Ithaka's Role In The Odyssey

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In Homer’s “The Odyssey” the gods play a huge role in the life of Odysseus and the live’s of his family. The gods intervene and interfere in three major ways. They aid Odysseus and his family on his journey back home by giving them social advice and keeping them safe from storms and the unknown. The gods also intervene into their lives by prohibiting Odysseus from reaching home. Without them intervening and interfering in Odysseus and Telemakhos’ life, Odysseus would never have saw Ithaka again. Athena aids Odysseus and Telemakhos by giving them social guidance. In the beginning of “The Odyssey”, Athena helps Telemakhos when he has to speak to king Nestor to get information about his father. Since he has never left Ithaka before, to some extent, he was nervous to talk to the king. Athena reassures him by saying, “Reason and heart will give you words, Telemakhos; and a spirit will counsel others. I should say the gods were never indifferent to your life.” (Homer 3. 31-33). Athena intervenes in Telemakhos’ life for the better in order to improve his social skills. …show more content…
Odysseus blinds the Kyklopes, Polyphemos ,the son of Poseidon, in order to escape. Poseidon gives Odysseus vengeance after his son prays to him,“ In these words he prayed, and the god heard him. Now he laid hands upon a bigger stone and wheeled around, titantic for the cast, to let it fly in the black-powdered vessel’s track. But it fell short, just aft the steering oar, and whelming seas rose giant above the stone to bear us onward toward the island.” (Homer 9. 586-592). Poseidon intervenes in Odysseus’ journey home because he feels that he deserves it for blinding his son and being

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