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. It’s not too hard to grasp what young men, especially well off young men who are used to getting what they want, tend to centralize all of their decisions around themselves. The suitors live this lifestyle throughout the story by feasting each and every day, ignoring the consequences of the number of dwindling swine, and drinking so much that their nightly ritual includes stumbling through the hallways back into their rooms. Both of these habits show the lack of concern for the home that they are staying in (Odysseus’), Penelope’s approval or Telamochasses approval. But why then when it comes to …show more content…
This has a number of issues in it, starting with the fact that with Telemachus maturing enough to make a decision like that, would make him mature enough to become king himself, implying that time is not on the suitors’ side. Secondly, the suitors where not kind to Telemachus, and if they were going to be relying on him to make a decision for one of them to be the next king, one would expect more flattery from them instead of
The wooers commanded Odysseus ' the servants to do what they asked them to do. They would make them cook for them, clean up after them, and fetch them drinks. They basically forced Penelope out of her own home. After three years of weaving and then unweaving the robe a maid tells the wooers of her plan. Then Penelope is forced to finish weaving the robe and has no more excuses to put off marrying one of the wooers.
In the Odyssey Penelope tries hard to embrace all the things women are given in life. She can do anything about the fact that Odysseus has been gone for almost twenty years, that her son does not know his own father and who he is supposed to take after, and that her home is almost in ruins because of all the suitors refusing to leave the house and trashing the house. Penelope is forced to choose a suitor, remarry and probably have more kids too. Penelope is not allowed to say if she wants that or not. We, as readers, can tell she is putting things off for as long as she can, but what if her alone was not enough.
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.
Odysseus’s son, Telemakhos discussed the problem of the suitors to Athena. The suitors believed Odysseus to be dead, and decided to try and marry Penelope so they can inherit Odysseus’s wealth and kingdom. Telemakhos realized the suitors intents and the nuisance they have become, when he converses with Athena. “‘... Ithaka’s young lords as
In Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, translated by Allen Mandelbaum, reveals the theme of coming of age through Telemachus. Telemachus starts off as a quiet young boy that is stepped all over by the suitors and then later grows to a brave and mature young man. He stands up and takes charge when he comes to realize enough is enough along with the help of one god in particular, Athena. After Telemachus’ father, Odysseus, had left for war and never returned several suitors began to move in in order to obtain Penelope’s, Telemachus’ mother, hand in marriage.
Always Submissive and Sexy Do you believe that the two sexes today are treated differently from one another? In the Odyssey, written by Homer, there is a constant comparison between the opposite sexes. Throughout this book, Odysseus struggles to get home to his submissive wife Penelope. He encounters challenges, one of which is beautiful tempting women who urge him to stay.
Throughout history, feasting has been a way to bring people together, to celebrate, and to entertain. In Homer’s play, The Odyssey, food serves multiple purposes. The opulent banquet that Telemachus attends in Sparta with Menelaus displays the hospitality and wealth of the Spartan royalty, and provides key information about the whereabouts of Odysseus. While this instance of feasting displays how eating can bring people together to celebrate, overindulging in the Odyssey is also portrayed negatively. As the play progresses, readers learn that excessive and unnecessary eating is one of the reasons that Odysseus does not quickly return home to Penelope, and additionally, it is the reason that many of the crewmen do not return at all.
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
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.
The suitors are surprised and upset with the disrespectful way Telemachus spoke to them. The suitors, no matter how upsetting their actions, consider themselves guests of Telemachus and his mother, which reveals that some believe even if one breaks the laws of hospitality and extends their stay long beyond their welcome, the host does not hold the right to ask them to leave. Additionally, when Telemachus informs the suitors that if they decide it is better to overextend their hospitality and ruin Telemachus and his mother, he will attempt to shame them. He knows that if they feel shame, everything will go back to normal and unknowingly, the suitors will restore the ethical principle of hospitality on Ithaca. Despite all that, Telemachus’ idea does not go over well with them.
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
However, Penelope still loves Odysseus and remains loyal to him by stalling the marriage. She still continues to persist in being hopeful and refuses to believe that Odysseus will never return to her, so she creates several excuses to help her evade marriage for as long as possible. She presents tasks to keep the
Telemachus is not happy about this. As Penelope tried to decide what song the bard should sing for the suitors, Telemachus sent her to her room, signaling the first time he takes authority over a situation (1.15). The suitors were not used to or happy with his suddenly brave tongue (1.16). Penelope encourages this as we go on.
“Foundation of Family” Family is the fundamental building block of all societies. It is all inclusive across generations and cultures. Based on the epic poem The Odyssey and current families today, we see that family is where we learn to love ourselves and each other, to bear one another’s burdens, to find meaning in our life and to give purpose to other’s lives, and to feel the value of being part of something greater than ourselves. Family is where we experience our biggest triumphs, deepest vulnerabilities, and where we have the greatest potential to do good.
Penelope comes up with a lot of ways to say no to the suitors about having affairs with her. By these actions the reader can infer that Penelope will not have affairs with the suitors because she loves Odysseus and no one