The Perspective Of Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

A Hero's Perspective There once was a poet named Homer Whose hero was quite the bold roamer. Avenger he was Triumphant because ‘Odysseus’ is not a misnomer. The name Odysseus translates as wrathful, and that is fitting because he fought his way home through dangerous adventures. In Homer’s poem The Odyssey, Odysseus was often helped by the Greek goddess Athena. He was often hindered by gods because they were angry at him. Odysseus escaped death repeatedly and learned more about what happened when he visited the ghosts of the Underworld. Odysseus …show more content…
He called on Zeus in prayer to help him on his quest to return home. “O Father Zeus if over land and water after adversity you willed to bring me home, let someone in the waking house give me good augury.” (Homer Odyssey 20.110-113) Zeus responded with a thunderclap and did intervene for him that time. The good example of finding help and favor with the Gods was when Odysseus reached Ithaca and grey-eyed Athena hid him in a protective mist as he slept on shore. Athena also slowed down the night to give Odysseus and Penelope more time to enjoy the reunion after so many years apart. Just because Athena favored Odysseus most of the time, if she had other plans Odysseus could not change her mind. The Gods of Homer had absolute power and did exactly what they wanted. Even when Odysseus wanted to show mercy to the kind suitor Amphinomus, Athena had already planned for his punishment. She had Telemachus kill him. (Homer Odyssey 23.194-196) When Poseidon found out Odysseus blinded his son Polyphemus, he stirred up an angry storm against him. ( Homer Odyssey 9.586) A god determined to get vengeance is a scary …show more content…
At the time of death, a man’s bones must burn in a pyre so that his soul could leave his body. Man’s spirit goes to the Underworld to receive judgement. ( Homer Odyssey 11.248-253) Odysseus ends up taking a trip to the Underworld. His time spent there reveals what it was like for man in the underworld. It was very different from being alive, and not a nice place. The dead were “blurred and breathless”. ( Homer Odyssey 10.131) The Underworld was a cold and joyless place. ( Homer Odyssey 11.104-105) It was a place “hidden by mist and cloud”. (Homer Odyssey 11.14) Odysseus provided blood sacrifice so he could visit with the ghosts in the Underworld, otherwise they would return to their normal selves, remote and faded. ( Homer Odyssey 11.163-167) Being alive was much better than being