Figurative Language In Homer's The Odyssey

The sirens in both texts have different views on the song and how it allures people. They describe what it does to people who come in close proximity of the song.

In the Odyssey, specifically in the short story “Sailing from Troy,” Odysseus and his men are blown to the shore of Cicones due to a gust of wind created by Zeus. Once landed on the coast they began killing the men, and enslaving the women of Cicones. After the raid of their goods, Odysseus’ men had disobeyed Odysseus by slaughtering sheep and caused two prisoners to escape. Which consequently led to the prisoners bringing the Cicones’ army to attack Odysseus and his men. This caused many men to be killed.

Themes, in literature, give purpose to a story, and that is why figurative language is the best way to convey them; not only can it help the author get their idea across, but it also allows the reader to interpret the meaning in their own perspective. Homer, when he wants to highlight an idea, he utilizes figurative language to exaggerate and uncover the theme, in this case it’s obedience.

Homeric or epic similes can be found all throughout The Odyssey written by Homer. A simile is the comparison of two unlike objects using like or as. Homer’s similes are considered to be “epic” because of how elaborate they are to help the audience “feel” and picture a scene. One of the most glorified scenes in The Odyssey, full of epic similes, is when Odysseus stabs the eye of Cyclops Polyphemus. As soon as Polyphemus fell asleep from the over-consumption of wine, Odysseus put his plan into motion to escape the Cyclops’ cave. Courage took over Odysseus and Homer writes:

Throughout The Odyssey, the author, Homer, recounts upon tales told to him by elders. The Odyssey explains the journeys Odysseus and his crew go through in order to get back to their homeland, Ithaca, after fighting a ten year battle in Troy. Homer consistently uses forlorn diction to create a desperate tone. In The Odyssey, Odysseus overcomes the call of the sirens.

In The Odyssey by Homer, figurative language is used to describe the challenges Odysseus faces while trying to achieve his ultimate objective. The use of similes, symbolism, and metaphors in the text are to show and describe the obstacles that Odysseus had to endure during and after his journey to get home and his battle to get it back. First, Homer uses symbolism to explain that Odysseus and his men were near the grasp of death, meaning they were gonna die if they didn’t do anything against Polyphemus, the cyclops. After Odysseus and his men got into the cyclops house and got caught, they had made Polyphemus intoxicated. They tricked him into believing that Odysseus’s name was nobody and after he fell asleep stabbed him with a giant stick

In The Odyssey by Homer, figurative language is used to describe the challenges Odysseus faces while trying to achieve his ultimate objective. The use of simile, hyperbole, and extended metaphors describe obstacles that negatively impact Odysseus’ journey home. First, Homer uses a simile to describe how Odysseus's men were fidgeting around like puppies when caught by the Cyclops, which would pose a threat to the mens safety. Odysseus is questioned by the Cyclops about the location of his ship. He tells a ready lie about Posiedon breaking it apart upon the rocks.

The Odyssey has many stylistic choices that change the story in many different ways to improve it and make the reader better understand the text they are reading.

Novelist and poet, Rainer Maria Rilke once said, “The only journey is the one within”(Rainer Maria Rilke Quotes). Meaning, what makes a journey important is how one changes and learns from the experience. The claims made in this quote are well proven in relatively new literature and even one of the oldest poems still studied today. The Odyssey is a famous, well known epic poem. It was written by the renowned poet, Homer, in ancient greek times. The Odyssey follows a man known as Odysseus, he just left fighting in the Trojan war after years. Odysseus has quite the adventure due to the gods’ and goddesses’ constant manipulation, all in the hope of reaching his homeland, Ithaca, and beloved family. Quite the opposite, much younger and shorter “The Journey” is a poem written by Mary Oliver in the 1900s. This poem relays what a journey really is and the purpose of going on journeys. Despite the differences between The Odyssey and “The Journey”, the two both use figurative language to convey a very similar message. People embark on journeys to fill an empty void and learn what they appreciate in life.

The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, tells of the struggles the main character, Odysseus, went through to return to his home, Ithaca, and reunite with his wife, Penelope. The Odyssey is an allegory, meaning it has hidden, interconnected symbols. In other words, while it tells the story of Odysseus, it is also a metaphor for the challenges that everyone faces during their lives.

In the epic The Odyssey, Homer incorporates the use of rhetorical strategies and literary devices to develop Calypso. Through the use of imagery and symbolism, Calypso and her island seem beautiful and perfect at first, but the imagery revealed that Calypso had a “hidden” intention and the symbols foreshadowed her true selfish nature. Although Calypso is caring for Odysseus she is self-centered and not letting him return to Ithaca so she can keep him for her own. Also, Homer uses rhetorical strategies during a persuasive argument between Hermes and Calypso. Calypso utilizes ethos, pathos, and logos to convince Hermes that Odysseus should stay on the island with her which reiterates her selfish character. Through language and literary devices,

The Odyssey is filled with emotion and adventure. Homer’s ability to show and give the reader a visual of each and every scene gives the story its unbelievable significance. To all the people who read his work there is something to be captured within every sentence, each one different in its own, unique way. Through tales of courage and defeat, friendship and love this book tells of all the values within the life of a single, solitary man, and his journey to attain what is true and dear to him. And this journey is known to all of us as The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a test of human devotion and trust through the gods, the mortals, and the obstacles through which they venture. No matter where they go or what they do, humans are tested for

The Odyssey is an epic composed by Homer, an early Greek storyteller. This epic was the basis for Greek and Roman education. Epics are long poems marked by adventure. The main character in an epic is an epic hero.

Homer's great literary classic, The Odyssey, represents and illustrates many emotional and mental values. All of these values can be classified under three different main themes that are constant throughout the epic tale. These themes are: A boy's struggle to be a man, a king's struggle to reclaim his kingdom, and a man's struggle to return home. As one reads this book it will become more and more evident to them that a man's struggle to get home is the most important theme throughout Homer's adventure.

The Odyssey is a story made up of stories. Because there is very little action that happens in the present, the presence of storytelling within the Odyssey is something that characterizes it and makes it unique. The spreading of stories serve to form legends and myths that can have the effect of shaping a culture. In addition, since stories were such an important aspect of entertainment in Greek culture, stories also shape the audience, either by entertaining them or creating feelings of sympathy in them. The function of storytelling in the Odyssey, is to evoke emotions and leave powerful, lasting impressions on the audience. However, the stories that are told