The Odyssey by Homer

In the section, “Lotus Eaters”, the Lotus Eaters are a peaceful group of people; however, the threat lies within their intent to keep Odysseus and his men from wanting to return home after feeding them hallucinogenic lotus flowers.

After the defeating the Cicones, Odysseus wants to take the plunder and depart quickly. His men, however, stay, leading to a defeat at the hands of reinforcements. A similar situation happens later, after Aeolus grants the Greeks fair winds to Ithaca. Odysseus falls asleep within sight of Ithaca, enabling his greedy, undisciplined crew to open the bag of ill winds that they think is treasure, and let loose a barrage of winds that blows them off course. Finally, on the island of the Sun god Helios, Odysseus' men disobey his orders and eat sacred cattle of the sun after he goes inland to pray and falls asleep. This action leads to the deaths of all his crew, so he is never with a group of people like that for the rest of the novel. This flaw too is overcome by Odysseus in the last group. He relies on a small group of people to let him into a situation where he can triumph over the suitors, and none of them disobey

There was a man who was willing to risk his whole life through many difficult obstacles just to return to his family and home. Odysseus is his name and he is indeed a hard working man. During this long heroic journey, Odysseus traveled for a long time and has faced many common archetypes. This novel was during the Greek era where they idolized Xenia. The Greeks admired Xenia is where people have to respect and treat their house guests respectfully.

Here, the islanders give Odysseus’ men the lotus instantly making them forget about home and wanting more of the Lotus. Odysseus’ intelligence gives him the ability to recognize this scheme by the islanders to make the men stay. Odysseys exclaims, “feeding on the Lotus, and forgetful of their homeward way…These men, therefore, I brought back perforce to the ships, weeping, and dragged them beneath the benches and bound them fast in the hollow ships” (IX.96-99). Odysseus proves faithful and loyal to his men while passing the first of his four major tests. Odysseus proves himself mentally capable of recognizing the effects of the Lotus, and physically adept in moving his men off the island, forcing them into the bottom deck of the ship.

This book allows the reader to be surprise that he shows no emotions where he should. He shows a minimal emotions during his mother’s funeral, love for Marie, excitement for his job promotion, and no regret for murdering the Arab. In the end, Camus show that humans existence is based on living and dying.

In The Odyssey, the Greek hero Odysseus must make it back to his home in Ithaca after the battle of Troy. Along his journey, he encounters obstacles that require the upmost perseverance and willpower to survive. Some of these obstacles include a giant cyclops who wants to eat him, lotus-eating peoples that drug his crew, violent storms that

Is a hero only characterized by their success? If a leader’s last actions carry them to victory, are their flaws unimportant? The Odyssey by Homer narrates the ancient myth of a leader coming home from war in Troy who faces many trials, and despite returning home alone without any of his crew, he is looked upon as a hero for having survived. His ultimately sole success continues to define him, although the bitter truth being that he was the leader of his men when they all perished. As flaws of the all-mighty Odysseus and his crew are presented through their responses to the challenges they experience on their journey, people of the modern world may begin to understand that there exist several flaws that plague all men, whether they live now or lived thousands of years ago, and whether they are leaders or followers. The Odyssey is important in its characters’ responses’ to their trials ability to evoke emotional reactions that cause the reader to ponder their own tendencies by revealing the human nature of pride to be the fuel of the impulsiveness that oscillates fate.

During, Homer’s, The Odyssey many strengths were tested throughout the entire book. This book was a mythological Greek folk tale that was created between the eleventh and eighth century B.C, therefore it is filled with many exaggerated stories about the Gods and treacherous adventures Odysseus had ventured on. He encounters a cyclops and after battles a six-headed monster. His crew discovers their talent for making mistakes such as being turned into pigs by Circe and letting strong winds out of the bag sending them farther from home. Odysseus experiences battles with his emotional stamina as well. His depression about his travels are shown through his lamentation on Calypsos’ island and his will power to discover the loyalty of his house mates is tested by Odysseus disguising himself as a beggar in his own home. Throughout, Homer’s, The Odyssey perseverance holds significance emotionally, physically, and mentally when enduring the battles and setbacks he experiences.

