think Odysseus and his wife Penelope are perfect for each other and were meant to be together. I also believe Odysseus and Penelope's story is a very good example of how most military families function. I can relate to their story just a little bit because my husband was in the Air Force for six years. My husband served in the Air Froce from 2001 until 2007. He left for basic training just a couple months after the attack on September 11. The six years that he was in the military we got to experience one deployment.…
Throughout Odysseus’s journey, he misses both his wife and son. This, however, is one of the first instances in which he feels he can do nothing to resist Calypso and return to his faithful wife Penelope. Furthermore, even when Calypso offers Odysseus immortality he declines because his true love is Penelope and a life surrounded by beauty would not change how much he loves his wife. Odysseus finally realizes that looks can be deceiving and even though Calypso’s Island is beautiful, it has brought him misery for seven years.…
Odysseus is the lord of Ethica, his wife Penelope gave him a son and he named it Telemachus. Odysseus needs to leave Ethica, his mother, his wife and his newborn son, to fight in Trojan War in Troy. Odysseus and his men built a Trojan horse to enter the kingdom Troy, and when they already entered the battle begin and they defeated the Troy kingdom. Odysseus declared that he defeated Troy himself without the help of other Gods, so that Poseidon got angry and punished him. Poseidon didn’t let Odysseus to reach Ethica, he gives Odysseus many obstacles, but Odysseus never stop to find way to get back to Ethica, he never surrender on whatever the obstacles is, even in sacrificing herself just to see again Penelope and his son and to get back to…
Athena continues to show her care giving side after pleading with her father Zeus to free Odysseus which he does after he sent Hermes to tell Calypso to free him and she does which shows that she has a sense of decency despite her sexual ambitions to keep him on her island. After building a raft and sailing out to sea, he continues to receive bad treatment from Poseidon after he conjured up a storm that knocked him down into the water. Watching him being tossed like a rag doll around in the sea, a goddess named Ino, like Athena, showed a caring side for protecting Odysseus by providing him a scarf and with it he abandoned his raft and belongings and “dove headfirst into the sea, stretched his arms and stroked for life itself” (Book V, 411-412). While swimming toward the shore, he also had assistance from Athena who calmed Poseidon’s storm and stopped the winds by “commanding them all to hush now, go to sleep” (Book V, 423) and eventually he would make it toward land.…
Have you ever found it hard to prove someone is your equal? The Odyssey written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Penelope, Odysseus' wife, proves she is her husband's equal. So by being both very intelligent and loving she accomplishes this task.…
Level 2: Why doesn’t Odysseus accept/trust the help of the gods other than that of Athena?…
With Odysseus’s departure twenty years prior, Ithaca has descended into chaos, by a swarm of suitors, who plague the palace, and pursue Odysseus’s wife and queen, Penelope. Odysseus father, Laertes, and Penelope, his wife and queen, are the two individuals who truly test him— he returns the favour—, as personifications of Ithaca, they act as stepping stones in his reinstitution as head of his household and kingdom.…
When Odysseus offers Zeus a prized Lamb’s thighbones, he refuses them, and Odysseus realizes his mistake. He states that “Zeus disdained my offering, destruction for my ships he had in store and death for those who sailed them.” He wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, which told Odysseus that he would have no guidance or protection from him; they would have to take the journey on alone. It was then that Odysseus knew that the voyage home would be difficult, and that he would have to prove himself by adhering to the god’s advice. The fact that Odysseus does not have Zeus on his side is extremely important, it means that Odysseus would have to prove himself by acting with restraint, the men’s lives depended on it. When Odysseus had a chance to return home with the remaining crew, he was still inclined to disobey the gods thinking that he could fight his way out of his destiny, something for which Circe berated him, saying, “Must you have battle in your heart forever? The bloody toil of combat? ...will you not yield to the immortal gods?” Odysseus is a fighter, and believes that he is above all, which shows that he still will not “yield”, or admit he’s not equally great. This trait is the root of the issues that arise in the epic tale, and causes the gods to be filled with disdain towards him. It is also the cause of the men’s demise, because of his arrogance, he ruins his chances of…
