Loyalty And Deception

Loyalty and Recognition

Loyalty implies a sense of duty or of devoted attachment to something or someone (www.dictionary.com). It is also about a person's obligation to support a cause or a leader. In The Odyssey loyalty is portrayed in many forms. Odysseus is loyal to the gods because he knows they held his life in their hands during is travels. Telemachus is loyal to Odysseus even though he knows him soles from stories he has heard about him. There are many instances where loyalty is showcased in the strongest sense of the word especially in time of complete uncertainty. Loyalty is extremely prevalent in this story and plays a huge role in explaining why Odysseus' dog Argos was capable of recognizing Odysseus immediately and Penelope presumably was not.

Odysseus' faithful dog waited for his master to return home for twenty years even though he was presumed dead. He was the only character that immediately recognized Odysseus. Now, as they talked on, a dog that lay there lifted his muzzle, pricked his earsÐ'... (Homer, 17, l. 317-8). But the moment he sensed Odysseus standing by he thumped his tailÐ'... (Homer,17, l. 330-1). Argos, who used to be a dog with great speed, agility, and full of life, had since turned into an old decrepit hound, infested with ticks whose only goal was to someday see his master again someday. The dark shadow of death closed down on Argos's eyes the instant he saw Odysseus, twenty years away (Homer, 17, l. 359-60). He was so loyal to Odysseus that he waited until he returned before he took his last breath.

Penelope is the wife of Odysseus who also waited for twenty years for his return. For years she has avoided remarrying because of her love for her long lost husband. She fended off the suitors in hopes of the return of Odysseus. However, after all of these years of not knowing what has happened to him she has managed to freeze herself in grief as some kind of a defense mechanism. Theoclymenus' prophecy, "I swear Odysseus is on native soil, here and now!" did not succeed to sway