Odysseus And Relationships: The Odyssey

Rustom

Isabelle Rustom
Mrs. Maenz
English 9 Honors
11/20/13
Odyssey and Relationships
“The Odyssey is simply the story of Odysseus­ the man, his travels, and his family”(Ford). Odysseus’s relationships were what eventually led him home. The love from his wife and son were important attributes to leading him home. They gave him motivation to reaching Ithaca. They were just about to start a family when Odysseus left for war, but that had to be held off. Penelope adored Odysseus, and same in return. Even though he and his son never actually met, they had a special type of bond that cannot be broken. Along the way, goddesses assisted Odysseus in his obstacles, Athena and Circes particularly. Athena was a sort of wingman, helping Odysseus along his journey, while Circes managed a deal with him that led
him further in his journey.
Penelope had a longing love for Odysseus. “Despite Telemachus growing up, Penelope holds out for her husband 's return. She is ‘the soul of loyalty’,”(Ford). Penelope knew, deep down, that Odysseus would eventually return. That hope was what kept her going. Penelope was a motivational character in this epic poem because Odysseus knew what ever he went through, he would return to home where she would be. I think having a relationship like that is wonderful.
Despite all the hardships you face throughout the day, the love for the other is so great that it makes you thankful to come home to that one person. Thinking about them gives you the strength to complete a task where the ultimate prize is returning back to them. That is where

Rustom

Penelope and Odysseus’s relationship stands.
The Gods and Goddesses played key roles in the odyssey. Athena helped Odysseus on his journey, but also assisted Telemachus. “ ‘Few sons are the equals of their fathers,” Athena tells him, but she assures Telemachus that he has Odysseus’s courage and cunning.”(Ford). Athena is telling Telemachus that not many sons are alike of their fathers, but the exception is that he has some of Odysseus’s qualities.
She is assuring him that they are not the same person, but alike in a way. Athena is a very wise goddess, knowing the difference between right and wrong, so she gives her wisdom to Odysseus. He then takes that knowledge and puts it in the hands of his crew members in times of disaster. Circes was completely different. She proposed a deal to Odysseus.
That deal was that if he slept with her, she would tell him how to get to the land of the dead. He went along with that, because he knew by taking that chance with Circes, he’d be one step closer to going home. “So now all who escaped death in battle or by shipwreck had got safely home except Ulysses, and he, who was longing to return to his wife and country, was detained by the goddess Calypso, who had got him into a large cave and wanted to marry him.”(Homer).
Calypso wanted to keep Odysseus around until Ulysses informed her it wasn 't a very good idea.
The relationship between Odysseus and Telemachus was distant. Odysseus knew
Telemachus when he was a baby, but Telemachus could not have remembered at such a young age. When he was old enough to realize why his father was missing, he decided to go on a venture to find him. “Let no sceptered king be benevolent and gentle, open­hearted
and righteous, but let him always be harsh, cruel, and unjust. Not one of the people whom he once ruled remember how godlike Odysseus, so kind a king, like a father to his children.”(Dova). He was a very kind king, treating others like he would treat his own children. Odysseus knew that

Rustom

alongside Penelope, he would be returning home to his one and only son Telemachus.
Telemachus was also a motivational part in Odysseus’s adventure. Odysseus knew that as long as he was returning home, he would be returning to his family. Although, while Odysseus was gone, the suitors were infiltrating their home. They all wanted to wed Penelope because
Odysseus was missing for a long time. “Telemachus struggles against a crowd of suitors who constantly feast at his home, pestering Odysseus’s wife Penelope to choose one as her new husband”(Ford). The suitors would eat, live, and sleep at their home. Telemachus had finally had enough. He tried to rally men against the suitors. Then in the midst of all despair, Odysseus returned home, but not his appearance. Athena disguised him so that he could return to home without the suitors killing him, because if they knew Odysseus was actually alive they’d want him dead. They competed to see who could make the arrow fly through the ringlets because
Penelope said she would marry the man who accomplished that task. Odysseus then (disguised as an old man) defeated them all, by shooting arrow straight through the ringlets with a
bullseye, and turned back into his original form. Odysseus then joined by Telemachus, started killing off all the suitors one by one. They soon were all slaughtered, and gave a victory as a good ending.
As was a heartwarming rejoice. “He wept as he held his lovely wife, whose thoughts were virtuous. After the long adventure and escaping evil; so welcome was her husband to her as she looked upon him, and she could not let him go from the embrace of her white arms.”(Hopkins).
The final embrace is what wrapped up the epic poem.

Rustom

Works Cited
Ford, James. "family in
The Odyssey
."
Bloom 's Literature
. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 21
Nov. 2013
Dova, Stamatia. “Kind Like A Father.” On Mentors and Kings In The Odyssey 2012. The
Center For Hellenic Studies. Web. 22 Nov. 2013.
Hopkins, Amanda, “A Reading Of Penelope.” Transcript of lecture for the Epic Tradition course, University of Warwick, Autumn 2005.
Homer. The Odyssey. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University, 2004. Print.

Rustom