The Odyssey Research Paper

The Odyssey by Homer is a perfect example of an epic. For an epic to be considered an epic it needs to have a physically impressive hero of national or historical importance, a vast setting encompassing much of the known physical world and, sometimes the land of the dead. It needs to have a quest or journey undertaken in search of something of value, the involvement of supernatural forces, glorification of the hero at the end, and a basis in a specific culture or society. The Odyssey has all the characteristics of an epic.
First of all, the Odyssey has a historical importance. The Odyssey is about a man named Odysseus. He is the king of Ithaca, Ithaca is the island in greece that Odysseus rules. In the beginning Odysseus and his wife Penelope …show more content…
In the Odyssey Odysseus and his men travel to Aeaea, home of the beautiful witch goddess Circe. Circe tricks a group of Odysseus's men and turns them into animals. When Odysseus goes to rescue them Hermes comes and tells him to eat some type grass so the wine that turned his men into animals wouldn’t affect him. She told him the only way to get his men back would be for him to take her to bed. After he gets his men back he asked Circe for the way back to Ithaca and she replies he must sail to Hades, the realm of the dead, to speak with the spirit of Tiresias, a blind prophet who will tell him how to get back home to …show more content…
The story has cyclops, witches, gods, and goddesses. The story is about Odysseus going on a journey and running into different hardships and running into monsters. He runs into the cyclops Polyphemus. The witch that turns his men into animals, Circe. The goddess that tries to make him her immortal husband, Calypso. He loses the rest of his men to Scylla the snake monster that eats his