...Odysseus of Ithaca: Famed or Fraud? Homer’s Odyssey tells the tale of the Trojan War hero Odysseus’s return home to his land of origin, Ithaca. Homer describes Odysseus as being one of, or possibly the greatest hero in all of Greece’s history. He is characterized as being a fearless, heroic man, who, with divine assistance, bests even the greatest monsters, and overcomes the most troublesome and life-threatening situations that he encounters, or the gods throw at him. However, if not for the assistance given to him by Athena, or any other divine figure, Odysseus’s journey would most likely have not worked out in his favor as it did, and he most likely would have perished within the very first books of The Odyssey. If divine assistance is what gave Odysseus his spark, courage and abilities, then are his abilities really justified? Who is the real Odysseus of Ithaca? Throughout many instances of The Odyssey, Odysseus is seen as this “almighty figure of excellence,” that can “never be beat or conquered.” However, despite the recognition that Odysseus deserves for accomplishing most of his feats, most of the work and assistance given to him was crafted by the goddess Athena; who constantly monitors Odysseus’s every move and protects him throughout the course of the tale. For example, on page 175 of the text, when Odysseus confronts the Phaecian princess Nausicaa, Athena personally makes him appear less menacing and worn. By doing this, Athena guaranteed that Odysseus would...
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...A Women's Role in The Odyssey "So by day she'd weave at her great and growing web- / by night, by the light of the torches set beside her, / she would unravel all she'd done.", stated Antinous in book two on page 21 of The Odyssey. By saying this Homer, the author of this epic poem, shows that women used their wits to out smart men. Women mortal and immortal show great influence over the men in the poem. The women not only seduced and guided the men in The Odyssey they were also over looked and forgotten. The Odyssey is mainly describing a mans long journey home after the Trojan War, but women play an important role in the story. Different roles women present in The Odyssey can be explained by looking at Athena, Calypso, Circe, and Penelope. Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, used her knowledge and abilities to guide Odysseus. Throughout all of The Odyssey Athena majorly impacts Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. In the book one of The Odyssey, with Zeus' consent Athena disguised herself as Mentes, one of Odysseus' old friends and seeks out Telemachus....
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...The removal of the immortals from the Odyssey, would – despite supposedly in some sense improve the poem – essentially weaken the poem and the story as a whole. Whilst the removal of the gods would provide Odysseus to act of his own accord, and allow the audience to see how Odysseus can cope without the interruption of the gods. Nevertheless, without immortals in the Odyssey, the poem would ultimately lack a crucially exciting fact of narrative and would look very different as a story of a man trying to achieve his nostos, after the Trojan War. Ultimately, it must be acknowledged that without the immortal gods, the Odyssey would most likely not exist as the Trojan War would not have happened. The Trojan War began due to Paris’ decision to give the golden apple ‘for the most beautiful’ to Aphrodite (instead of Athene or Hera) as she offered him Helen as his wife. At the wedding of Menelaus and Helen, Paris made love to Helen and they left to sail to Troy, thus initiating the Trojan War. It is because of the Trojan War that the Odyssey is taking place. Odysseus only underwent the travel and trials of the Odyssey in order to make his way home from the Trojan War to Ithaca. This essentially means that without the immortal gods, the Odyssey would not even exist, and the story of Odysseus would be very different to the one told by Homer in the Odyssey. Another key way in which the removal of the gods would weaken the poems integrity is that a crucially exciting, entertaining element...
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...Kendra Perkins Matt Fox Eng 112 14 December 2011 The Odyssey: Comparison of Genders in Greek Mythology The Odyssey by Homer may be seen by many as a heroic story of a man on his journey home; however, there is an underlying story of the trials in the roles of men and women and the relationships between them. Men and women are portrayed differently in Greece, as in other societies. Men are considered to be the more powerful of the two and are responsible for the protection of their home. Women, on the other hand, are thought to care for the children and are also responsible for the supervision of both the interior and exterior of the home while the men are away. As a man, Odysseus showed great leadership in the war at Troy and was considered the hero at the Trojan War. His wife Penelope, on the other hand, exemplified the role of a woman and leadership in her daily duties of caring for the home and all of their possessions within. In her attempts to do so, she was overcome by suitors and was unable to stop them from partaking of all of their meat and drinks. This essay will explain the underlying roles of men and women in ancient Greece as well as modern day. The beginning of the novel takes place in Ithaka at the home of Odysseus. Suitors have overrun his home in the pursuit of marrying his “widow” Penelope. Telemakhos, son of Odysseus, felt it was a shame that these men would come into their home and eat and drink their house empty. Athena, daughter of Zeus, came to Telemakhos...
