Thomas Homer-Dixon

The Odyssey, by Homer, many of Odysseus’ men die during the journey. They die from monsters and gods. One of the men that dies is Elpenor at Circe’s house. When Odysseus reached the underworld, souls of people come and talk to him, in which included Elpenor. He says “After I went to sleep on Circe 's house, I did not notice how to go down again by the long ladder, but fell headlong from the roof; my neck was broken in its socket, and my soul same down to the house of Hades” (Homer 132). This man…

Society's favorite superhero stories would not exist without the implementation of a specific archetype. This archetype is none other than the hero’s journey. Developed by famous mythologist Joseph Campbell, the hero’s journey exists as a metaphor for life itself, with its main function being to entertain, instruct and inspire. Campbell identified a pattern repeated in literature, allowing him to formulate a three stage process: separation, initiation and the return. The monomyth is centered…

While The Odyssey might, upon first glance, involve godly intervention against humans to advance its plot, the true conflict that drives the whole story is the selfish and arrogant nature of men against other men. The human-on-human conflict is the very cause of all the other three classical conflicts, as a conflict between humans often escalates to a conflict against the Greek gods, a war against oneself, and finally a war against the powerful forces of nature. Human arrogance and pride are the…

Through characters such as: Alkinoös, who offered Odysseus shelter; Nausikaa, who bathed and clothed him; and Nestor who prepared a feast for Odysseus, Homer is able to create a warm and comforting mood in his Epic Poem, The Odyssey. The hospitality shown by these characters was common courtesy in Ancient Greece, and though it would be rare to see an American invite a complete stranger into one's home, it would be instinctual for one of Greek culture to take that stranger in and offer them food,…

The poem the Iliad was written by Homer, who wrote about a time during the Greek and Trojan war. As of today, though the book is still argued because of certain accounts of history it speaks of. Numerous ancient poems for example the Iliad consist of bloodshed and in quarrels, the book talks of things and how it started. There are different events that take place in book 1, 9, and 24. Each of the books are events that took place starting with arguments over deaths, kidnaps, and heroism. The…

In Homer’s world, women, specifically the Greek goddesses, are as much caring and nurturing as they are battle-hardened. When necessary, the women in The Iliad are able to use their natural charm or cunning in order to further their agenda. Hera, being a prime example of this, consistently shows her ability to feign a docile nature in order to distract from her crafty plans. However, there is a drastic distinction between the mortal and immortal women of The Iliad. Although most women in The…

To the extent of this class so far, we have had the opportunity to read the book titled, The Complete Aeschylus: Volume 1: The Oresteia: 1, but more specifically the story of Agamemnon, the Greek Warrior King. The story of Agamemnon’s homecoming is one for the ages. To give you an idea of just how many Achaeans were involved in the war, 1,000 ships had set sail to Troy. Each ship held between 300-400 people. In quest of Troy, Artemis, who was a great goddess, halted the wind and demanded that…

In The Iliad, Homer plays with the ideas that Zeus, the god and leader of all, may not be in charge after all. Many times during the text, Zeus bends to the wills of prophecies, mortals, and even other gods. As the story develops, Zeus becomes less in charge and more of a puppet for mortals and gods who want things from him. Through prophecy, Achilles, and Hera, this essay will take a look at the idea of Zeus simply being a puppet on strings in the hands of war. Zeus is the most powerful of gods…

Homer’s epics have left an undisputable and profound influence on Western literature. However, outside of the realm of literature, Homer’s ideas about honor, kingship, and leadership continued to affect the political world hundreds of years after his death. Specifically, Homer’s impact on Alexander the Great played a central role in not only the way Alexander saw himself, but also in the way he established and ruled the largest empire on earth. From an early age, Alexander was exposed to The…

A Hero's Perspective There once was a poet named Homer Whose hero was quite the bold roamer. Avenger he was Triumphant because ‘Odysseus’ is not a misnomer. The name Odysseus translates as wrathful, and that is fitting because he fought his way home through dangerous adventures. In Homer’s poem The Odyssey, Odysseus was…