Athena is pivotal in assisting Odysseus by aiding in his struggle to return home and in Ithaca. She supports Odysseus throughout the epic. Athena first helps by explaining Odysseus’ predicament to others on Mount Olympus. Athena begs “Olympian Zeus” to “care for him in [his] lofty heart” (Homer 1.72,73). Athena knows that if she is able to convince the other gods and goddess to be on Odysseus’ side it would positively impact his…
In the vast tellings of Homer’s The Odyssey, many character comparisons can be made. Few are more pressing however, than the heroism of Odysseus and his wife, Penelope. Although both Penelope and Odysseus displayed heroic characteristics in The Odyssey, Odysseus was more of a hero than his wife was in the epic. Penelope, while somewhat of a heroine, simply was not depicted by Homer to be the hero that her husband was.…
His need to win Kleos gets in the way, and puts his and his men’s lives at risk (Sparknotes editors). When they entered the Cyclops cave, he refused to leave when his men asked him. He wanted to be known for meeting and fighting a Cyclops. By staying he lost the lives of 6 men and risked the possibility of being eaten alive. After attacking the Cyclops his pride gets in the way when he informs Polyphemus the name of his attacker, which led to Poseidon thwarting his every move to get home. Penelope was deceived into thinking her husband was loyal and had spent many years suffering trying to get home. Instead Odysseus is unfaithful and is even offered marriage. He stayed with Circe many months and only left until his men asked him to leave. “What possesses you to stay here? Its time you thought of Ithica” (Homer, 137). He might be self-controlled, but his curiosity brings him trouble sometimes. His ego and arrogance was the root of his problems. He would refuse to be wrong and was full of himself. (Abbit. M, Malek. K.)…
Homer approves of Odysseus’ revenge on the suitors because Odysseus protects his wife and home from those who betrayed him. Although subtly hinted, Homer justifies Odysseus’ rage as Athena is sent in the form of Mentor to keep Odysseus on his path of rage, reminding him of his battle with the Trojans and his combat strength, which allowed him to proceed with his slaughter (Od. 22.214-215). Although necessary for Athena to appear to build the confidence of the suitors to attack Telemachus and Odysseus, the goddess’ rage against Odysseus as he asks her to help bear arms (22.246) seems as if Homer is trying to communicate to us that he agrees with Odysseus’ cause. In the manner of how Athena speaks to Odysseus in Homer’s writing, it is apparent that she is dissatisfied with Odysseus’ request as she states that although he has finally returned home, he doesn’t have the spirit to destroy the suitors on his own (22.233-246).…
In book one, the Council of the Gods is gathered, with all but one: Poseidon. Athena intercedes for Odysseus, who she admires deeply. She intends to help him get home. For this, she has a plan divided into two parts. The first, to send Hermes, her brother, to Calypso's island to tell her that she must let Odysseus go. And the second, that Athena herself must go to Ithaca and set Telemachus, Odysseus' son, on a journey for answers about his father's whereabouts.…
Odysseus is the master of schemes but it gets to his head and thinks that he's greater than the gods in the skies he gets curse. When he make one of the gods mad and Athena asks Zeus; "Olympian Zeus, have you no care for him in your lofty heart? Did he never win your favor with sacrifices burned beside the ships on the broad plain of troy? Why, Zeus, shy so dead set against Odysseus" and Zeus replies; "what nonsense you let slip through your teeth. Now, how on earth could I forget Odysseus? Great Odysseus who exels all men in wisdom, excels in offerings too he gives the immortal gods who rule the vaulting skies? No, it's the earth-shaker, Poseidon, unappeased ." (Book 1 line 72-84). What Zeus is saying is that Odysseus isn't the man who everyone thinks he is and explains why Poseidon has put a curse on his trip back to Ithaca.…
Calypso is one of the first Gods is mentioned in The Odyssey. Though she is in love with Odysseus, she lets him go and even aids him in his departure. She regrettably bids him farewell and explains how she will help, by saying “I at last will freely let you go… I will supply you with bread, water, and ruddy wine… and will send a wind to follow” (48). In this moment, Calypso shows that she cares about Odysseus’s feelings above her own. Her desire is for him to stay, while his is to leave. She knows this, and from the pureness of her heart, puts his feelings before hers. Proving that the Greek Gods were thought to be of pure heart.…