Tuesday, April 7, 2015
The Real Couples of the Odyssey
By the time we encounter Odysseus in Books 5 and 6, we are introduced to several couples in the story: We meet Odysseus and Penelope, although they are apart; Odysseus and Calypso, although Odysseus is held against his will; Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, although not directly; Menelaus and Helen, and, potentially at least, Odysseus and Nausicaa. What is the significance of these couples? Do some of these couples show the ideal of love and marriage while others show flawed and problematic relationships? According to the story, what should you look for in a relationship and what should you avoid? Do you agree?
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In The Odyssey, there are multiple couples, with many being examples of extremely harmful relationships. In my opinion, I find that Homer is trying to prove that a relationship will only be happy and successful if the reason behind the relationship is free from ulterior motives or disrespect. The relationship between Menelaus and Helen is a perfect example of these parasitic relationships, as it is easily seen as completely lacking in love or respect; Helen repeatedly manipulates and disrespects Menelaus. Their marriage is a marriage of convenience, as both parties are aware of the other’s disrespect of them. As a result, neither trusts the other, and they stay together purely due to opportuneness. The marriage of Clytemnestra and Agamemnon can also prove this, as Clytemnestra’s dissatisfaction with her marriage leads to her affair with Aegisthus, which in turn leads to the murder of Agamemnon by Clytemnestra and Aegisthus. The case of Odysseus and his marriage to Penelope seems to be the closest to an ideal relationship, despite the fact that there are flaws in their relationship as well. As Odysseus is a warrior who fought in the Trojan War, he is not able to spend as much time at home with Penelope as he might want. However, despite the fact that they are not able to see each other as much, they have a better relationship than Agamemnon and Clytemnestra or Menelaus and Helen. Even when Penelope says she will marry a suitor, she refuses to do so until she finished weaving a shroud which she unravels at night. Odysseus is offered love and immortality at Ogygia, but he to rejects such a pleasure to return home to Penelope. This relationship is far better than any of the others because of the fact that they try as hard as they can to stay faithful and be there for each other. Overall, I think Homer is trying to say that a relationship founded on ulterior motives where the two people do not care for each other is destined to be an unhappy one, whereas a relationship founded on respect will be able to succeed no matter how many struggles there may be. I agree with this interpretation, as Agamemnon’s death and the obvious dissatisfaction of Menelaus and Helen does not seem to be worth any possible benefits of having a relationship in the first place.
ReplyDeleteEach relationship has a specific significance. Some of them show how love should be and how marriage should work out, and others show acts of lust and want, but not love in the least bit. In Odysseus’ partnership with Penelope shows the real path of being married to someone. They stay faithful to each other no matter the time, distance or circumstances. There’s several suitors at the palace and Penelope hasn’t chosen to be with any of them. Odysseus has been gone for 20 years because of the Trojan War and she still chooses to be with her one and only lover. She doesn’t even care that her son needs a father figure. Penelope still insists that her husband will come back for her and Telemachus. Odysseus’ relationship with Calypso represents why you shouldn’t force someone to be with you and why you shouldn’t be with someone for their looks. Calypso just picked Odysseus up and tried to convince him to stay with her right from the beginning. In this relationship there’s a host and parasite. The host being Odysseus and the parasite being Calypso. She feeds off of his company. It’s a loose-win situation here. Odysseus is weeping and is trapped there and she is still keeping him just merely because she thinks she’s better than Penelope, he’s charming and she’s lonely. If Odysseus wanted to be with Calypso, he would’ve sought to find her. In modern day terms, this will show you that if you keep this person around and they don’t want to be with you, they’ll show you and you should let them go. There’s somebody for everybody just not that particular person there.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the story, one can find that there are many healthy relationships of couples and there are some not so healthy ones. An example of a healthy relationship in the story is between Odysseus and Penelope. They love each other and are loyal to each other. Odysseus is out fighting and there are times where Penelope does not know where he is or even if he is still alive. But she stays loyal believing that he is still alive and will come back unharmed. An example of an unhealthy relationship is between Menelaus and Helen. The marriage between the two is fake and forced. Helen is selfish and unfaithful, she is only still with him so she can have power. She talks about how great her husband is even though she does not believe those things. The two are clearly not right for each other and the relationship will never be more than fake. Another example of a bad relationship is between Calypso and Odysseus. This relationship like Menelaus and Helen’s also seems forced. When they meet, Odysseus is unhealthy and Calypso decided to care for him. But it quickly evolved into Calypso wanting Odysseus to be her husband. In this situation, I think that Odysseus kind of feels trapped because he is hurt, but Calypso can help him if he were to marry her. Overall, I think to be in a healthy relationship both partners need to like each other unlike Menelaus and Helen. The relationship must also not be forced where the two are stuck on an island and one is sick. These are things that people should look for in a relationship if it is to be successful.
ReplyDeleteIn the Odyssey, so far, there has only been one marriage that seems to be built on true love. That is the marriage of Odysseus and Penelope. Although they have yet to meet again they are the most in love. “She falls short of you,/ your beauty, stature, She is mortal after all.” 5.239-40. Odysseus is offered the gift of immortality and he can live forever with Calypso. Odysseus not only declines this great gift, he tells Calypso of how he loves and longs for his wife, Penelope, more than her. He was been gone from home for more than ten years and still won’t give up on getting home. After all, The Odyssey is a book of Odysseus’ journey home. Odysseus’ motivation is being able to get home and be reunited with his wife and son again. His journey would have no prize if he came home to an immature son and cheating wife. He doesn’t think about the possibilities of this though. The love that Odysseus and Penelope have for each other doesn’t compare to the other marriages in the book. They are willing to continue their marriage and loving each other after a long hiatus. Odysseus has had his chances to break his bond of marriage multiple times, but he has declined every time. He is not interested in other women. He is eager to get home and will do anything to his family again. It is kind of disappointing that Odysseus and Penelope show the most love for each other and they haven’t seen each other for years. This just goes to show what people will do for power and lust.
