Aegisthus

In the essential odyssey an astute reader can not only enjoy the adventures of Odysseus, but catch a glimpse of ancient greek society as well. By carefully observing the relationships between Odysseus and female characters, a reader can understand the social structures and gender roles of the ancient greeks. When analyzing the female characters through their dress, speech, or actions, distinct female archetypes begin to form. The Odyssey portrays three specific female archetypes, the seductress,…

Dear Carlo, Odysseus finds himself in the hostile city, Troy, where he meets the princess Helen. Helen is the cause of this Trojan war which has consumed Odysseus for ten years. For some unknown reason, he tells her the Greeks’ plan to destroy to the Trojans. Helen chose the Trojans over the Greeks. Aside from King Priam, she is the worst possible person he could tell, yet he trusts her. These heros play with the tools the gods give them. Achilles is the greatest fighter to ever live. He is…

as the worst kind of evil in The Oresteia, Clytaemnestra is seen using the light imagery of fire while she defends herself against her murder of Agamemnon: “I sacrificed this man- I swear my hopes / will never walk the halls of fear so long / as Aegisthus lights the fire on my hearth.” (A 1461-63) This symbol of light represents the change that Clytaemnestra sees as she attempts to bring goodness into the house of Atreus. It is the first sign of goodness against the evil that has imbued the…

In the three plays of the Oresteia, we encounter the themes of justice, power, and retribution, being present in all the plots. The occurrence of these themes in the plays allows a clash head-on in a supposedly interminable cycle of bloodshed and violence. However, this cycle is broken in the last play, the Eumenides, with divine intervention and the establishment of a system of trial by jury. In this paper, I intended to discuss how these themes deepen our understanding of the primordial…

The similarities and differences found in myths that validate Greek culture, are found throughout the textbook. We will look at oikos, kyrios, dowry rights, and how the characters did and did not represented Greek culture from myths. We will examine Greek culture on how the women were given specific rules to live by. How males had to obey the gods and were punished if they did not, according to myths. Some of the main characters we will observe are, Hercules, Clytemnestra, Pelops and other…

The role of women in "Iliad" varied, the gods had a high position in life, like Athena who was god of wisdom of art, as compared to mortal women, who were sometimes reduced to a prize for men at a fighting war. For example when Agamemnon (leader of Achaeans) captures Chrysies, though he has to eventually give her back to her father. In "Iliad" Helen's position seems to be higher than the maidens Achilles and Agamemnon captured. She was originally Greek Menelaus' (Brother of Agamemnon) wife,…

Although Zeus is surrounded by gods who prioritize their own desires and self-interest, Zeus remains the main enforcer of morality which manifests in the forms of the code of hospitality and the upholding of justice. His sense of morality overrules his self-interest and partiality towards his fellow gods. Zeus maintains his moral values and does not let it fade into insignificance even though his connections to the gods are deeper compared to his relationship with mankind. In Homer’s world, one…

Book I: Homer begins the narrative by calling on the Muse to help him tell the story of Odysseus. He briefly writes about how Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War was a struggle, and he mentions that Odysseus’ men all died because they foolishly ate the cattle of the god Hyperion. The story then begins. Odysseus is not dead, but he has not yet returned home. The nymph Calypso, who wants to marry him, has held him captive for many years. The gods on Mount Olympus finally hold a council to…

Women are the people who make up half the population, the people needed to produce other human beings, and yet looked at as inferior beings. Mythological women are shown in the way that society views women in general. They are usually split into two distinct groups, one is viewed as the bad woman and one is the ideal woman. Some women are viewed as old shrews who are cunning, ruthless, and bitter because of the tragedies they have lived. These characteristics are usually reserved for women who…

“A man who has been through bitter experiences and traveled far enjoys even his sufferings after a time.” (Homer, The Odyssey). Imagine standing in front of a one-eyed, ten-foot tall Cyclops, or turning into a pig, or even traveling to the underworld after being away from home for twenty years. What a crazy thought! Odysseus experienced difficult adventures like so, in the book The Odyssey, by Homer. Throughout our lives, we withstand many struggles and distractions. This results in straying off…