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

  • Theme Of Feasting In The Odyssey

    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

  • Penelope In The Odyssey

    794 Words  | 4 Pages

    In Homer’s Poem, The Odyssey, Penelope is the exceptionally patient and clever spouse of the infamous hero, Odysseus, and the mother of Telemachus. One poignant factor of Penelope’s character is her patience and devotion which is displayed throughout the poem. With her husband absent for a great majority of her life for the later of twenty years and his location unknown, Penelope stays, patiently awaiting Odysseus’ return, all whilst preserving their estate and raising her son by herself. Throughout this time, she had many persistent suitors in pursuit of her, abusing her husband’s absence.

    Read More

  • Why Is Odysseus Forgetful

    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

  • Odysseus And Greed In Homer's The Odyssey

    1277 Words  | 6 Pages

    Penelope, his wife, is greatly affected; as many greedy suitors disrespect her and move into their home to try and win her hand in marriage. Throughout ‘The Odyssey’, the greed and folly of men play a huge part in increasing the difficulty and severity of Odysseus’s situations and ultimately change his fate and the directions of his journey. The greed and folly of men are largely represented by Penelope’s suitors. In the very first book of The Odyssey, the disgusting actions of the suitors were introduced to the readers.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Machiavellianism In The Odyssey

    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

  • Gender And The Homeric Epic Analysis

    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

  • Determined In The Odyssey

    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

  • Similarities Between Odysseus And Thomas Jefferson

    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

  • Temptation In The Odyssey

    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

  • The Portrayal Of Women In The Odyssey

    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

  • Odysseus Loyalty To Penelope In Homer's Odyssey

    1181 Words  | 5 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Penelope In The Odyssey Analysis

    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

  • Honor And Dignity In Homer's The Odyssey

    1018 Words  | 5 Pages

    Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, chronicles the homeward bound voyage of the main character, King Odysseus of Ithaca. After Trojan War which lasted ten years, Odysseus sets foot on another adventure, which also spans ten years, to return to Ithaca. Odysseus is gone from his home for a total twenty years, but upon his arrival back to Ithaca, he finds that his title has been defended by his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, who have been awaiting his return this entire time. Odysseus and Penelope are meant to be a model couple, so people often argue about which of the two is more admirable. To be admirable is to have faced a struggle with honor and dignity.

    Read More

  • Is Penelope Faithful To Odysseus Out Of Fear Or Love

    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

  • Sexual Fidelity In The Odyssey

    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