Space Odyssey series

Two Types of Monsters The scene between Odysseus and the Cyclops, Polyphemus, in Homer’s Odyssey is universally recognized as one of the greatest displays of cunning in ancient Western literature. Odyssey is the narration of the epic hero, Odysseus, and his journey home to his native land, Ithaca, after the fall of Troy. Throughout the narrative, Odysseus meets and interacts with a wide array of characters—gods, creatures, and humans. In Book 9, Odysseus and his men come to the land of the…

According to The Odyssey by Homer and Hippolytus by Euripides, women in ancient Greece were “a great evil” (Euripides 2001: 29), deceitful, and liars. Throughout Odysseus’ journey, Odysseus encounters several women who kill men in his army, cause battles and the slaughter of many men and deceive the characters in the epic through disguises. The most destructive women in The Odyssey are Athena, Zeus’ daughter, and Clytemnestra, Agememnon’s wife. Although Athena appears to guide Telemachus in…

On the surface, the Odyssey depicts the gods as all-powerful beings manipulating humans in pursuit of their own ends while the humans are the poor pawns of some celestial chess match. However, it is important to remember that the myths of the gods were constructed by humans and that there is logic behind the creation of them. Upon deeper reflection, both gods and humans gain something from the existence of the other party whether it is some material exchange or a subconscious mental reward. The…

In the article, "The Real Troy," the author, Josh Fischman, states that while not all Trojan myths maintain historical accuracy, most contain some elements of truth. The author cites instances in the Iliad and The Odyssey that archeologists are now finding might be historically relevant. In the article, Fischman quotes Manfred Korfmann saying, "The town makes Troy about 15 times larger than previously thought." (Fischman 56) In this statement, Korfmann is describing the discoveries that had…

In Homers epic, the Iliad, we see that dishonor is something that is looked down upon. Honor is why the warriors go to battle and what gives them the motivation to push through the gruesome events that take place. The Iliad is full of characters that are stunted by fear. In Book 17 we see that Menelaus is too fearful to protect Patroclus’ body. Lastly, Achilles is mentioned in this section to show that the refusal of giving up Patroclus’ body could be the one thing to draw Achilles out of his…

The Odyssey by Homer is an epic poem, believed to have been written between 800 and 700 BCE. The book focuses on the hero Odysseus and his long journey home to Ithaca after the fall of Tory. During the epic, Telemachus shows a great deal of growth from acting like a boy into being a mature man. He starts his journey being regarded as a child in front of the suitors at his father’s house, and his outburst in front of them furthered this opinion. As the story progresses however his growth is…

Homer’s Odyssey is no exception to this. While the Odyssey is no doubt a great adventure story, full of great battles and severing of limbs, it is also at its core, a love story. It is the tale of Odysseus facing innumerable trials to return to his ever faithful Penelope. For him, returning to his wife his final cause, his great desire that motivates his actions that keep him itching closer to home. It is only in his return to his beloved, Penelope, and reengagement in domestic life that…

Albert Einstein says that a man is defined by values rather than his success. Odysseus has many victories but he follows his morals religiously and does not break them regardless of desperation. Odysseus’s expedition was a treacherous trek that seemed near impossible. Odysseus had many opponents. One of them was Polyphemus (cyclops), the son of Poseidon, who trapped Odysseus and his crew in his cave. Another opponent Odysseus encountered was Calypso (nymph) who imprisoned Odysseus on the island…

poem by Homer, The Odyssey, tells of Odysseus’ tumultuous journey back to his home on the island of Ithaka. Odysseus, the main character in the epic poem, appears to be the hero slaying the monsters, but as his journey continues it becomes more difficult to distinguish who the monster really is. Upon closer inspection, the true monster is not one of the various mythical creates Odysseus faces, but is instead Odysseus himself. Passages from book nine and book 22 of The Odyssey, demonstrate how…

The Comparison To The Underworld Many pieces of literature contain many similar characteristics to Greek and Roman mythology as these references illustrate a certain idea or image for the reader. Many authors in the past would draw these comparisons to invoke a deeper meaning to their writing. The Underworld of Roman mythology is the kingdom of Pluto and is where Romans believed the dead went to in afterlife. For one, the house of Trimalchio as well as the contents in it, are directly related to…