...Loyalty is like a shadow it’s something that’s with you all of the time, but sometimes it’s hidden. Most people don’t show their loyalty hidden, but loyalty is something that’s not supposed to be hidden .To me loyalty is when someone is there for someone else. Loyalty is a characteristic many people should strive to have; it earns the trust and respect of many. A loyal person would never be able to fail someone because they are trustable. Loyalty is everywhere and there are many different kinds of loyalty. Loyalty to strangers is one of the many different kinds of loyalty. We have all showed loyalty to strangers at least once. When people follow rules somewhere either at school, work etc. This shows loyalty. Loyalty doesn’t only earn the respect of someone, but being loyal to a stranger show that you respect them even if you don’t know them. When we follow rules at some place it shows we are staying honest to the rules and the rule makers. Our honesty shows loyalty. Another type of loyalty is to friends. We all have friends, but there are many components to being loyal to your friends. When your friends tells you something and they expect you to keep it a secret, keeping this a secret shows loyalty. Not keeping the matter a secret will show disloyalty. Disloyalty will lose a friend’s trust and it will be really hard to regain a friend’s trust when it’s been lost. When a secret, which is supposed to be kept, gets out the friendship itself is in danger of breaking. Helping...
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...Loyalty in The Odyssey Many human cultures assign values as well as worthiness to the existence of loyalty. As a Classical culture known for its emphasis of loyalty at home as well as abroad, the faithfulness of ancient Greeks in their relationships is exemplified in many Classical texts, such as Homer’s The Odyssey. In both ancient Greece as well as in The Odyssey, loyalty was the social norm because of the egalitarian nature of the city-state as well as because of the typical ancient Greek family structure. Not only because of social expectations as well as traditions was loyalty expected, but there was also an added pressure by one’s religious conviction such that it was believed that if the guests were in any way or manner mistreated, then the ancient Greek deities would punish the offender(s). There are several passages in Homer’s Classical text The Odyssey which illustrate these aspects of ancient Greek loyalty. In illustration of the faithfulness between Odysseus as well as his crew, there is a passage that notes loyalty in the crew-leader relationship: He saw the town as well as learned the minds of many distant men, as well as weathered many bitter nights as well as days his deep heart at sea, while he fought only to save his life, to bring his shipmates home. But not by will or valor could he save them, for their own recklessness destroyed them all- children as well as fools they killed as well as feasted on the cattle of Lord Helios, the Sun… (651). It would initially...
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...Homer’s The Odyssey are probably the most famous of the epic. This is because of the fact that this is where much of the action of Odysseus’s journey back to Ithaca is described. However, these books work greatly as a whole. The Odyssey’s Book Nine through Twelve contain many major themes that help develop the characters in the collective piece. These selected books from Homer’s The Odyssey have many themes and values that including the importance of loyalty. Odysseus is often portrayed as a very loyal person. The very point of his journey is to return to his home in Ithaca to his wife and son. Odysseus is also very loyal to his crew and goes to great lengths to ensure their safety, such as using wax to put in their ears so that they could not hear the songs of sirens. Loyalty is also important to many of the creatures that Odysseus and his crew...
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...Hagar El Zohiry Class Section: 91066 October 27, 2015 Loyalty is one of the major themes discussed in both “The Odyssey” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” Loyalty is seen through Penelope and her husband in the book, and McGill and his friends in the film. In this paper I will explore and compare the theme of loyalty in both the film and the book. Loyalty is seen in many aspects of the book, one of which is Penelope’s wait for her husband for twenty years without committing any act of infidelity. Moreover, she was in a very dangerous situation because of the suitors, and she didn’t just give up in order to survive. Instead she used her intelligence and fooled the suitors by telling them that she will choose after she is done with the shroud....
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...author and speaker, said, “You express the truth of your character with the choice of your actions.” This is true in The Odyssey by Homer, because Odysseus’ actions reflected on what kind of person he portrayed. Odysseus and I both exhibit the traits of self-control and loyalty. Odysseus and I both demonstrate the trait of self-control. In The Odyssey, Odysseus showed that he has self-control when he didn’t kill the Cyclops right away. Odysseus and his men waited until the Cyclopes was drunk until they “straight forward sprinted, lifted [the spear], and rammed it deep in [the Cyclop’s] crater eye” (906). This shows self-control because Odysseus could have killed the Cyclops by stabbing his liver, but he didn’t because he knew that they would have no way out of the cave. In addition, Odysseus was tempted into eating the Lotus flower because all of his men were so happy when they ate it. This demonstrates self-control because Odysseus could have eaten the flower, but he knew he wouldn’t have made it back home. On the other hand, I have also shown self-control. When I was shopping with my mother a couple days after...
