The Effects of Kleos on Greek Mythology

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Odysseus, Telemachus, Penelope, and the suitors all showed jurassic developments in their lifelong journey to achieve kleos or to be living amongst their society. Odysseus, Telemachus, and Penelope,all based their journeys on kleos; however, Penelope did not think hers was ineffective without Odysseus. Telemachus spent all of his life in the palace and up until his early twenty’s, he had not started his journey to earning his kleos. Telemachus tries to find his true father and become a man of importance, “...So he can make inquires about his father’s return and win for himself a name among men”(1.101-102). Telemachus feel that he needs to show the world that he isn’t living in the shadow of Odysseus’ kleos by not having stepped up to the suitors. He wants to figure out before his kleos can begin, who his father was, while he starts to earn his name in the society. Many people who were close in touch with Odysseus really had stories of his honor and nature to tell. Great stories of him at battle were told by not only the people he knew but anyone who has heard of war, “...But listen to what that hero did once on the land of Troy, where the Achaeans suffered”(4.260-261). Odysseus’s name was not lost in the hearts of people he was close to such as Penelope, Helen,and Eumaeus Helen brought his name up in the palace to those who were grieving for him. The only reason behind Odysseus’s decision of going off to war was so that he could get kleos, this decision of his effected many people in the long period of his absence. When Odysseus is so far in his journey, he forgets his morals and qualities that lead him into not thinking before doing any more. Without thinking about the consequences of Poseidon, Odysseu... ... middle of paper ... ...a fight even when they clearly know what their brothers and sons had done. Odysseus did not want to fight anymore and wanted to maintain peace in Ithaca, " Will you let this grim struggle go on? Or will you establish peace on Ithaca?” (24.493-494). When Odysseus wanted to stop the fighting and aim towards peace, while the families made it worse but picking a fight with someone who was right. The suitor’s families were blinded by love and affection with their brothers and sons, and could not recognize that justice has been made for the entire society. All throughout Odysseus’s journey from war to his homeland,Ithaca, he as made jurassic developments in maturing and understanding the value of his family and society over the value of kleos. Works Cited Homer. The Essential Odyssey. Trans. Stanley Lombardo. Indiana: Hackett Publishing Company,2000.Print

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