The Odyssey Group

Question:

biancaxox
biancaxox
Student
High School - 12th Grade

Why is it significant for Homer to mention Menelaus and Agamemnon in "The Odyssey"?

Why should we know about them?

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Posted by biancaxox on Monday September 22, 2008 at 1:46 PM and tagged with agamemnon, home, menelaus, odyssey, the odyssey.

Answers:


  1. linda-allen Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The significance of Agamemnon and Menelaus to the story of Odysseus and his journey home is that they are the reason why he left home. Homer tells that story in "The Iliad."

    Just as in "The Odyssey" Penelope has many suitors, so also many men sought to marry the young Spartan princess Helen. She chose Menelaus. However, Helen fell in love with the Trojan prince Paris and ran off with him to Troy. Menelaus's big brother, Agamemnon, who was king of Mycenae and "king of kings" over all the Greek city-states, called together all the kings to sail to Troy to avenge Menelaus. Odysseus, as king of Ithaca, was a part of that armada. He was also the one who came up with the plan to build the Trojan Horse, a ruse that brought an end to the siege of Troy.

    Visit the links below for more information. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/iliad/character-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/iliad/overview
    http://www.enotes.com/odyssey/trojan-war

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    Posted by linda-allen on Monday September 22, 2008 at 2:49 PM