Three thousand years after it was written, people still read The Odyssey today. The Odyssey is an epic poem written around the 7th century BCE by the blind, Greek poet Homer. The Odyssey tells the story of a hero named Odysseus and how he tries to get back home after the Trojan War. Unlike many other books, The Odyssey continues to withstand the test of time and has become one of the most popular books today. This ancient epic has fascinated adults and teenagers alike for centuries. Few other novels have captured Greek culture in such a detailed and interesting way. Through his use of dramatic irony, exciting adventures, and vivid characters Homer’s brilliant storytelling has made The Odyssey one of the most well known epics of all time.
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In simpler terms, dramatic irony happens when the audience or readers knows something the character does not. Often times, the narrator or author will reveal something that the characters will find out later on his or her own. Dramatic irony adds an element of suspense and humor to the story. When the readers know something the characters do not, it excites the reader and encourages them to keep reading. There are several examples of dramatic irony in The Odyssey. One of the most prominent is when Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar when he returns back to his home, Ithaca. Odysseus has been away from home for twenty years. He spent ten years fighting in the Trojan War and ten more trying to return home. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, smartly disguises Odysseus as a poor beggar, so he can snoop around his home to see what took place over the last twenty years. A lot had happened. For instance, his son, Telemachus, who was an infant when he left, is now a grown man. Furthermore, his wife Penelope is constantly bothered by suitors who think Odysseus is dead. At first, no one recognized the poor, …show more content…
Without adventures there wouldn’t be the opportunity for dramatic irony. AJ Leon, a traveler with almost 12,000 followers on twitter says that knowing what you don 't want is all you need to start an adventure. Odysseus knows what he doesn’t want. After being trapped on a nymph 's island for seven years, he knows he does not want to stay on the island, but to return home to his family. Odysseus says to the nymph Calypso, " I long for the day of my homecoming. And if some god wrecks me again on the deep, I will endure it, for I have a patient mind. I have suffered many troubles and hardships in battle and tempest, this will only be one more," (Homer 27). Odysseus was ready for an adventure! He had already been through many adventures in war and several before he got trapped on the island, but he would endure many more on his second attempt to get home. All the various adventures give the book an exciting yet unpredictable plot that has enthralled readers for thousands of years. When a protagonist of any book endures different trials, it makes people want to continue reading to find out how after all the pain and suffering the character will find peace and happiness. Odysseus ' encounter with the Cyclops, lotus-eaters and the devastating shipwreck to which he lost his crew are at the top of the list of his expeditions. Adventure is defined as an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. Homer’s
By …show more content…
In simpler terms, dramatic irony happens when the audience or readers knows something the character does not. Often times, the narrator or author will reveal something that the characters will find out later on his or her own. Dramatic irony adds an element of suspense and humor to the story. When the readers know something the characters do not, it excites the reader and encourages them to keep reading. There are several examples of dramatic irony in The Odyssey. One of the most prominent is when Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar when he returns back to his home, Ithaca. Odysseus has been away from home for twenty years. He spent ten years fighting in the Trojan War and ten more trying to return home. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, smartly disguises Odysseus as a poor beggar, so he can snoop around his home to see what took place over the last twenty years. A lot had happened. For instance, his son, Telemachus, who was an infant when he left, is now a grown man. Furthermore, his wife Penelope is constantly bothered by suitors who think Odysseus is dead. At first, no one recognized the poor, …show more content…
Without adventures there wouldn’t be the opportunity for dramatic irony. AJ Leon, a traveler with almost 12,000 followers on twitter says that knowing what you don 't want is all you need to start an adventure. Odysseus knows what he doesn’t want. After being trapped on a nymph 's island for seven years, he knows he does not want to stay on the island, but to return home to his family. Odysseus says to the nymph Calypso, " I long for the day of my homecoming. And if some god wrecks me again on the deep, I will endure it, for I have a patient mind. I have suffered many troubles and hardships in battle and tempest, this will only be one more," (Homer 27). Odysseus was ready for an adventure! He had already been through many adventures in war and several before he got trapped on the island, but he would endure many more on his second attempt to get home. All the various adventures give the book an exciting yet unpredictable plot that has enthralled readers for thousands of years. When a protagonist of any book endures different trials, it makes people want to continue reading to find out how after all the pain and suffering the character will find peace and happiness. Odysseus ' encounter with the Cyclops, lotus-eaters and the devastating shipwreck to which he lost his crew are at the top of the list of his expeditions. Adventure is defined as an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. Homer’s