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...Odysseus the Great Do you ever thought of how hard it is to be a hero? How about what a hero really is? In Homer’s timeless epic The Odyssey,Odysseus of Ithaca is the hero. A hero is someone who is loyal to his country, family and gods. Odysseus, king of Ithaca because he is loyal to his country, family, and gods. “Odysseus leaves the ship and rushes to Circe’s hall. The god Hermes stops him to give him a plant that will act like as an antidote to Circe’s power” (page 7580).This shows loyalty to his country because Odysseus is willing to eat something that might kill him to save his men. “I sent out two picked men and a runner to learn what race of men that land sustained.They fell in, soon enough, with lotus eater, who showed no will to do us harm, only offering the sweet lotus to...
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...In Homer’s the Odyssey, a man named Odysseus spends years and years trying to get home to his family. On his long journey, he encounters a number of different situations that test his true character. The reader finds out who Odysseus really is based on the situations he is put in and how he chooses to handle these situations. From being stuck on an Island with Calypso, a nymph goddess, to almost being eaten by a vicious cyclops, to seeing his wife for the first time in 20 years, Odysseus stays true to his character. Throughout the epic, Odysseus shows constant signs of bravery, leadership, intelligence, cleverness, and wholehearted faithfulness, and these things are what makes him such an admirable character. Bravery and leadership go hand in hand because bravery is a trait that all good leaders have. Odysseus showed amazing bravery and leadership skills throughout the Odyssey. One place where Odysseus’s bravery and leadership are revealed the most is when Odysseus and his men encounter Poseidon’s Cyclops son, Polyphemus. Odysseus used his leadership skills and bravery to help his men escape the wrath of Polyphemus while...
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...Moat men who have been away from family – want to return to them. When a person travels long distances they happen to come upon obstacles. Pride is the most important thing that keeps men going. In the book “The Odyssey” and the film “O Brother Where Art Thou?”, we can compare three basic subjects: characters, events, and the journey. Even though the characters in the book and film have some things in common; they are very different. In “The Odyssey” by Homer, Odysseus lied to his men for the sake of keeping them safe. While in “O Brother Where Art Thou?” Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, Everett lied to Pete and Delmar so he could stop his wife from remarrying. Hence forth, Odysseus gives more of an honorable standing in the sense of loyalty to friends and family equally. While Everett seems more focused on his family. As the plots of the compared unfold, there are events that are alike. Odysseus dressed as an elderly beggar man to fool the suitors – so he could see his wife. Everett on the other hand, dresses as an elderly hobo – who is a part of a singing group to fool Homer and the suitor; so he could see his wife. Both of the men used elderly disguises to fool people in...
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...an otherworldly art only prodigies can master. And when it comes to prodigies, history raises the classic words of The Odyssey by Homer, The Epic of Gilgamesh, and Antigone by Sophocles and puts them on a pedestal of perfect implementation. Throughout the course of these stories, there is one uncut emotion that makes today’s world go round: love. Often times in life people search for the perfect partner -- a true love and a happily ever after. In The Odyssey, Odysseus and Penelope could be considered a power couple even in modern-day society. Although Odysseus is gone for twenty years, he never forgets his faithful wife in Ithaca. This love seems to help him persevere through the many hardships that he encounters on his journey home. On the other hand, Penelope, of course, maintains balance in the scale of affection by unraveling his shroud and delaying her marriage to the suitors...
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...The Odyssey v. The Hobbit In the stories "The Odyssey" by Homer and "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien, there are many similarities. The main characters, Odysseus and Bilbo, are trying to get themselves and their crews home. Bilbo and Odysseus have many things in common such as their cunning abilities in trickerySome of the similarities between the two are the settings, the challenges, the enemies, and coming home. First, the setting comparison. One place that can be compared in both stories is 'The Land of the Dead' in "The Odyssey" to 'MirkWood', which is a forest, in "The Hobbit". Both places have masking around them so that it is difficult to see, for example, the fog in 'The Land of the Dead' and the thick trees in 'MirkWood'. Both are also filled with dead people, though none are actually seen in "The Hobbit", but are frequently talked about....
