Father Son Relationships In The Odyssey

Parent-child relationships are very prevalent in works of literature especially in the pieces written in Ancient Greece and Rome. Some examples of these are the works we have read in class such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Electra plays, and Aristophanes’ the Clouds. Although mother-daughter relationships are important throughout each of these works; father-son relationships are even more so. The father-son relationship is one of the most important aspects of these societies especially in the Odyssey written by Homer. The significance of all of the father-son relationships depicted in the Odyssey itself is for the purpose of exploiting its themes of family, xenia and tradition. The father-son relationship is used as well to exploit the importance

Their father-son relationship is the most important of all throughout the Odysseus and this is proven time and again throughout the entire body of work. Their relationship is not only important to the story itself but to the themes as well. Family is the fundamental principle that not only they have but that the entire family has. Penelope is especially worried for her son as he is not at home and the suitors have planned to kill him on the sea before he can reach home. Xenia has also been passed down to Telemachus even though Odysseus wasn’t there. Before knowing that Odysseus was who he was, he paid attention to him which shows the sign of being a substantial host unlike the suitors. This is proven by when he asks Eumaeus about the stranger: “How can I welcome this guest in my house? … One man, however powerful, can’t do much against superior numbers.” (Odyssey 16. 76-98). Similar to xenia, tradition is also shown through their relationship. One example of the traditions passed down through each generation which is proven by Telemachus speaking to Athena as his guest: “My dear guest, you speak to me as kindly as a father to his son. I will not