Essay on The Odyssey - 21353 Words

The Odyssey Set in ancient Greece, The Odyssey is about the hero Odysseus long-awaited return from the Trojan War to his homeland, Ithaca, after ten years of wandering. The current action of The Odyssey occupies the last six weeks of the ten years, and the narrative includes many places - Olympus, Ithaca, Pylos, Pherae, Sparta, Ogygia, and Scheria. In Books 9-12, Odysseus narrates the story of his travels in the years after the fall of Troy, and this narrative includes other far-flung places, such as the island of the Cyclops. The main action of the poem takes place in Ithaca, after a disguised Odysseus reaches there in Book 13. In Books 13 to 24, Odysseus is slowly reunited with his family and takes revenge on the†¦show more content†¦His travels in search of his father help him to mature, and, on Odysseus return, he fulfills his duties, as the son of a hero should. Athene - the goddess of wisdom and the daughter of Zeus. She is Odysseus champion amongst the gods, and she aids him and Telemachus throughout the poem, displaying great tact, intelligence, and cleverness in all her endeavors. Minor Nestor - the King of Pylos. He had fought on the side of Agamemnon in the Trojan War. When Telemachus sails off to find news of Odysseus, he first visits Nestor at Pylos. Nestor contributes very little to Telemachus knowledge of his father, though he is generous and helpful. Menelaus - the King of Sparta. The Trojan War was fought to rescue his wife, Helen, who was abducted by Paris. In The Odyssey, both husband and wife are back at Sparta. An old friend of Odysseus, Menelaus welcomes Telemachus into his home. Helen - the wife of Menelaus and the cause of the Trojan War. Helens portrayal is more striking than that of Menelaus. She is back with Menelaus at Sparta, happy and at peace, having learned from her sufferings. The tenderness which she possesses in The Iliad is turned to new purposes here in The Odyssey. Antinous - the most vociferous and proud of the suitors. He plots Telemachus death and often leads the suitors in their mistreatment of Odysseus and his household. Eurymachus - another outspoken and powerful suitor. In Book 22, heShow MoreRelatedThe Odyssey739 Words   |  3 PagesIn Greek Mythology, women were either very fierce or very weak. Women were usually defined by wits, beauty, or bad deeds. In The Odyssey women were not in the background. On the contrary, women were powerful. They charmed and controlled men, provided wisdom, and took care of them. The Odyssey appears to be strongly female based. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus who is the king of Ithaca. When Odysseus is called off to the Trojan War Penelope shows great faithfulness and wit. She stays faithfulRead MoreThe Odyssey1243 Words   |  5 PagesThe Odyssey In Homer’s epic, The Odyssey, each culture treats strangers and guests with distinct differences from every other culture. 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The many themes of this epic mainly focus around the Greek hero Odysseus however in my essay I will attempt to analyze hospitality. Hospitality shaped an important part of social interactions in The Odyssey. Although Greek societyRead MoreThe Odyssey1006 Words   |  5 PagesThe Odyssey, one of the most well known epic stories Introduces Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. This story demonstrates Odysseus’s physical and intellectual strength. Striving to return home after 20 years of his treacherous journey, he uses strength, skill, and superior ability to overcome his troubles. Although he faced numerous obstacle s and fought many battles, he made it appoint to get home to his kingdom through his physical ability, intellectual insight, and overcoming his epic flaw. InRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey1267 Words   |  6 PagesLife in The Odyssey In The Odyssey, Odysseus is constantly being challenged. He is being challenged, so Homer can show us the standards for life in The Odyssey. There is no doubt that Odysseus is a great man, Homer even says so in the beginning lines of the text. Although Odysseus is a great man, he also makes mistakes but not any that he doesn t pay for. We learn the representation of life in The Odyssey through Odysseus challenges. Throughout the book, Odysseus specifically struggles with arroganceRead MoreThe Odyssey Essay : The Journey Of The Odyssey701 Words   |  3 Pages 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 wouldnt have taken this long is he didnt poke out Poseidons son (Polyphemus) eye,which let to the Polyphemu s praying that Odysseus does return home he just happens to return homeRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey848 Words   |  4 Pagesin their way. This is not a new thought; however, even the Greeks before Christ felt this way. In Homer’s Odyssey, many of the characters express the troubles that the gods have caused them, and the gods argue the exact opposite. The gods claim, â€Å"Mortals! They are always blaming the gods for their troubles when their own witlessness causes them more than they were destined for.† The Odyssey demonstrates that humans and not the gods are responsible for their own strife. Odysseus exemplifies how menRead MoreHomer s Odyssey : The Odyssey1236 Words   |  5 Pagesextend his journey in The Odyssey by several years. Homer constructs Odysseus by attributing both godly and human characteristics to him, allowing readers to admire him while simultaneously relating to him. The combination of these revered traits coined Odysseus as being an omnicompetent man, polumetis, in the eyes of the Mycenaean’s and in the eyes of most modern day readers. This shows that the popularity of Odysseus transcends time; however, modern interpretations of The Odyssey in cinematic productions