In book 2, Telemachus displays even more bravery and strength than he did in book 1 and with the help of the gods, more specifically Athena, he gets his message across to the suitors in his home. So basically, he tells them that they need to get out of his home because they’re wasting resources and taking up space (my words not his) and they decide that they don’t want to because Penelope has yet to choose a husband. How do we know? Because she told them she would pick a husband when she finishes weaving a quilt of some kind. But get this: she would weave part of it during the day and at night, unweave it.
Now, this “discovery” part blew me into the ocean. Why is she doing this? No, like what’s the actual purpose? Does she just want attention or is she ok with the amount of men in her home wasting literally everything in the house. I’m not even comfortable when I’m around more than 5 people, and she has a whole squad of dudes just gallivanting up and down in her home. And correct me if I’m wrong but just because she had (has *shhhhh*) a rich husband doesn’t mean that after his death she’ll continue to be rich. I mean I don’t know the customs of their times but I’m not so sure women received wages back then. But then that makes me think: does she HAVE to choose a husband? Why can’t she just be by herself and take care of her family?
Later, Telemachus gets a ship and some men and heads off to Sparta and Pylos in search of news/information of his father. There’s a couple things I want to point out here. Throughout all of this, Athena seems to have taken a keen interest to Telemachus and I really want to know why. Does she have a special pact with Odysseus and that’s why she wants him to return safe, and why she’s helping his son? Secondly, I think Telemachus is a good son. Like I might actually be proud to have him as a son. He’s obedient, smart, caring, and responsible. Lastly, he is supposed to be gone for ten days and his mom doesn’t know. To that, all I can say is that if I left for 10 days without letting my parents know, there would be a national Amber Alert out for me even though I am a WHOLE adult that pays bills.
In book 3, Telemachus goes to Pylos to talk to Nestor about his father. So after eating together, Nestor breaks it all down for him. He tells Telemachus about how the Greeks split up after the war and half stayed at Troy and the other half left back home. He tells him that he doesn’t really know anything about Odysseus and what happened to him but he tells him about the story of Agamemnon, Menelaus, Orestes, and Aegisthus. I was kind of lost during this story. But anyway, the recounting of this story reminds me of the story: Elektra. I didn’t even remember it until I heard about Orestes and then the whole story came rushing back. Quick recap: Agamemnon is dead and Elektra is BIG mad about that. Guess she was a daddy’s girl. Anyway, she helps Orestes (her brother) with his fate of leaving their home at a young age and coming back as an adult and killing his mother and her husband (who killed Agamemnon). Great read and I really enjoyed how heartless Elektra was in the book. I loved her!!
In book 4, we see Helen again but this time she’s back with Menelaus. Menelaus tells Telemachus what he knows about his father and where he might be. So in this chapter I really focused on Helen. I don;t know what I expected from her reunion with Menelaus but it wasn’t this. She’s described as really fancy with nice things. And all I can say is: sis did not fumble the bag. She had her cake and ate it too, and for that Im am beyond proud of her.
In book 5, Zeus tells Athena to take Telemachus back home and tells Hermes to tell Calypso to let Odysseus go. Now that’s all well and good but this next part sends me. Ready? Odysseus sleeps with Calypso. Like frequently. BUT, because he’s such a wholesome individual, he still remembers to cry about missing his wife and home. Here’s my thing. It’s been 10 years. I get it, you had a wife and small son you miss. But here’s a goddess offering, literally offering you immortality, marriage, and whatever else you want. Are you kidding me? Who’s Penelope? I don’t know that name because the way I would ditch her in a heartbeat… And another thing. You can’t play both sides. You’re sleeping with a goddess who clearly loves you and is offering you whole lot more than Penelope has, but you’re turning her down just so after you have sex with her you can go off in the corner and cry about how you miss your old life. HUH??! Are you kidding me?? What’s wrong with him? And what’s wrong with Calypso? Babygirl if you don’t improve your self-esteem and leave this man alone. Does she know how many immortal male beings there must be? She better act right, and stop letting him play with her like that.
Anyway, back to the story. Calypso goes to him and tells him to stop crying because she’s letting him go but of course he doesn’t believe her and she promises not to hurt him and they eat and sleep. “Sleep”. Ok, but when she told him this, she also mentions to him that even though she’s letting him go, his journey home is going to be hard and that if he knew just how hard he wouldn’t want to leave. But even after all that, he still is like: “oh even though you’re prettier than my wife, you’re a LITERAL goddess, you’ve offered me immortality, etc, I’m still gonna go back home. ” This man is dumb and a quick little PSA to Calypso: move on Love, he’s trash.
Below are the discussion questions and my responses to them.
Based on what you’ve read so far in the Odyssey, how is someone expected to treat a guest/stranger in their home?
From what I understand, people are supposed to treat strangers with kindness. When Telemachus goes to Pylos and Sparta, both Nestor and Menelaus greet him and his crew with food, gifts, sleeping places, and just overall kindness. There seems to be a kind of hospitality rule or custom that the people in this story don’t skip over. And I say “this story” because I don’t remember people in the Iliad being this welcoming to strangers when they came to them. They recognize that people conceal their identity for various reasons and that regardless of that, the people still need care and comfort. And after then, and only after then do the people ask who you are. I think this sense of hospitality should be introduced into modern American culture. But realistically speaking, with the high tension and social unrest and overall dangerous people in today’s society, this would not be a good idea.
What do we learn about Odysseus as a hero in the first four books of the Odyssey?
We learn that he was a great one. According to how he’s described by various people, and some of the gods he’s described as smart, hard working, a good leader, well spoken, good warrior etc., all good qualities.
In Book 4 what are your impressions of Menelaus’ and Helen’s marital partnership? Has it been a happy reunion? I wasn’t able to tell how their relationship seemed because they never really talked about it, but if I had to take a guess, I would say that they are in a good place right now. I say this because there doesn’t seem to be any animosity between them and no anger or anything as well. Also, right when this chapter started and Helen introduces herself, she mentions what happened in Troy and it was essentially her fault. She even calls herself shameless for her actions at one point. So maybe this admission is what helped their relationship, and plus she’s really pretty according to the Iliad. As far as Menelaus, I thought he would be super upset with her but I remembered that this book is 10 years after the Iliad, and a lot can happen in 10 years.
What is your impression of Odysseus when you first encounter him in Book 5? Why do you think the poet presents him in this way? Does your impression of Odysseus change by the end of Book 5? What kind of hero is he?
In book 5, Odysseus seems sad and hopeless. I think that the poet purposefully presents him as someone who is sad to maybe get the reader to sympathize with him and his current situation. Buttttt, when we found out about the truth of his relationship with Calypso, he was cancelled. One, because he’s purposefully cheating on his wife. He knows she’s not somewhere far off stuck in the middle of the ocean on an island with a tempting attractive goddess, but he still sleeps with Calypso. Meanwhile she’s at home struggling with the idea of his possible death, being a single mom, and conning men so she doesn’t have to marry them. So, in conclusion, he’s a self-serving hero.