The Odyssey Essay

only be judged for how they acted on the way towards meeting their fate. The concept of individuals meeting their fate is extremely prevalent in the great epic The Odyssey. This epic is one in which human lives are continuously manipulated by the gods, the one thing that the gods cannot do though is alter the individuals fate. In The Odyssey, fate governs the relationship between the central character Odysseus and the goddess of wisdom Athena. Though Athena cannot alter Odysseus’ fate her…

In Homer’s Greek epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus possesses several characteristics that qualify him to be a man of honor in classical Greek literature. However, in Emily Wilson’s translation, Odysseus’s epithet is described as “complicated”, and in Robert Fagles’s translation, he is referred to as a “man of twists and turns” (Homer, The Odyssey, 1.1). Odysseus’s moral values encompass those of a hero, such as his outstanding capabilities as a warrior and tactician, but his negligence and exaggerated…

Two translations of The Odyssey, by Robert Fitzgerald and Emily Wilson create nuances about the characters. The variations in the Wilson translation and Fitzgerald translation of The Odyssey make distinctions in how the reader views Odysseus, Penelope and Telemakhos. Odysseus left for Ithaka 20 years ago. Suitors stay in Odysseus’s house to attempt to win Penelope’s hand in marriage. Eurykleia, the nurse, tells Penelope Odysseus killed all the suitors. Penelope thinks Odysseus has not returned.…

Odysseus was never truly alone in The Odyssey. In the Odyssey the gods were ever present. Helping or hurting his hopes of going home to Penelope. Poseidon, Athena, and Hermes were the main three Gods in the story. They interfered in his travels countless times. At the beginning Poseidon was the God who is in charge of the oceans. He was the most terrifying towards the crew of Odysseus because he did the most to keep them from returning home. In the beginning of the story it was Poseidon who…

are used frequently throughout the beginning books of The Odyssey to relate mortal characters in times of triumph or distress, usually heroes, to certain things or events that would have been relatable to ancient Greeks. In situations of victory or glory, characters are normally related to gods or god-like objects, while characters in periods of despair or failure are related to more insignificant objects. In book nine of Homer’s The Odyssey, Homer uses epic similes to compare the Cyclops to the…

Throughout the story of The Odyssey written by Homer and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird the theme of loyalty can be seen throughout both story lines. In ancient Greek Loyalty could be seen as establishing or having a lifetime friendship. Based on these story lines it can be argued that loyalty is epic, and a loyal person should be considered the hero. Loyalty is a strong feeling of support or allegiance. In the odyssey book 4 Prince Telemachus showed loyalty to his father even at the hands of…

"Easy for them, all right, they feed on another’s goods and go scot-free" (p.7) This quote shows Telemachus ' rage over his mother 's suitors taking advantage of the Gods requirement for xenia. In The Odyssey, Homer uses an epic poem to convey lessons about ancient Greek culture. One of the main themes in this epic is the importance of xenia, or hospitality. In this essay, I want address good and bad examples of xenia, and show its great importance in the plot. During Odysseus ' great journey,…

Homer’s epic poem, the Odyssey, follows many individuals’ quests for home in both the concrete and metaphorical sense. While Odysseus is the main focus of this tale, many other characters are on a somewhat similar journey. Though they do not face the search for belonging in such extreme circumstances, each does look to create meaning and a sense of home within the confines of their lives. One such example is Odysseus’ son, Telemachus. His search for home is very metaphorical, as Telemachus does,…

literature there has been a focus on finding and exposing flaws of characters. A good character is one that has many flaws but many good traits to balance it out. However, how bad should a character be? The myth of Odysseus and the cyclopes from The Odyssey gives insight on Odysseus’ character. While he is described as clever throughout the story, the episode with Polyphemus the cyclopes is the first time we see him in action. After the murder of his men by the cyclopes, Odysseus decides to take…

Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek epic poem that follows the travels of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, on his return trip from the Trojan War. Odysseus and his continually shrinking company of men face a sea voyage that should take weeks to complete. They quickly realize, however, the submissive nature of human-beings, as the Gods, half-gods, and other mythical beings, routinely hamper them, forcing a distraction from the ultimate goal. Notable instances of this hampering include: the Island of the…