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Odysseus Parrie Loyalty In Homer's Odyssey

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Loyalty and faithfulness are traits expected of all mankind. They are the virtues that embody the highest ideals of a modern day person. Even from the ancient Greeks, loyalty demanded of human beings. However, during that time of era, these traits were only expected from certain people. In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, the basic standards of loyalty and faithfulness are varied depending on the individual’s gender and relationships. Females are to devote their bodies, souls, and lives to their husbands, while males are not looked down upon if they do not return the same courtesy. Servants are also required to swear their allegiance to their masters and remain faithful even if they are absent. Lastly, gods and goddesses are supposed to watch out for mortals, and mortals are expected to always be loyal in return. The standards of loyalty differ according to the roles and connections they have. These rules must be followed to the highest degree and if they are followed or not, rewards and consequences are given accordingly. There are many double standards and gender roles shown throughout the story. Penelope and Odysseus’ …show more content…

A male and a female have different levels of loyalty that are expected of them. Penelope has to remain faithful to Odysseus, but Odysseus has the right to perform adultery with other people. Like women, slaves are to remain loyal their dominant partner, in this case, their master. As a result of his devotion Eumaeus is rewarded greatly, but Melantho is severely punished for her betrayal. Lastly, gods and goddesses are to protect their people and stand by them while mortals are supposed to worship and stay faithful to them. Athene and Odysseus both followed the rules of loyalty expected of them and received rewards in return. The roles and relationships individuals are in affect the rules and expectations of loyalty each is responsible

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loy·al·ty ˈloiəltē/ noun the quality of being loyal to someone or something. a strong feeling of support or allegiance. Loyalty is very strong and very meaningful, like true love or brotherhood. Loyalty has to be earned, not just given away. In The Odyssey, the epic poem by Homer, Odysseus’ crew is steadfastly loyal to him and follow nearly his every direction, even though they are given many reasons not to be.

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“The Odyssey,” written by Greek poet Homer is an epic tale depicting the brutally enduring quest home of the Greek hero, Odysseus. Within this heroic story, women play a very large and pivotal role in Odysseus’s trip home from the Trojan War. In his attempt to get back to his wife, Penelope, Odysseus’s progress is constantly hindered by the intervention of women who will do anything in order to either convince the heroic figure to stay with them or have him killed. The intentions of the women in the epic are all very different but one of the most prominent roles lies in the seductresses and the alluring women who will deeply influence Odysseus. Most importantly, Penelope plays a large role in portraying the importance of women’s roles in the story.

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Always Submissive and Sexy Do you believe that the two sexes today are treated differently from one another? In the Odyssey, written by Homer, there is a constant comparison between the opposite sexes. Throughout this book, Odysseus struggles to get home to his submissive wife Penelope. He encounters challenges, one of which is beautiful tempting women who urge him to stay.

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The treatment of women has always been different in different societies, cultures, and time periods. In the Odyssey, the treatment of the female gods is different than the treatment of mortal women because the gods are a powerful being, but the mortal women are property and owned by their husbands. If a women marries a man who she has more money then, they will live in her house, but he will be in charge of everything, including herself. In book 21 and book 3 show the power of the mortal women compared to the power of the goddesses. In the Odyssey, the mortal women are treated and used differently from the way that the goddesses are worshiped because of the gender and societal roles that each group of women are assigned.

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In Greece culture, especially in The Odyssey, there are many different type of Greek women. Each women in their social rank and status have important roles to fulfill. In The Odyssey some women choose to fulfil their roles rightfully while other should be shamed for the disgrace they caused to all women. Athena, Penelope, and _______ are discussed in the book and have powerful influences on people, some choose to be the good influence while others choose to be inferior.

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However, for a woman in Homer’s society, who belongs to either her father and her husband, she is the head of the household for 20 years in the absence of Odysseus. She does not preserve peace in the household, but she takes actions to prevent the destruction of ranks of the household by delaying her marriage so that when Odysseus come back home, he can reclaim the kingship, or when Telemachus is old enough, he can take the throne which is rightfully his. In the position where women have no power, she uses her intellectual strength to control the suitors. Penelope promises the suitors that she will choose one of them to marry after she finishes weaving the shroud for Laertes because it is shameful if she does not do anything for her father-in-law. The suitors eagerly comply to her request without knowing what Penelope plans to do.

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The Greek gods and goddesses are the ultimate representation how Greek culture. Since the gods and goddesses did not mention Odysseus’ lack of sexual fidelity, this shows that the values for men in Greek culture were not infringed upon. Sexual fidelity and how it is dealt with by the story’s most important characters in The Odyssey show the morals of Greek

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The Odyssey, gods like Athena and Poseidon interfere with humans to satisfy their own desires, showing that they are just as imperfect and flawed as the mortals that they rule over. Athena favors Odysseus since he reminds her of herself. He portrays the same cunning, guile, and intelligence as she does; Athena had confided to him that “two of a kind, we are, contrivers, both,” comparing how similar they are. “Of all men now alive,” she says, “you are the best in plots and story telling.

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These women influenced the conditions of the journey by guiding Odysseus in different directions, and aiding him crucially. Their authority showed the idea behind an old proverb, which states, “Behind every great man there’s a great woman”. Throughout The Odyssey, the women exemplified their power during the course of Odysseus’ journey.     Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, bravely held down the front in Ithaca while her husband struggled to find his way back home. In Book 18, Penelope spoke to the ever-so-desperate suitors about what Odysseus “told” her before he left.

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Imagine landing in a difficult situation... getting stranded from home, encountering beautiful woman at the same time, but you have a wife. You have to choose your wife, or a beautiful woman. This is exactly what happened to Odysseus on his travels in The Odyssey, by the Greek poet Homer. In this epic poem, Odysseus is married to his wife Penelope and has a happy family, who lives in Ithaca. Even though Odysseus has been stranded from home for many years, he still remains loyal to his wife.

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