The Odyssey by Homer and the Old Testaments: King James Version are two of the most read and most sophisticated pieces of literature that have transcended through generations. While they share similar qualities; both greatly differ as well, especially when it comes to the women characters. Classical historian and professor of classical studies at Wellesley College, Mary Lefkowitz, makes a significant contrast between these two famous writings. She believes that a major difference between the women of each story differ dramatically when it comes to their personality and actions. “[Although] the notion... that a man should be active and aggressive, a women passive and subjected to the control of the men in her family, are expressed in virtually every Greek myth, even the ones in which the women seek to gain control over their own live.…[so] that it is possible to show that the Greeks at least attributed to women a capacity for understanding that we do not alway find in the other great mythological tradition that has influenced Western thought, namely, the Old and New Testaments." (Women in Greek Myth, Mary Lefkowitz). I completely agree with Lefkowitz statement on these characters, it’s very clear that most of the women in the Old Testament are very flat while the Odyssey is full of well rounded characters especially when it comes to Jacob’s wife Rachel and Odysseus 's wife Penelope.

            Odysseus is no god.  He is man, and with that comes the mistakes and errors in all of us.  In many situations Odysseus' mortal side is seen.  An example of the power of Odysseus coinciding with his human flaws is his battle with Polyphemous the Cyclops (son of Poseidon).  After escaping the lure of the lotus-eaters and their island, Odysseus and his men find themselves on another island, rich with food and shelter.  After feasting, the men grab a large container of potent wine and go off exploring the new island.  Later in their search they stumble across a large cave filled with food.  Curious where the owner's whereabouts are the men encourage Odysseus to steal the food.  Odysseus (showing his hospitable and genuine character) decides to instead wait for the

Hospitality has been around and important to cultures for almost forever. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, there are many themes, but the theme of hospitality reoccurs throughout the entire epic. This epic takes place in Ancient Greece after the Trojan War. The main character, Odysseus, is on a journey back home to Ithaca after being away for ten years. Along the way, he must make stops and stays in the homes of the different people during his journey. The individuals that are hosting the stranger are expected to act a certain way to show their hospitality. This is called xenia. Xenia is the relationship between the host and the guest. Rules are supposed to be followed and the hosts are supposed to provide certain resources to their guests. It is also important to the culture of the Ancient Greece to show good hospitality to the strangers that wish to stay in their home. Odysseus has stayed in the homes of many along his journey home. He has experienced both good xenia and bad xenia from the people who has stayed with.

One having power and control over fate would be ones most impossible quest. The Odyssey, composed by Homer, shows how mankind is always under the mercy and leniency of fate, which was expressed through Odysseus. One can only make a choice and hope that the consequences are fated to suit one. His struggles were external and internal. One would never plan struggles in their fate if one was able to manage it, yet, fate is full of struggles. Odysseus had no power over his fate and needed a prophecy so he can withstand the struggles and suffering fated for him, therefore, the management of fate is just a myth.

The first person in The Iliad that can be considered god-like is Trojan prince Hector. He is also a commander on the Trojan side, and he truly the greatest Trojan warrior. The character of this Trojan hero is dynamic and changes throughout the book. At the beginning of the book he acts like a great warrior should. He is the most brave out of all the Trojans. Hector leads his army and never fails. In the later part of the book we see Hector as a brave warrior but we are also introduced to his other side, his fear of death. Although he, like all of the other warriors in the Ancient times, knows that through the battle he can earn his eternal glory, he cares more about his family and he knows that if the Trojan army fails, the Greeks will kill his son and take his wife as a slave girl.

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.

What is a hero, and what is a true hero? In the Greek society, as perceived in Homer’s Iliad, to be a hero is to be “publicly recognized for one's valour on the battlefield” and to have a prize with it (Sale). In other words, a hero is someone who fights for his own fame and glory. However, the modern perception of a hero is quite different. A hero is someone who do not endeavor to become a hero, but someone who act in admirable ways, often for the better of everyone else. The modern concept of heroism is what defines a true hero. Achilles is a hero in the Iliad, because of the Greek’s perception of heroism. However, Achilles is not a true hero; Hector is the true hero in the Iliad.