The Odyssey Essay

Xenia in the Odyssey There are many themes in the book The Odyssey by Homer. Xenia, or hospitality is one of the largest, most prominent themes throughout the book. Xenia is displayed in many instances throughout the novel, and the importance of xenia is emphasized by the actions of it, but also the violation of it. Xenia is seen in the very first book of the novel when Athena inspires the prince. Prince Telemachus welcomes Athena into the home, by saying “Greetings, stranger! Here in our…

deeds. Both Athena, a goddess from the book the Odyssey by Homer and Harry Potter, a wizard from the book series by JK Rowling are considered great heros. While it is true that Athena is a great hero, it could be said that Harry Potter appears to be an even greater hero because he is loyal, selfless and has courage. Both Athena and Harry Potter are heros that share the quality of selflessness. Athena to begin is selfless. According to the book The Odyssey by Homer, Athena helped Odysseus even…

Throughout history, the presence of violence justified by the credence in godly figures is exemplified, especially in Aeschylus’ The Oresteia, and Homers’, The Odyssey. Although both archaic works concern the ideologies and practices of faith in the Greek mythological gods, the reasoning for violent actions and their means of justification differ in their aspiration for and fulfillment of vengeance, their justification through the divine, and their means of punishment. In The Oresteia, Orestes…

In the Odyssey, Homer uses many different hosts to tell the reader what traits a good host must possess. Homer shows several types of hosts throughout the book: hosts who want to eat their guests, hosts who want their guests to eat, hosts who want to talk to their guest, and hosts who want their guest to talk. Most of the hosts seen in this book show themselves to be cruel or bad hosts, by either killing their guests or keeping them against their will. Only a select few show themselves as truly…

important phases are a final battle and a return back home. One of the most crucial parts of a hero’s journey is a final battle, and, in order to be a hero, a person must prevail against his or her opponent. The Odyssey includes one of these battles, and…

In “ The Odyssey” by Homer odysseus go to fight in the Trojan war and makes a decade long journey back home to Ithaca to find suitors trying to take over Ithaca and marry his wife. The gods were angered because odysseus's journey home took longer than expected. In the “ Hero's Journey” by Joseph Campbell supports the idea of odysseus is a brave hero. Three reasons to support that is supernatural aid which was the help from the gods. The call to adventure that is when he goes to Troy. The…

history, women have always been seen as the weaker sex, submissive and obedient to men. The Odyssey is an epic poem that follows the adventures of Odysseus, the hero, while he sailed to his home in Ithaca. Along the way, he meets hostile beings and deities, and is tested again and again by the gods. After twenty years and after losing all of his men, he finally returns home to his son and wife. In Homer’s The Odyssey, women may be portrayed as powerful and complex, but upon closer inspection…

The Roles of Women in The Iliad and The Odyssey As the world has evolved, women have held many different roles in a male dominated society. Men have been held at a higher rank than women since the dawn of time. In Homer’s heroic poems, the readers can clearly identify how women can be perceived. In the Iliad, women were seen merely as an object of possession that played a relatively significant role to the story. Whereas in the Odyssey, women were seen in their own light and played a key role…

Limited yet Influential Role of Women in the Odyssey Typically, women in ancient Greece were not able to be influential due to their role in society. This can be seen when Homer portrays his female characters in a traditionally feminine role that limits their involvement in the story. Despite this setback, many female characters have found a way to be vital to the development of the plot by being mothers, seductresses, and helpers. In Homer’s Odyssey, the role of women is limited and narrow yet…

no longer fits with their current understanding of the world. Odysseus, from the epic The Odyssey by Homer, is no different. His view of death is significantly different than the culture than he was raised in, as the result of his travels, his age, and how well he knows the person or his opinion of him all affect his thoughts on dying and mourning. Odysseus approaches death calmly throughout The Odyssey, not once worrying about himself…