The importance of Homer’s work towards Greek culture and even modern culture can’t be emphasized enough. The name, “teacher of Greece”, is given to him for reason. His book, The Odyssey, is one of the most famous epic poem in literature, it’s also a prime example of Greek mythology writing. Homer includes violence, blood, and killing many times throughout this book. All these events have a special meaning or they aid the story altogether. In The Odyssey written by Homer, the violent scenes contribute to the story as a whole by presenting the Greek culture, and by developing the character of Odysseus.
Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, has a numerous number of violent scenes, all these events show us the Greek culture and/or lifestyle. In the story, violence and war are considered distinguished; strong fighters like Odysseus are celebrated and idolized. One example to support the thesis is when Penelope sets the contest of stringing Odysseus’ bow, “I set before you the great bow of King Odysseus now! The hand that can string this bow with greatest ease, that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes— he is the man I follow, yes, forsaking this house where I was once a bride, this gracious house so filled with the best that life can offer...” (426). This quote illustrates, that toughness and strength are really celebrated in the society. Penelope is deciding her husband just by seeing if that person can string a bow. This illustrates that people looked up the people with more
Most people think of a hero as a strong, superior, good-looking person that could never make a mistake. However, in a story called The Odyssey, a connection to real life reveals imperfections to be common in heroes. Each person has their low points and highlights, regardless of their “rank”. The author and epic poet, Homer, exemplifies our main character, Odysseus, to take on this idea of a hero throughout his writing. The time period took place in Ancient Greece, allowing Greek culture to relate to the poem. Different aspects of such culture and history may have influenced the works and creativity of Homer as well. A major point includes The Trojan War because it focuses in on Odysseus’ journey to bring Helen back home by devising a plan to destroy warriors in the city. Acknowledge this factor when reading The Odyssey, for not only evidence of heroism, but also other major points of archetypes, in which the device reflects the insights of readers in modern time and what is seen from Ancient Greek culture.
The Odyssey written by Homer highlights the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, in his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus is accredited with many strong traits including his nobility, smarts, and bravery. Having one tragic flaw, being his arrogance, was put to the test throughout his heroic journey. Homer stripped the protagonist of his arrogance as the story goes on, by giving him many challenges, giving dire consequences for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus’ journey was to reach his home as a humbled man. The hero’s journey can be used as a way to look at life’s morals. The reader is able to see the protagonist continue to make mistakes, because of his arrogance and continue to be punished by the gods. Once he overcame this, he is greatly awarded with the security of his home. This essay will analyze the arrogance of Odysseus along with his extraordinary traits, the molding of his identity, and his new found lesson of humility.
Summary- Throughout Ulysses' journey back to his homeland of Ithaca after the Achaean victory over Troy, he and his men run into many obstacles. In this book of Homer's epic sequel, Ulysses and his men find themselves in the land of the Cicones and barely manage to escape the Cicone forces after pillaging their land and claiming their women and gold. Later, after leaving the land of the Lotus-eaters, Ulysses and his men end up on the island of the Cyclops. They enter the cave of one of the island inhabitants seeking hospitality however instead receiving brutality from the ferocious Cyclops, who ate Ulysses' men for its meals and held them prisoner. Through a clever plan, Ulysses blinds the Cyclops and frees himself along with those of his
Throughout history, tales of great heros, gruesome monsters, beautiful enchantresses, and mighty gods have been told. One such tale that is very important to the greeks is the Odyssey. The main character, “Odysseus, was very important to the greeks because he was relatable to the greeks because he was a mortal man who relied not on superhuman strength, but the power of his own mind” (Mr. Carroll). Although clever, Odysseus has many flaws, and because he was greedy, arrogant, and he lets his crew die, Odysseus is not a hero.
Homer is known as an influential author and writer that has created many famous pieces of literature. In his book, The Odyssey, he uses his skills to not only keep the reader on the edge of their seat, but to help us educate ourselves about the meaning of a true hero, he incorporates life lessons one of them being, that an individual does not have to be perfect in order to be praised or loved, he presents this to us several times throughout the book in order to convey the importance of loyalty, and compassion. There are many questions regarding his writing and many people inquire about how he captures the essence of a true ‘epic hero’ in his literature.
