Throughout the Odyssey, we question what motivates our characters to attempt to follow through their actions with such dedication and persistency. Often the characters in the Odyssey will go to great length for their family. Family loyalty and pride appears an essential value of Greek society. Odysseus provides the first example of family loyalty and the importance of family. Although he is endowed with lavish gifts during his time held captive by Calypso on Ogygia, Odysseus longs only to go home to Ithaca. Odysseus is described on Ogygia “sitting, still, weeping, his eyes never dry, his sweet life flowing away with the tears he wept for his foiled journey home” (5.167-5.168). His son, Telemachus, has a similar family-oriented mindset. In Book 2, Telemachus embarks on a difficult journey so that he can search for news about Odysseus. Telemachus is willing to risk his own life for hope of a better life for his parents. Penelope displays the key role of family in the lives of the Greeks. When she is depressed because Telemachus has left to find news about Odysseus, Athena sends a ghost to reassure Penelope. The ghost sent by Athena is Penelope’s dead sister, showing that family relations were important and valued by mortals and the immortal. Even Olympian Poseidon is loyal to his family. After Odysseus hurt Poseidon’s son, Polyphemus, Poseidon is “forever fuming against him for the Cyclops whose giant eye he blinded” (1.82-1.83). Both mortal heroes and gods model being loyal and valuing family. The characters in the Odyssey reflect that family is incredibly important in Greek culture. Do others agree?
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