Examples Of Fidelity In The Odyssey

Loyalty, Fidelity and Hubris in Homer's "Odyssey" The Odyssey is one of the majestic ancient epics and an immortal masterpiece, written by the ancient Greek poet-storyteller Homer. This work is one of the most popular in the world, leaving its mark on many cultures and civilizations, bequeathed to us by the Greeks. And though it was written thousands of years ago, it remains relevant and captivating. It is the story of the Greek king Odysseus, of how the Gods tested him and helped him, of his difficult and thorny return home after the Trojan War, of the people, events, and difficulties he encountered along the way. The book shows us human vices and displays of true bravery and valor, examples of loyalty, fidelity and devotion, wisdom and resourcefulness.

Loyalty is what makes men on the battlefield fiercely defend their wives back home, for they know they are loved and waited for. The loyalty of comrades and fellow soldiers allows them to bravely go into battle and risk their lives to save the entire unit. The main example of this is the fidelity of Penelope, the wife of Odysseus. "But break off this song - the unendurable song that always renders the heart inside me...the unforgettable grief, it wounds me most of all! How I long for my husband - alive in memory, always, that great man." Book 1, lines 391-396. In this excerpt, the bard Phemius sings "The Return of the Achaeans from Troy" and this greatly distresses Penelope. She misses her husband terribly and asks Phemius to stop singing. She was a young, beautiful woman, and was left alone surrounded by a hundred suitors, but even after 20 years she still remains faithful to Odysseus, waiting for his return and devising tricks to fend off the suitors. We also see in the epic the devotion of Odysseus to his troops. Among his men were not the best examples of intelligent, pious and morally steadfast people. A mutinous crew undid me - and a cruel sleep. Set it to right, my

The cunning Odysseus escapes from the giant Polyphemus on his ship with his men, but cannot resist telling Polyphemus his name. This was a big mistake by Odysseus. Enraged, Polyphemus called on his father Poseidon to take revenge. After that, Odysseus had bad luck, he lost all his companions and could only return home alone after 10 years, because he had offended Poseidon's son. Another example is when Odysseus himself directly speaks of pride that breeds foolishness: "You're sick with pride, you brutal fool. No doubt you count yourself a great, powerful man because you sport with a puny crowd, ill-bred to boot. If only Odysseus came back home and stood right here, in a flash you'd find those doors - broad as they are - too cramped for your race to safety through the porch!" Book 18, lines 431-436. In this excerpt, Odysseus, disguised as a beggar in order not to be recognized and killed, berates Eurymachus, who, not recognizing him, offers him a servant's job. And although this is not the main reason for Odysseus' retribution against the suitors, it is a good example of how, out of pride, by mocking and underestimating a person, we may later pay for