The Failure Of Temptation In Homer's The Odyssey

Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek epic poem that follows the travels of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, on his return trip from the Trojan War. Odysseus and his continually shrinking company of men face a sea voyage that should take weeks to complete. They quickly realize, however, the submissive nature of human-beings, as the Gods, half-gods, and other mythical beings, routinely hamper them, forcing a distraction from the ultimate goal. Notable instances of this hampering include: the Island of the Lotus Eaters, the lair of the Cyclops, and the suitors, scenarios infused with temptation and gluttony. While Odysseus fights to return home, his wife Penelope struggles to keep the suitors, a group of wealthy elites vying to claim Odysseus’s kingdom, from marrying her. While the king ultimately regains his throne, his crew is decimated by various forms of temptation, spoiling their timely return. Temptation in The Odyssey, as in Greek society, appears in varied forms yet almost always connotes poor judgment. Characters in The Odyssey who succumb to temptation stall their journey, entering a liminal space, and are punished for indulging in what is often, not theirs. The first …show more content…
These punishments increase in severity as a character’s actions ostracize him/her further from the norms of Greek culture. This hints to Homer’s view of Greek society and the world, as systems that expel misfits and punish individuals who threaten it’s integrity. Additionally, succumbing to temptation is viewed by The Odyssey as a destructive trait that threatens one’s ability to achieve their goal. If an individual can separate themselves from temptation, they can essentially chart their own destiny. This trait separates the God’s, creates that act impulsively, from humans, who have the ability to rise above immediate