ReplyDeleteThe Odyssey it showed the people of its era ideal and unideal images of love. There were more unideal couples than ideal. None of the relationships listed are really comparable per say. Odysseus and Penelope are the “ideal” couple. They are what every marriage should be like. Odysseus and Calypso were just a type kidnapping. They are a warning to not always trust everyone you meet. Agamemnon and Clytemnestra’s marriage was completely fake. They were also a warning, but for Odysseus. They warned him that when he came home, Penelope may not have been as loyal as he thought she would be, and that he should be careful when he comes home. Menelaus and Helen were married for “convenience” and “appearance”. They were an example of a bad marriage full of manipulation, mostly from Helen. Odysseus and Nausicaa would be just a “fling” to help Odysseus stand being away from his true love, Penelope. He’s been away for a decade or two by now, and men have needs. According to The Odyssey a perfect relationship would be two people equally in love and loyal, unless there are complications, such as going to war and not being able to get home. I agree with this because I believe that loyalty and love make a good couple, and it is really hard to check off both of those things in a relationship. Loyalty is easier to obtain then love, because often people think they’re in love, but they really aren’t and that causes problems in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe Odyssey portrays different types of relationships throughout its books. Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are an example of a problematic relationship. I feel as if they were doomed from the beginning, because one; Agamemnon had gone off to war, for ten years and shouldn't expect his wife to wait for him, because he might have died or just simply never returned. And two; Clytemnestra was never faithful to begin with because as soon as Aegisthus came around she fell for him, while her husband was at war. Also when Menelaus returns to Helen, their relationship is on the rocks. There seems to be a pattern that suggests war really affects the couple’s outcome. Another pattern that I noticed in the Odyssey was women, usually immortal, fall in-love with men, particularly Odysseus. Even though he does not fall for them they seduce him. Two examples of this are Calypso and Odysseus and Circe the Nymph and Odysseus in book 10. I do not think that Odysseus despises this, but he eventually ends the relationships. These again are not ideal relationships. Since none of these relationships seem to work out in the end, I learned that for a relationship to blossom both partners in the relationship need to be equally interested. I also learned that you should avoid trying to sustain long distance relationships. I partially disagree with that one because the times have advanced and long-distance relationships can be preserved with technology, but I still do not think long-distance relationships are the most resilient.
ReplyDeleteThe Odyssey displays many different examples of relationships, however most relationships seem to be very problematic. One example of an extremely precarious relationship in this story is Odysseus and Calypso. Calypso falls for Odysseus when his adventures leads him to her. Calypso is immediately in love with Odysseus only because of his looks, and therefore believes Odysseus must be in love with herself as well because of her own looks. She states, “Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days…and yet I just might claim to be nothing less than she, neither in face nor figure,” (5.231-234). This relationship between Calypso and Odysseus immediately illustrates a perilous relationship because Calypso only cares about the looks of Odysseus, and therefore believes Odysseus must like her because she is gorgeous. Odysseus only uses his looks to build a relationship with Calypso because he knows she can help him get back to his wife sooner. It becomes evident in the story that the only positive relationship is between Odysseus and Penelope. Odysseus meets Calypso, a beautiful immortal woman, who he could spend the rest of time with, but he is in love with Penelope for more than just looks and immortality. Odysseus says, “Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature. She is mortal after all, and you, you never age or die…Nevertheless I long-I pine, all my days to travel home and see the dawn of my return,” (5.239-243). This quote makes it so clear that the only acceptable relationship in this book is Penelope and Odysseus because even if he has the chance to be immortal and have a relationship with a goddess, he still chooses Penelope. This book makes it obvious that in a relationship the only thing that really matters is the looks and power of one another In every exchange we see in the story, the looks of one another always comes up, which clearly shows that if one does not have looks or power it cannot be a valuable relationship.
ReplyDeleteThe Odyssey displays many different examples of relationships, however most relationships seem to be very problematic. One example of an extremely precarious relationship in this story is Odysseus and Calypso. Calypso falls for Odysseus when his adventures leads him to her. Calypso is immediately in love with Odysseus only because of his looks, and therefore believes Odysseus must be in love with herself as well because of her own looks. She states, “Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days…and yet I just might claim to be nothing less than she, neither in face nor figure,” (5.231-234). This relationship between Calypso and Odysseus immediately illustrates a perilous relationship because Calypso only cares about the looks of Odysseus, and therefore believes Odysseus must like her because she is gorgeous. Odysseus only uses his looks to build a relationship with Calypso because he knows she can help him get back to his wife sooner. It becomes evident in the story that the only positive relationship is between Odysseus and Penelope. Odysseus meets Calypso, a beautiful immortal woman, who he could spend the rest of time with, but he is in love with Penelope for more than just looks and immortality. Odysseus says, “Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature. She is mortal after all, and you, you never age or die…Nevertheless I long-I pine, all my days to travel home and see the dawn of my return,” (5.239-243). This quote makes it so clear that the only acceptable relationship in this book is Penelope and Odysseus because even if he has the chance to be immortal and have a relationship with a goddess, he still chooses Penelope. This book makes it obvious that in a relationship the only thing that really matters is the looks and power of one another In every exchange we see in the story, the looks of one another always comes up, which clearly shows that if one does not have looks or power it cannot be a valuable relationship.
ReplyDelete