The Odyssey Essay

In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, In his desperate request for aid, Odysseus chooses to approach the Phaecian Princess Nausicaa verbally rather than physically because he is “…frightening sight, disfigured with brine,” as well as nude (NAOWL pg 339). He is in a vulnerable position with nothing to offer therefore must persuade. Part of being experienced rhetorician is knowing what you desire and how to acquire it. This proved hero had to rely on oral The most effective display of Odysseus’s…

the family is crucial in how father and son relationships develop. In The Odyssey and The Iliad, the bond between father and son is important for the development of the family role in honor and pride, along with the expectation of loyalty from the son to the father and vice versa. In The Iliad, Hector is loyal to his father, Priam, when Hector himself heads back to the war without a second thought. Meanwhile, in The Odyssey, Orestes is loyal to his father, Agamemnon, when Orestes himself avenges…

Written by Zachary Mason; The Lost Books of the Odyssey was originally published in 2008 by Starcherone Books and then later republished in 2010 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. The book is made up of 228 pages with 44 chapters. Mason tries to show that the last 44 books of the Odyssey are new stories about Odysseus that show new points that are not in the Odyssey as well as a different way of thinking about the people that appear in this book. Mason wants to show that in these 44 books the…

beautiful image of what seems to be a relatively strong bed but in actuality it represents the foundation of Penelope and Odysseus' love. This image reveals several important facts of Odysseus' intentions and Penelope's character throughout the Odyssey. The Odyssey is a tale of Odysseus making his journey home to be with his beloved wife and now ripe son. Throughout the poem though, Odysseus' loyalty and faithfulness to his wife comes into question as he meets many beautiful women and is tempted…

Between both epic poems by Homer; The Iliad and The Odyssey, the reader is able distinguish a variety of themes that set both stories apart. But there are also multiple instances where the themes of the poems overlap and actually build off of each other. This is where Homer is able to help the reader fully understand both stories by implementing themes through both poems and a multitude of characters and situations to help his message get across. One of the biggest similarities between both…

"An Ancient Gesture" vs. The Odyssey--Heroism The Odyssey by Homer depicts heroism as only possible out and about, in wars, in great journeys, etc., while “An Ancient Gesture” by Edna St. Vincent Millay speaks to that theme, making heroism a broader idea that can be shown even at home. The two different gender perspectives provide insight on both sex’s roles in society, which impact how they show heroic qualities and attributes. By appealing to a feminist approach, Millay reveals Penelope to be…

The quote, “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations,” represents all people in life. We all have our ups and downs but by working hard, we can reach the places we’ve dreamed of. Odysseus, the protagonist in the novel The Odyssey by Homer, could relate to that. The novel starts out with being narrated by Homer. As the novel progresses, different characters narrate different parts of the story. Towards the beginning of the novel, Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, sets out on a journey to…

Women of The Odyssey Throughout The Odyssey a vast amount of sexism is present. Many women in Ancient Greece were expected to put the needs of their husbands first and enroll themselves to be houswives for the rest of their lives. Oppression, lack of privilege and submission were all present as a Greek woman in Ancient Greece. The vile women in Homer’s book had to hypnotize men by using their sexual wishes and desires. Homer produced a poem that defined western literature for thousands of years.…

demonstrated in Homer’s Odyssey, Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and the movie O Brother Where Art Thou? Throughout the Odyssey, many prophecies related to the main plot guide people like Odysseus and Penelope and provides them strength. Prophecies implicate they are doing the right thing and gods are with them. In the beginning, when Athena disguises as Mentes and predicts Odysseus’ return, Athena has made the very first prophecy to Telemachus. She specifically says that…

What is true loyalty? In the story The odyssey, there are many themes that come out throughout the story. Loyalty is one topic or theme that is important to the story of The Odyssey. Without this themes, the story The Odyssey has no purpose because loyalty is what drives a;; these characters to do what they do and helps connect the story till the end. Loyalty is an action that is portrayed in the immediate family members of Odysseus, a loyalty that is strong no matter the circumstance.…