“Odysseus’s Changing Journey”
“I guess that’s the thing about a hero, and you might not even come back that way. But you change, which is the same as everything changing. The journey changes you, whether or not you know it, and whether or not you want it to.”- Kami Garcia. Can a journey and the encounters one faces change a persons mind, thoughts and actions? In the Odyssey, Homer uses Odysseus’s journey to show how one’s journey can define them as a person. On Odysseus’s journey he has encountered many obstacles; some might say that the journey changed him. Parts of Odysseus’s journey changes Odysseus in ways to be more appreciative towards his wife. Odysseus’s journey has also changed him in ways of learning how to swallow …show more content…
When Calypso questions about her beauty being less valuable than Penelope’s, Odysseus responds with, “My quiet Penelope—how well I know— would seem a shade before your majesty, death and old age being unknown to you, while she must die. Yet, it is true I long for home, long for the sight of home…”(Homer 1209). This example reveals that Odysseus misses his wife because instead of being with a goddess that exceeds Penelope in ways of grace and form, he rather be with his mortal wife. Odysseus first leaves his home to fight the Trojan war willingly. He left his son and wife not really caring or appreciating her feelings, and now that he has been with Calypso for seven years he has learned to appreciate how Penelope feels. When Odysseus reunites with Penelope, Odysseus embraces her and, “…he wept at last, his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms,..”(Homer 1265). This example reveals that Odysseus truly did miss Penelope and appreciates her long and faithful wait for him. During the twenty year interval of being out for war, kept on Calypso’s island and the journey home, Penelope has stayed faithful. When he left home Penelope came up with tactics to outsmart the suitors for Odysseus, Odysseus’s reaction when they reunite shows how Odysseus has changed to appreciate his wife and her faithful wait for him. Odysseus’s encounters on his journey has turned him …show more content…
After Odysseus and his crew outsmarted the Cyclops Polyphemus Odysseus inquires, “Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home’s on Ithaca!(Homer 1222). Odysseus has done wrong of the Cyclops who has bigger and greater power than he does. Odysseus was boastful and took claim on Polyphemus’s eye. Polyphemus then prayed to Poseidon to cause trouble for Odysseus’s journey. At the end of the story the reader can infer that Odysseus has learned to respect and swallow his pride towards creature of greater power. When Odysseus was at the Land of the Dead the spirit Elpenor requested that there was a sacred burial for him, Odysseus says, “Unhappy spirit, I promise you the barrow and the burial”(Homer 1228). Odysseus showed respect towards the spirit that has greater power and is more capable than Odysseus. Odysseus listens to what the spirit says and respects what the spirit says. When Odysseus does not challenge Elpenor back, this shows that Odysseus has learned to respect and swallow his pride towards things more powerful than he is. Odysseus lacked this understanding at the beginning of the story. Along Odysseus’s journey he has learned that if he does not swallow his pride towards creatures that are more capable than he is, there
“I guess that’s the thing about a hero, and you might not even come back that way. But you change, which is the same as everything changing. The journey changes you, whether or not you know it, and whether or not you want it to.”- Kami Garcia. Can a journey and the encounters one faces change a persons mind, thoughts and actions? In the Odyssey, Homer uses Odysseus’s journey to show how one’s journey can define them as a person. On Odysseus’s journey he has encountered many obstacles; some might say that the journey changed him. Parts of Odysseus’s journey changes Odysseus in ways to be more appreciative towards his wife. Odysseus’s journey has also changed him in ways of learning how to swallow …show more content…
When Calypso questions about her beauty being less valuable than Penelope’s, Odysseus responds with, “My quiet Penelope—how well I know— would seem a shade before your majesty, death and old age being unknown to you, while she must die. Yet, it is true I long for home, long for the sight of home…”(Homer 1209). This example reveals that Odysseus misses his wife because instead of being with a goddess that exceeds Penelope in ways of grace and form, he rather be with his mortal wife. Odysseus first leaves his home to fight the Trojan war willingly. He left his son and wife not really caring or appreciating her feelings, and now that he has been with Calypso for seven years he has learned to appreciate how Penelope feels. When Odysseus reunites with Penelope, Odysseus embraces her and, “…he wept at last, his dear wife, clear and faithful, in his arms,..”(Homer 1265). This example reveals that Odysseus truly did miss Penelope and appreciates her long and faithful wait for him. During the twenty year interval of being out for war, kept on Calypso’s island and the journey home, Penelope has stayed faithful. When he left home Penelope came up with tactics to outsmart the suitors for Odysseus, Odysseus’s reaction when they reunite shows how Odysseus has changed to appreciate his wife and her faithful wait for him. Odysseus’s encounters on his journey has turned him …show more content…
After Odysseus and his crew outsmarted the Cyclops Polyphemus Odysseus inquires, “Cyclops, if ever mortal man inquire how you were put to shame and blinded, tell him Odysseus, raider of cities, took your eye: Laertes’ son, whose home’s on Ithaca!(Homer 1222). Odysseus has done wrong of the Cyclops who has bigger and greater power than he does. Odysseus was boastful and took claim on Polyphemus’s eye. Polyphemus then prayed to Poseidon to cause trouble for Odysseus’s journey. At the end of the story the reader can infer that Odysseus has learned to respect and swallow his pride towards creature of greater power. When Odysseus was at the Land of the Dead the spirit Elpenor requested that there was a sacred burial for him, Odysseus says, “Unhappy spirit, I promise you the barrow and the burial”(Homer 1228). Odysseus showed respect towards the spirit that has greater power and is more capable than Odysseus. Odysseus listens to what the spirit says and respects what the spirit says. When Odysseus does not challenge Elpenor back, this shows that Odysseus has learned to respect and swallow his pride towards things more powerful than he is. Odysseus lacked this understanding at the beginning of the story. Along Odysseus’s journey he has learned that if he does not swallow his pride towards creatures that are more capable than he is, there