During the course of history, the world has seen many fine works of literature like Homer’s epic, Odyssey. This book is a standard against which to compare all literary novels. The symbolism permeates the pages drawing the reader into the intriguing plot that includes twists within the central theme. Also, the author intelligently uses imagery and diction painting dramatic images in the reader's mind - building upon major the themes.
In The Odyssey Homer develops three themes throughout his second epic. He shows that Odysseus acts uncivilized because of the war, wreaks vengeance against those who have taken over his home, and eventually enjoys his homecoming. Throughout his epic, Homer shows the themes of uncivilized men, vengeance, and homecoming through Odysseus’s experiences with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the suitors who invade his home, and his wife Penelope.
In the epic poem The Odyssey, written by Homer, the main character Odysseus has been lost for twenty years. During these twenty years many men had come to try to marry his wife and destroy his home since he was presumed dead. However, when he finally returns home, he is outraged by the dishonor that these suitors have brought upon his family. In order to bring justice to his name, Odysseus kills all the men in a very bloody battle. His search for justice is successful, and it is important to the central message of the story.
Homer’s The Odyssey, is an epic poem. It includes many of the typical elements of an epic poem, such as a hero of legendary proportions, supernatural involvement, and superhuman qualities. A fair amount of the epic is driven by violent fights and in fact, the story starts and ends with intense fights. Homer’s
Entertainment throughout the ages has evolved and changed and some older forms of it were completely forgotten in the dust. But The Odyssey has lasted all those long years and is still entertaining to us today. With the enchanting monsters and long treacherous quests, Odysseus’ struggles are captivating to scholars are high school students alike. The Odyssey has a way to entice us with it’s heavy amount of gore, the many affairs of Odysseus, and his strong will to return home to his kingdom.
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
Homer’s The Odyssey is not just a tale of a man’s struggle on his journey home from the Trojan War, but of his struggle from the consequences of revenge. The Odyssey weaves in different characters’ tales of revenge from the gods and what impact revenge actually had on those characters. Revenge is an important underlying theme in The Odyssey because, in essence, it explains why Odysseus’ journey was so prolonged and treacherous. A few examples of revenge in the poem include Orestes’ revenge on Aegisthus, Zeus’ revenge on Odysseus and his men, and Poseidon’s revenge on Odysseus. These different examples of revenge in The Odyssey show the importance of the gods’ revenge in the epic journey of Odysseus.
The Odyssey by Homer is a literary classic that presents many themes about the natures of both man and god. Although the characters of the book display characteristics relatable to those of the people today, one of the most prevalent differences between the two eras and their people is the intense violence that takes place throughout the entirety of the epic. This violence serves several functions in the work as a whole. The violence that is enacted upon the characters of The Odyssey serve as a device to convey the Greek cultural value of reverence of the gods and as a method for the author to create nuances to his characters.
Homer's two central heroes, Odysseus and Achilles, are in many ways differing manifestations of the same themes. While Achilles' character is almost utterly consistent in his rage, pride, and near divinity, Odysseus' character is difficult to pin down to a single moral; though perhaps more human than Achilles, he remains more difficult to understand. Nevertheless, both heroes are defined not by their appearances, nor by the impressions they leave upon the minds of those around them, nor even so much by the words they speak, but almost entirely by their actions. Action is what drives the plot of both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and action is what holds the characters together. In this respect, the theme of humanity
Homer’s epic poem about the long ten year war between the greek Achaeans and Trojans conveys characteristics of ancient greek society. These include time, geras, menis and aristea, which are respectively honor, stuff, anger or wrath and finally a warrior's greatest moment. While it may be expected to be a poem about a glory filled war that the great heroes and even mighty Gods of Olympus get entangled within, there are messages and references to the pity and extreme loss that war brings. Especially the end of the poem in which the great warrior Achilles lays waste the Trojans and gives revenge to the great Trojan warrior Hector.