ipl-logo

Odyssey Essay: Odysseus And Penelope In The Odyssey

1930 Words8 Pages

Odyssey Argument Essay In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is married to a beautiful women known as Penelope. When they married each other, they both promised to love one another endlessly and promise to be loyal to each other as long as they live. When Odysseus left for the battle at Troy, Penelope promised she would stay loyal to their marriage, but did that really have any effect on the choices Odysseus chose to make on his journey back home with the many people he encountered? Although Odysseus claims he wants to get home to his beloved wife, Penelope, he continues to contradict himself throughout the story both through his actions by sleeping around, through taking unnecessary trips that stalled his journey back home even more and flirting …show more content…

In similar fashion to above, Odysseus shows disloyalty to Penelope, but this time, by flirting with other women and leading them on. Odyssey flirts with many women throughout the Odyssey, but one that really stood out, was him with Nausicaa and even her handmaids. Nausicaa the beautiful daughter of King Alcinous, first saw Odysseus when he ended up on her island after his long journey at sea. Odysseus came out of the bushes with nothing on, keeping his eyes on the beautiful women; “So Odysseus moved out...about to mingle with all those lovely girls...” (6. 148-149). Odysseus getting ready to mingle with the women proves that he is disloyal to Penelope because as a married man he should only be loyal to his wife and not be thinking about other women in that way. Along with that Odysseus is being disloyal through his actions because he is mingling with Nausicaa but also mingles with her handmaids. Another example includes Odysseus gushing to Nausicaa, “I see her now- just look at your build, your bearing, your lithe flowing grace...” (6. 166-167). Complimenting Nausicaa further confirms Odysseus is disloyal to Penelope because by giving her compliments Odysseus is showing he thinks she is this beautiful girl which is ultimately leading her on. In addition, Odysseus does not even think about Penelope in this situation. He completely ignores the fact that his actions could have consequences in the future. In the same way as above, Odysseus continues to show disloyalty …show more content…

In conclusion, In the Odyssey, Homer establishes that although Odysseus claims he wants to get home to his beloved wife, Penelope, he continues to contradict himself throughout the story both through his actions by sleeping around, through taking unnecessary trips that stalled his journey back home even more and flirting with other women along with leading them on. Referring back to the points above, Odysseus clearly doesn 't think of or understand the importance of a marriage and what it takes to have a solid relationship. Penelope throughout the Odyssey was only concerned about her husband that has not come home for fifteen plus years and always made sure no suitor would come in between that, showing a massive amount of loyalty to Odysseus. But did Odysseus really treat her with equal affection and try as hard as in the marriage as he

Show More
Related
1541 Words | 7 Pages

(XIII.378-382). Odysseus puts himself and his desire for control over his own family, proving he does not consider them as a top priority. Similar to the situation with the Phaeacians, he wants to know he hasn’t been cheated and considers this above his own wife’s feelings. The added time when Penelope is unsure of her husband’s arrival only adds to her pain. He puts his own desires above his family.

Read More
146 Words | 1 Pages

Even some women were crushing on Odysseus and even held him captive Athena guided Odysseus through most of the journey. There is much cheating in the Odyssey among royalty and gods/goddesses When Odysseus finally returns back to his hometown, he is unrecognizable and rejected among his people Penelope has her doubts and holds and archery contest to prove his worth, which

Read More
698 Words | 3 Pages

Odysseus and Thomas Jefferson: Looking into History to Define What a Hero is Heroes used to be considered people who held great power and always came out on top no matter how high the odds were stacked against them. Today we are more critical of the people we look up to, which I believe to be a good thing. We now realize that the people we consider heroes must be good people, who even though they have flaws, try their hardest to do good for the world. Another interesting question is what it means to be a bad person. Is a bad person someone who is inherently bad?

Read More
1117 Words | 5 Pages

In The Odyssey, Odysseus proves to be a weak leader by being overconfident in Book 9, forgetful in Book 10, dishonest in Book 12, and having a short temper in Books 21-23. Odysseus has been gone from home for twenty years. Ten years in the Trojan War, and ten years trying to get back home. Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, has waited for her husband to return home, and has gotten to the point where she believed that her husband was dead. However, he was not dead.

Read More
375 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout books 21-22 of the Odyssey, Odysseus changes by becoming more determined. In the beginning of book 21, Odysseus comes up with plan on how to get Penelope back. The plan seemed quite difficult, almost impossible, but Odysseus was determined to make it happen. “...when the time comes, those gentlemen, to a man, will be dead against giving me bow or quiver.” (21.95-96).

