Commentary on The Odyssey Essay

The Odyssey

This storys main character, Odysseus who is the king of Ithaca, has traveled for ten years of wondering after the Trojan War. He is being held captive on the island by the nymph, Calypso who wants him for her husband. Odysseus has suffered the revenge of Poseidon who is the god of the sea, by blinding his son Polyphemus the Cyclops. While his absence, his wife, Penelope and his son, Telemachus has to deal with the group of suitors who had plagued Penelope. Athena make a plea for allowing Odysseus to return home to her father, Zeus. Athena suggests that Zeus dispatch Hermes to set free Odysseus from Calypso while she visits Ithaca to advise Odysseus son, Telemachus. She disguised as Mentes, an old friend of Odysseus. She predicts that his father has not died and will return to Ithaca. She insists that Telemachus have to stand up to the suitors and seek more information about Odysseus.

Penelope reminds me the wives who are waiting their husbands from war. It is the same situation between them. They believe that their husband is still alive and he will be back to them. The sad fact is that few of their husband make new wife at the abroad, like Odysseus and Calypso. I think the left wife needs to make new husband more than the husband who gone to the war. Because especially old time, women can not live by themselves. Recently, women became more independent than old time, so, some of them does not need to support by their husband but Penelope needs support and the other old time wife need it, too. Whereas the husband, why they need to make new wife at the other place? Odysseus situation is little different because he had captured by nymph. Although, the book says Odysseus fall in live with Calypso. Why? If he cares about his reputation, he had better go back to his wife, not to stay at the another womens place or probably it is mens reputation if he has many women? Unlike women cannot have more than one husband, men permit to have more than one wives. Greek mythology has polygamy but does the real world of Greek has the same culture?

Another theme of this story is hospitality. In The Odyssey, I see hospitality exploited by Penelope's suitors. They have turned Odysseus' home into their own private party hall and spend most of their time feasting and drinking at the host's expense. However, Penelope and her son Telemachus cannot condemn them until Athena encourages Telemachus to do so. Also, When Athena (in disguise) visits Ithaca, she receives a hospitable welcome from Telemachus.

In my impression, the Greek mythology is beautiful but it is pointed humans lust and the ego. The story written in the old time, however, men is still the same. They made the same mistake and they have no end to what they want.