The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Greek poet Homer, follows the story of Odysseus, a war hero and king of Ithaca, as he went on a journey to return home from Troy ten years after the Trojan War. On his journey, he was confronted by various monsters, including the one-eyed Cyclops, and faced the loss of his men and his ship. Not to mention, when he returned to his land, he also had to defeat the suitors who had overrun his home and were trying to court his wife, Penelope. Homer not only tells us the adventure of brave Odysseus, but through his story, he also tells us the four qualities that a commendable Greek must possess: hospitality, humility or absence of hubris, honor, and heroism. First, hospitality, also known as “xenia,” refers to showing generosity to guests or visitors. By treating every guest with generosity, people in ancient Greece believed they could avoid angering a god if one appeared at their door disguised as a stranger. Not doing so could result in punishment from the gods. Then, hubris refers to extreme, ignorant pride shown by an individual and is punishable by the gods. Homer emphasizes the importance of showing humility and not possessing a sense of superiority over others throughout The Odyssey. Next, honor refers to having a reputation for excellence, and it can be earned through killing others in battle, looting, or even dying. In ancient Greece, battling others was considered the duty of a soldier, and dying in battle was a glorious feat.
Heroes, as shown in literature, often undertake the most difficult tasks and place themselves in mortal danger in order to bring back, for themselves and their societies, both knowledge and treasure. Their stories follow “Hero Journey.” The Odyssey, as the epic story of the hero Odysseus, follows closely the complete cycle of a Hero Journey, both as a physical and as a psychological undertaking. The Hero Journey, used as a framework for both Odysseus’ physical and mental journeys, serves to bind the two together. Each of Odysseus’s physical difficulties can be viewed as a metaphor for a psychological hardship that he must overcome, and by overcoming these hardships, Odysseus matures—achieving a more complete understanding of himself and
The monsters of Homer’s The Odyssey as written by Robert Fitzgerald all share traits in common, but there is always the small differences which make each close encounter more gripping than the last. When the not-so-glorious Odysseus, son of Laertes just manages to elude the cannibalistic clutches of the blinded Kyklops (IX) and takes to the high seas, he becomes arrogant and taunts his nemesis. He does not realize this, but the very words he uttered then sets the holy executioner upon the necks of his crew. Every island he passes or makes port at, his men become feasts for native monsters; however upon the beautiful island of Aiolia his men are not eaten, nor do they die at the hands of any mortal or immortal foe. What is so significant
The Odyssey Rough Draft When reading an Epic, it's important to know that most stories are about a hero’s journey. A hero’s journey is a story of how a hero becomes the hero, the Odyssey is a great example of this. At first, Odysseus is a selfish and cold-hearted brute but as time goes on, Odysseus learns from his mistakes and becomes a better hero. So let's explore Odysseus’ adventure to be a hero.
The Merriam-Webster defines a hero as “a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.” Does that mean every single hero has to have great strength and have the skill and style of Superman? To try to define the word hero is useless because it can be interpreted in too many ways. Presidential candidates, philanthropists, and even religious leaders are considered heroes by many. Odysseus is seen as the first real hero put on paper and seen taking “the hero’s journey” just like the heroes we look up to in everyday life, such as Abraham Lincoln. With such a tall, lean, magnificent structure, Abraham Lincoln at 6’ 5’’ looks like a true hero, and that’s not all of it. A man not only with the perfect
japanese-American During WWII By: Japanese immigrants and the following generations had to endure discrimination, racism, and prejudice from white Americans. They were first viewed as economic competition. The Japanese Americans were then forced into internment camps simply because of the whites fear and paranoia. The Japanese first began to immigrate to the United States in 1868. At first they came in small numbers. US Census records show only 55 in 1870 and 2,039 in 1890. After that, they came in much greater numbers, reaching 24,000 in 1900, 72,000 in 1910, and 111,000 in 1920.(Parrillo,287) Most settled in the western states.(Klimova,1) Many families in Japan followed the practice of primogeniture, which is when the eldest son
The Odyssey is a a beautiful Epic about a man who has hope through his entire journey.When we see him on Calypso he has been to sea for a while, while he wants to go home he continues to go to her bed each night,however regrets it in the morning.One part about this journey that sticks out is why its taking so long.It wouldn't have taken this long is he didn't poke out Poseidon's son (Polyphemus) eye,which let to the Polyphemus praying that Odysseus does return home he just happens to return home alone through treacherous journey.This led to the twenty year journey.
Homer’s “The Odyssey” takes place ten years after the events in “The Iliad”, to which the Odyssey is an indirect sequel, and the fall of Troy; even though the story is believed to have been composed some time during the eight century B.C.E. it is estimated to be set sometime between 1300 and 1000 B.C.E. in Mycenaean Greece during the Bronze age. In this novel all Greek heroes have returned home after the fall of Troy, except for Odysseus who after a three year journey has been held captive by the goddess Calypso, who has fallen in love with him, on her island, Ogygia. After the ten years have passed Odysseus is presumed dead, his wife Penelope is courted, and his estate is auctioned off by the Suitors, the young men of Ithaca who attempt to win Penelope’s favor and hand in marriage.
