Love That Transcends Time: A Dive Into Homer’s The Odyssey

Love is an interesting theme- something we can all relate to. You don’t have to necessarily be in a relationship to know how to express or interpret love. It comes in different forms, whether through friendships, families, or friends who have become like family. We are in February - the month of love, so it is no surprise that in the Hive Book Club community, we’ll be discussing love and its complexities and beauties over the next few weeks. The first prompt for February is; What book best captures love that transcends time that you have ever read? Before I dived into this topic, I needed to know what love that transcends time means. According to my findings, it refers to an emotional connection between two people that survive the passage of time, thorns, and bad weather. In more simple words, it means the type of love that persists despite ups and downs.

I have read many books that explore the theme of love that transcends time, but when I saw the prompt, my mind suddenly went blank. I thought about it randomly for about 2 days and even had to check my E-library, but to no avail. My Eureka moment arrived suddenly when I was thinking about random books. Kaboom! The Odyssey, a book that fits perfectly into this theme, came to mind. The Odyssey by Homer is a Greek myth. I was once an avid Greek myth lover, but somehow, my taste in books shifted and I found myself exploring other genres. Who knew that one day I would be writing a post on my long-lost favorite genre?

As I mentioned above, Homer’s The Odyssey perfectly captures this book. During the battle of Troy, Odysseus, the husband of Penelope and the father of Telemachus, leaves his family to go to war. After the Trojan War, the soldiers, including Odysseus and himself were expected to return to their homes and family. While others returned, Odysseus spent 20 years wandering and battling forces before he finally made it home. The theme of love that transcends beyond time is clearly portrayed by Penelope, Odysseus’s wife. While Odysseus was lost and away for 20 years, Penelope loved him and remained loyal to their union. It should be noted that Penelope is the most beautiful woman in Ithaca (Odysseus’ land), and despite suitors coming from left and right, Penelope refuses them all and decides to wait till her husband, Odysseus returns.

LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS TIME

If what Penelope did is not love that transcends time, then I don’t know what else to call it. Before the Trojan War, when Odysseus left Itacha, Penelope and her husband were a close couple. While the writer did not explicitly state how close they were, it is evident through his writings that Odysseus truly loved Penelope and that the feeling was mutual. As fate would have it, Odysseus leaves for Troy to battle but doesn’t return for 20 years. Penelope’s unconditional and unfiltered love, loyalty, and devotion to Odysseus, despite his 20-year absence, is a powerful example of love transcending time.

I mean, 20 years is a lot of time. A whole lot of time. She had many suitors who were not only rich but of respectable reputations. She could have left with one of them, bear children, and live a prosperous life, but she didn’t. What gave her the assurance that Odysseus would return? If he hadn’t returned for the next 5 years, would she have ended up going with one of the suitors? Although these are interesting questions to consider, none of them still object to the fact that Penelope’s love for Odysseus is love that transcends time.

A BIG QUESTION

Did Odysseus deserve Penelope’s love? I have established the fact that Penelope’s love for Odysseus is one that transcends time. However, after close examination, we are left to wonder whether Odysseus truly deserved the unconditional and deep love Penelope showed him. During the 20 years that Odysseus was away from Itacha, he was trapped on Circe’s Island for seven years. During his seven years sojourn on Circe’s Island, Odysseus engaged in a physical relationship (sex) with Circe. Although Circe forces him with her magical powers, the fact remains that Odysseus succumbs to her charms while Penelope remains faithful and loyal, awaiting his return.

LOVE THAT TRANSCENDS TIME IN TODAY’S WORLD

Do we find instances of what Penelope did in today's world? An unconditional love that transcends time, where a partner waits for their lover for a really long time - 20 years, as in the case of Odysseus and Penelope? In my opinion, this is totally impossible in today's modern world.

All images in this post are mine, otherwise stated.

The Hive Book Club community is celebrating its 4th anniversary with juicy prizes, check this post to find out more.

Thanks for reading.

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