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...to surmount. Heroes are everywhere. Odysseus is the hero of the “Odyssey” by a blind poet, Homer. Odysseus fights in Trojan War for 10 years and it took him another decade for him to get home. He had to pass many hardships to get to his homeland Ithaca. The three main stages in Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey” that exemplified in Homer’s The Odyssey are the crossing of the first threshold,the road of trials, and freedom to live. For example, Joseph Campbell describes that the crossing of the first threshold is the hero which is Odysseus who is accompanied by the guide which is Athena, the goddess of wisdom goes beyond the boundaries of his or his everyday, enter the wilderness, and has the first encounter with...
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...After twenty years away from his family and Ithaca, Odysseus’ dear wife Penelope continues to remain loyal nonetheless. In The Odyssey, Book I, lines 325-345, the principal theme is one of loyalty between Odysseus and Penelope as well as Penelope and her responsibilities. This theme is enforced through the use of diction- specifically alliteration and word choice- as well as characterization. One of the ways in which Homer stresses the idea of loyalty in Book I, lines 325-345, is through the use of diction, in particular; alliteration and word choice. Homer’s use of alliteration- which is described as the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words which neighbour each other- throughout the passage creates alliteration putting...
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...EXAMINATION OF DUTY AND SELF CONTROL IN THE ODYSSEY Aashna Jamal INTRODUCTION Under the rule of Zeus, events did not occur in isolation but in interdependence causing there to be a flux in the totality of events and the whole drama being played on a cosmic plane. The central theme of Zeus’s rule is the preservation of his “ oikos” or household management where the prevalence of order over Chaos is of utmost importance. In this paper, using the Odyssey as a case study, I will examine the thematic importance of the decisions taken by a hero in accordance to or defiance of self control and pietas and the consequences they lead to. These expectations are clearly marked out for the reader who waits in anticipation to garner the fate of the hero. I will analyse the themes of self control and pietas or duty in the Odyssey and discuss their special significance in this epic. I will then briefly talk about the Hindu concept of duty or Dharma with reference to the Ramayana. I however do not intend to use the concept of monomyth coined by Joseph Campbell also referred to as the hero's journey(which is a basic pattern that its proponents argue is found in many narratives from around the world.) in comparing these epics. The example of the Ramayana will only serve my purpose of highlighting the theme of duty in mythologies across the world. Lastly, I will conclude with the importance of inspecting these themes because of their significance to the plotline. Georg Wissowa notes that pietas was...
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...virtue”). In Homer’s “The Odyssey”, Odysseus is the king of Ithaca, father of one son, and husband of a noble wife. After leaving Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a short journey home, in which he makes bad decisions that cause him to take much longer to arrive back in Ithaca than he should have. Odysseus’s selfishness, disloyalty, and mercilessness eliminated any chances he had of being a hero. Some may argue that Odysseus was a hero because of his extreme cleverness or cunning ways. Yes, Odysseus was clever and cunning, but in most situations he did not apply those skills correctly. Therefore, Odysseus was most definitely not a hero. To begin with, Odysseus’s selfishness is made obvious during his encounter with Polyphemus. Everything he does is for the good of himself. Every action he takes is only taken to build onto his ego. If Odysseus had not decided to provide the Cyclops with all his information, his journey...
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...The definition for hero according to the Oxford English Dictionary is “A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities”. Odysseus was shown as a hero in The Odyssey because he was the main character. If The Odyssey did not portray Odysseus as the main character then I would still think that Odysseus would be main male heroic figure. Odysseus was a person who was praised by most people such as the swineherd, Eumeaus. Odysseus was a “male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize.” according to OED. The reason we should sympathize to Odysseus because he was away for many years and he did not get to see his wife or son for over ten years. Odysseus is considered very heroic in the story so he uses an alias identity to go places with the help of Athena. Odysseus is considered a hero because he was loyal, brave and clever throughout his journey to home which is Ithaca. Odysseus and his men stop at an island when they were travelling. They went in a cave and found food and fell asleep....
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