A hero isn’t shaped by his strengths but by the values he possesses. Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, reveals the moral and ethical constitution of the ancient Greeks. Over time, certain cultures have grown to value a number of human characteristics. Those who acquire such values become respected heroes. After the fall of Troy, the protagonist of the epic, Odysseus, set sail for his home, Ithaca, where his faithful wife and son were waiting for him. Over the course of his journey, Odysseus faced some of the most ferocious opponents known to the Greeks. Even through this formidable journey, Odysseus and his family have stayed true to the diverse aspects of the ancient Greeks. The Odyssey exemplifies the human ideals of hospitality, loyalty and
Thus far in The Odyssey, Homer has introduced several characters. The Gods discussed what they should do about Odysseus’ struggles as he attempts to get home to his wife and son. Athena then appears to Telemachus as Mentor, an old friend of Odysseus’. She convinces him that he should set sail in order to find out if his father is dead or alive and to take back control of his father’s kingdom from his mother, Penelope’s, suitors. Antinous, one of her suitors, then tells Telemachus of Penelope’s deception toward them. After hearing this, they exchanged more words, and then he set sail to find his father. He goes to see King Nester who remembers what it was like during the Trojan War and tells Telemachus to be strong and brave. The Gods met again and discussed Odysseus’ capture by Calypso. Zeus sent his son Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, to tell Calypso that she must release Odysseus. Calypso reacts vividly to this, stating that the gods are unfair in their treatment of gods and goddesses. Calypso then begins to speak to Odysseus. During this conversation in book 5, Homer reveals to us the importance of a person’s wit and the deception of others in order to help yourself, as well as the importance of one’s will power.
Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus’ plays the “godlike” hero which set the standards for values and traits of the Homeric Greek man. Using his cunning intellect and valiant heroism to finds his way home after many trials and tribulations. During his travel home Odysseus gains knowledge about other peoples culture and about different lands throughout Greece. He learns from his own suffering and the mistakes he had made. Odysseus started his journey as the King of Ithaca and the warrior of all warriors known by the gods as a great hero. Odysseus was the commander of the Greek army and a cunning leader with the plan to win the Trojan war, which he accomplished with the Trojan horse. Odysseus had a seriously downfall however, because of his godlike status and other physical characteristics he tended to be challenged by allurement of series of different women. This temptation was one of the major roles played by women in the Odyssey. Another very important role played by women in the Odyssey was the role of support for their husbands and sons during times of war. Despite the importance of women in the Odyssey women continued to be inferior to men, and the double standards are extreme. Along with the double standard is the significant roles women were required to in Homeric Greece. Even the goddess had certain roles required of them. The Odyssey gives us a piece of Greek Culture during this time period and shows us the role of women.
In the epic poem “The Odyssey” by Homer, the journey of a Greek king is traced. Though sailing can sound extremely easy like driving, in this epic poem things are slightly different. Odysseus the protagonist of this epic poem and his sailing crew face frequent temptations that not only determine their loyalty and strength to resist these temptations, but also how long-lasting their sail back home can be. The enlightened message portrayed through various literary elements is: Temptation can trace someone’s strength to accomplish goals and can serve as a loyalty obstacle. In order to portray this message Homer uses symbolism, tone, and setting as literal devices to
Socrates, a Greek philosopher stated, "Look death in the face with joyful hope, and consider this a lasting truth: the righteous man has nothing to fear, neither in life, nor in death, and the Gods will not forsake him” (Socrates). This explains the basis for Greek beliefs that can be carried over to values and qualities of them. As in this, Homer, the author of The Odyssey, portrays many Greek values that make up a righteous man or as, Homer’s character Odysseus, an epic hero. The Odyssey is the story of King Odysseus' return from the Trojan War to his kingdom of Ithaca. Stories, like The Odyssey, are told with the intent of delivering a message that was important to their culture. Through characters and situations, The Odyssey
The Odyssey , is the second epic written by Homer. It talks about Odysseus being ripped away from his homeland, Ithaca, and trying to return back home after the Trojan War. He is known as a heroic figure, the King of Ithaca and an epic hero. When he was torn away from Ithaca, he had to leave behind his people including his family to fight in the Trojan War. On his way home he encountered many obstacles, monsters and other creatures. He finally returns home from his long journey home 20 years later; to find suitors were trying to take his home and wife. Most people will say that Penelope had it rough being by herself for 20 years never knowing if Odysseus would ever return, but Odysseus never knew if he would make it to live through the next day. Odysseus had suffered more than Penelope when Odysseus was dragged to Troy to fight in the Trojan war.
It’s dangerous work yes, but it’s vital, and it does come with perks. Education can mean life or death in such an unpredictable world, and Father says that when everyone in the church is educated in such things as reading and counting, let alone the full breadth of a messenger’s training, then the church is better for it.
The Odyssey is an Ancient Greek epic poem, giving the account of Greek hero Odysseus’ ill-fated ten year journey home after the fall of Troy. It is attributed to the Greek poet Homer, and thought to have been written in the 8th century BC. In the opening passages of the poem, we find Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, still weeping for her husband after twenty years of his absence. Throughout history, Penelope has come to represent chastity and faithfulness in marriage, and though she is undoubtedly and unfailingly loyal, she is not nearly so one-dimensional. Instead, Penelope’s relationship with her husband is one of enduring love, loyalty, trust, and an equality that is almost unheard-of in Ancient Greek literature.