Read More
995 Words | 4 Pages

There has been much debate in the book the Odyssey by the poet Homer if Penelope has been faithful to Odysseus out of fear or love. Now I can say for sure that Penelope has been faithful to Odysseus out of love because a lot of evidence supporting this is good. The Odyssey is about our main character Odysseus, who after winning the Trojan war has been sailing the seas trying to get home for twenty years, losing all his men and getting home after a long time while Penelope has been trying to fend off the suitors with her maids and slaves. On the book The Odyssey by Homer, the author discusses how Penelope has been waiting this entire time if she has been faithful or not.

Read More
1260 Words | 6 Pages

Even when Odysseus was away from home, she still was devoted to him and long awaited for him to return back to Ithaca. Throughout the Odyssey, Penelope is seen wishing for Odysseus to come home. Penelope asks Telemachus if he has heard any news about Odysseus and Telemachus tells her about his trip to Menelaus. Penelope states that when Odysseus left, her beauty was lost and if he came home her reputation would be greater than it was. When Odysseus returns home in disguise and tells Penelope that he has returned, Penelope offers gifts if he actually comes home.

Read More
867 Words | 4 Pages

The true loyalty of the disloyal maids The suitors in the Odyssey had a pretty straightforward mindset that is prevalent for many wealthy and young people even today, which is, whatever they wanted, they got, regardless of the consequences. In the story they wanted to eat like gluttons all day and every day, and so they did. They wanted to drink themselves into buffoonery and so they did. But when it comes to marrying Penelope, something all of them wanted to do, they didn’t, and the thinking that follows is not that they were patiently waiting for Penelope’s decision, Telemochases approval, or Odysseus’ officially known death, but rather they were distracted by the “disloyal” maids who kept them company and / or distracted all that time.

Read More
415 Words | 2 Pages

While finally making it home to Ithica, he got word that all was not well at his home and that Penelope was in trouble. People had invaded his home, and these suitors tried to take Penelope for themselves. When Odysseus got word of this he did not rush and try to kill them like he once would have, but instead, he thought and planned his moves. With the help of his son, and servants of his house, they were are able to rid the house of the suitors and have Penelope once again.

Read More
381 Words | 2 Pages

A major plot storyline, and one of the most explored temptations in The Odyssey, is Penelope and the suitors. There is temptation on both sides; Penelope certainly has waited a long time for Odysseus, and has to combat affairs with the suitors, and the suitors are lusting after Penelope. If permitted, they would have succumbed to the urge to wed her. Telemachus and Pallas

Read More
1041 Words | 5 Pages

In an epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus struggles to come back home while his wife, Penelope, faces barbarous suitors who plague her house to court her for the marriage in order to claim the kingship of Ithaca. With an absence of the man of the household and a son who is not old enough to rule over the country and handle the domestic complications, Penelope endeavors to keep the household orderly and civilized. In order to prevent further chaos in the household, Penelope maintains her role as the Queen of Ithaca and Odysseus’s wife through her loyalty and cunning. For a woman who does not know when her man will return home, Penelope is extremely strong to keep hope and wait for her husband; thus, her unwavering loyalty to her husband

Read More
1078 Words | 5 Pages

They both uphold the general values society places on their sexes, but through their hardships they are able to gain a fluidity in these roles not often given in their society. Odysseus was able to express emotion without undercutting his masculinity, and was able to appreciate his wife for more than her domestic accomplishments. While Penelope became a paradigm of fidelity, she also embodied inner-strength as she dealt with the turmoil of her missing husband, rowdy suitors, and the destruction of her kingdom; which allowed Odysseus to come to appreciate her ingenuity and his marriage in

Read More
1401 Words | 6 Pages

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.

Read More
1181 Words | 5 Pages

Odysseus is truly loyal to Penelope because he leaves Ogygia (where he was trapped) as soon as possible, puts all of his effort into making it home to his wife, and even flirts with Princess Nausicaa to get him home. Even though Odysseus has been through

Read More
1293 Words | 6 Pages

Penelope however is put under scrutiny by her own son Telemachus when he tells Odysseus about the suitors who have been seeking her hand in marriage (Cliffnotes, 2016). Telemachus plants the seed of doubt in Odysseus mind whether or not Penelope is a faithful women. Odysseus kills all the maids who he believed betrayed him by sleeping with the suitors, this is another example of how prevalent sexual infidelity is in the Odyssey (Homer, 1967:22.213). Odysseus once again shows signs of sexual infidelity when he sleeps with the goddess Circe in order for her to return his men back to their human form as she had turned them into pigs (Homer,

Read More

More about Odyssey Essay: Odysseus And Penelope In The Odyssey

Open Document