Love and Loyality

The Odyssey Theme Analysis:

Love and Loyalty

"Antinoos, it is impossible for me to turn out of doors the mother who bore me and brought me up." (p.25, Homer, The Odyssey) This quote is a direct example of love and loyalty between a mother and son. Telemachos loves his mother and will stand by her decision, he says he won’t force her to marry; he is loyal to her, which represents the idea of loyalty between family. Love and loyalty are major themes of The Odyssey that are constantly surfacing throughout the book. Love and loyalty are shown in many different aspects: through husband and wife, father and son, mother and son, boy and nurse and others.

The love between a husband and wife is a sacred bond and loyalty keeps that bond together. According to the definition of loyalty at that point in time Odysseus and Penelopeia were loyal to each other while Odysseus was gone on his odyssey. Odysseus was with both Circe and Calypso while gone but ultimately returned to Penelopeia. Today in age this would not be considered loyal, however, in ancient Greece it was considered typical. Penelopeia was completely faithful to Odysseus the entire time while he was away. She had many suitors but believed in being loyal to her husband until she was absolutely sure that he was dead. Love empowered her to have this kind of loyalty to him. The following quote shows Penelopeia’s love for Odysseus, "So dear is he that I long for and never forget – my husband." (p.19, Homer, The Odyssey)

Another aspect of love and loyalty that is constantly that is constantly shown in The Odyssey is the relationship between father and son. Telemachos is intent on finding the whereabouts of his father as a result of his love for him. He shows loyalty in not permitting the marriage of his mother until they are certain that Odysseus is deceased. Odysseus has loyalty to his son as well; he is determined to return to Ithaca for his family. An example of Telemachos showing love for his father is in the following quote: "Now the young man could not restrain himself; tears dropt from his eyes to the ground as he heard his father’s name." (p.46, Homer, The Odyssey) Telemachos expresses grief at the sound of his long lost father’s name.

Odysseus and his nursemaid have a mother-son type of relationship. Eurycleia is very nurturing towards Odysseus and treats him like a son. Eurycleia believes that Odysseus will never return home to his family. She expresses grief towards the thought of losing her loving Odysseus: "He’s dead, far away from home, my blessed Odysseus, in some foreign land!" (p.30, Homer, The Odyssey)

Telemachos and Penelopeia have a strong mother-son relationship. Telemachos is loyal to his mother by letting her marry and when she pleases. Penelopeia obviously loves her son; which is shown by the fact that she raised him on her own, nutures and defends him. For example when Penelopeia’s suitors are speaking of killing Telemachos she threatens them and stops the conversation.

Love and loyalty are two very established and evident themes in the novel of the travels of Odysseus. The two themes are showed throughout the book in every strong relationship.
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I would like to end this section by posing a question to be thought about. Penelope is shown as the most loyal of all by staying faithful and true to her husband even though they are not together. She resists time and time again the attempts of the suitors for her hand in marriage. So, why is it that Odysseus is so unfaithful to his wife? He is unfaithful with at least two characters Circe, whom he stays with for a year and Calypso, where he is held captive for seven years but sleeps in her bed. Of all the characters that are so loyal to Odysseus, why is he so unloyal in return?
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In Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, friends and family of Odysseus show great loyalty to him. The loyalty can be seen through the commitment Penelope, faith of Odysseus' servants, and his dog, Argos', patience.
The most loyal was Penelope. As his faithful wife, she waited twenty years for him to come home. With her brilliant trickery, she was able to fool the suitors long enough for Odysseus to return. When he arrives, she tells him, "I armed myself long ago against the frauds of men, imposters who might come- and all those many whose underhanded ways bring evil on" (436). Having the courage to stand up to other men and wait twenty years is the perfect example of true loyalty.

Odysseus' servants also show loyalty. Eurycleia, Odysseus' wet nurse, finds out his identity when he is disguised as a beggar. She exclaims, "You are Odysseus! Ah, dear child! I could not see you until now- not till I knew my master's very body with my hands" (368). Although she is excited to spread the news of his return, she is loyal and keeps quiet just as he asks. Other servants were not loyal to Odysseus. Instead they joined the suitors and began to serve them. After killing the suitors, Odysseus had these servants clean up the blood and guts of their new masters, and then he hung them. Talking to Odysseus about the servants Eurycleia says, "Twelve went bad, flouting me, flouting Penelope, too" (423). These also show the loyalty and disloyalty shown to Odysseus.

Odysseus' faithful companion, Argos is the last that shows devotion. When Odysseus arrives at his palace, Argos is aged, and waiting on a pile of manure outside. After waiting twenty years, he opens his eyes and wags his tail at the sight of Odysseus. Homer says, "...but death and darkness in that instant closed the eyes of Argos, who had seen his master, Odysseus, after twenty years" (320). Waiting twenty years for your master really shows that Argos has true devotion for Odysseus.

In, The Odyssey, Homer's epic poem, loyalty can be easily seen. Argos and the servants all show perfect examples. They exhibit their loyalty by keeping his identity secret, and waiting twenty years to see him then die. Penelope also with her strong love and devotion to wait for him.