic (that you can use in your paper!). You will commit to a topic later. 1. On at least three occasions in the Odyssey, good advice is offered and not taken, and disaster and suffering result. Discuss three such examples. 2. In Part 2 of the Odyssey, Penelope shows that she is a strong woman, and therefore a good match for Odysseus, because she is clever. Discuss three times when Penelope was clever. 3. What is the role of females in the Odyssey? Taking into consideration such characters as Penelope, Circe, Athena, the Sirens, and Anticlea (Odysseus’ mother), discuss how women are portrayed. 4. What is the importance of the father/son relationships in the Odyssey? Thinking about what the story presents about the relationships between Odysseus and Laertes, Odysseus and Telemachus, and Polyphemus and Poseidon, describe what characteristics of this relationship the Greeks valued. 5. The Odyssey contains some very graphic violence, some of which is done in anger and some of which is not. Select examples of each, and explain the purpose of each violent scene. 6. Hospitality, the concept of welcoming visitors and treating them well, was important to the Ancient Greeks. Find examples in...
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...The story of the Odyssey starts with Odysseus, a Greek war hero in the Battle of Troy. He is trying to make his way back to his home in Ithaca. His wife, Penelope, is waiting for him to return home from war. She does not know if her husband is still alive, but still remains faithful to him. Even with all of the suitors that have bombarded Odysseus’ home trying to take his place, Penelope still remains loyal to her husband. Their son, Prince Telemachus, is still at the home with all of the suitors. He desperately wants to remove them from the home, but does not have the will power or fighting experience to take down all of the men. Many men want to take over the palace, especially Antinous. He plans to kill Telemachus and control the palace. Odysseus meanwhile is alive on the island of Ogygia. He is bound here under the control of Calypso. The Greek goddess, Athena, wants to help Odysseus out. She goes to his son Telemachus disguised as Laertes. She persuades him to approach the suitors in a meeting, and also prepares him to journey to Pylos and Sparta. Nestor and Menelaus tell him that his dad is still alive but stuck on Calypso’s Island. Zeus sends Hermes to save Odysseus from the island. Hermes talks Calypso into letting Odysseus build a ship and leave. While sailing, Poseidon sends a storm to stop him from getting home. Athena saves him once again and lands on Scheria. He spends the night recalling all the adventures he had experienced on his trip. After he tells his...
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...Homer writes the theme of loyalty heavily into the Odyssey as demonstrated by the relationship that is had between Telemachus and his father, Odysseus. The prince, who does not have much of a memory of his father, is still determined to find information on what had happened to Odysseus and making sure the former king “’won’t be far from loved ones any longer’” (2: 183). The only knowledge the prince has about his father is what he’s been told by others and he firmly believes what they say and misses the man he has never known. He is loyal to his father by making attempts to bring him home to rid the palace of the suitors that plague it and to once again, be with Penelope. He praises the way his father ruled over the people like “’a father...
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...Greek mythology, and has been a common theme in modern-day media. Man’s inner struggle is as common today as it was in the past. In the Greek epic, “The Odyssey” by Homer, the movie “Rocky” starring and written by Sylvester Stallone, and “Just Kids” by Patti Smith, each main character pursues an improbable goal with pitfalls along the way. However, he or she who overcomes so many obstacles becomes the person they want to be. “The Odyssey,” tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus and his 20-year journey home after the fall of Troy. The epic poem begins with Odysseus trapped on the island of Ogygia by the nymph Calypso. After escaping he attempts his journey home, telling people along the way of his adventures. After ten years of fighting in the Trojan War, it takes him another ten years to get home to his kingdom of Ithaca. Since it takes Odysseus so long to get home, his family believes he is dead. This ancient narrative poem and its theme, Man vs. Self, is one of the oldest known written narratives. Odysseus struggles physically and mentally and overcomes obstacles he faces day after day. Life is uncertain, the future is an unknown, do we keep going despite the massive amounts of crap and negativity, literally and figuratively, that gets in our way? Do we give up? Why does one person keep going and another give up? What is Man seeking? This epic poem is filled with mythical...
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