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...The Essential Role of Goddess in Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey Just as women were viewed as inferior to men during Homer’s era, a first glance at Homer’s epics The Iliad and The Odyssey portrays goddesses as inferiors to gods. Despite the era’s bias to men, the goddesses are of equal importance to the plot of his stories as the gods. The goddesses play vital roles as either helpers or nightmares to men by often determining the results of an action. Homer did not establish the goddesses in his epics merely as minor structures to blend in the background. Rather, he established dynamic goddesses who were both powerful and intelligent. In fact, in many ways the goddesses controlled the gods by having an influence in their decisions and actions through manipulation, persuasion and guidance. By influencing the gods, the goddesses also played a large role as shepherds for human fate. The goddess’s constant intervention in the mortals’ lives was driven by favoritism, love or sexual desires, and their pity for the weak. Although the goddesses are often restricted from doing as they wish by the gods, they have proven, in many occasions, to overpower the gods through manipulation. Goddesses were often told what to do by the gods. Tasks such as delivering messages from Zeus were often carried out by Athena. Just as Hector told his wife, “Go home, attend to your own handiwork at loom and spindle, and command the maids to busy themselves, too. As for war, that is for men, all we...
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...The Odyssey is a Homeric Poem written by Homer, a blind poet, that is one of the greatest poems ever written. The Odyssey is filled with heros, monsters, creatures, and gods. This poem is about a journey taken by Odysseus. On his way home he faces many obstacles making his journey home much more complicated. While he is facing obstacles he is faced by 4 gods Athena, Zeus, Helios, and Poseidon. These gods help him throughout his journey home. Athena, the most powerful god, helps Odysseus make his journey home by providing him with guidance and beauty. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, warfare, crafts, and is one of the most powerful of the 12 olympian gods. Athena created the potter's wheel, vase, horse bridle, the chariot and the ship....
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...EXAMINATION OF DUTY AND SELF CONTROL IN THE ODYSSEY Aashna Jamal INTRODUCTION Under the rule of Zeus, events did not occur in isolation but in interdependence causing there to be a flux in the totality of events and the whole drama being played on a cosmic plane. The central theme of Zeus’s rule is the preservation of his “ oikos” or household management where the prevalence of order over Chaos is of utmost importance. In this paper, using the Odyssey as a case study, I will examine the thematic importance of the decisions taken by a hero in accordance to or defiance of self control and pietas and the consequences they lead to. These expectations are clearly marked out for the reader who waits in anticipation to garner the fate of the hero. I will analyse the themes of self control and pietas or duty in the Odyssey and discuss their special significance in this epic. I will then briefly talk about the Hindu concept of duty or Dharma with reference to the Ramayana. I however do not intend to use the concept of monomyth coined by Joseph Campbell also referred to as the hero's journey(which is a basic pattern that its proponents argue is found in many narratives from around the world.) in comparing these epics. The example of the Ramayana will only serve my purpose of highlighting the theme of duty in mythologies across the world. Lastly, I will conclude with the importance of inspecting these themes because of their significance to the plotline. Georg Wissowa notes that pietas was...
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...Megan 9/24/14 Gods to Ithaca The Trojan War has ended and all of the remaining Greek heroes have returned to their home of Ithaca, except for one important hero, Odysseus. Trapped on an island, after ten years, Odysseus makes an effort to return home and leave Calypso’s island. His journey has been a long one, leaving wife Penelope and son Telemachus at home fending off suitors. However, it seems the time has come for him to take another long journey home, but not without the guidance of the gods. Of all the ideals and customs that the Greeks share in this story, particularly Odysseus, their religious beliefs and ideals are the most important and defining of their culture. The religious beliefs and ideals that the Greeks hold of the Greek gods are what guide the individuals in this story over any other ideal or custom of their culture. As seen from early on in the book, The Odyssey, the gods play a heavy role in the lives of the Greeks. Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle, is the main goddess who is master of disguises. In The Odyssey, Athena comes to Telemachus as “Mentes” and explains that the “great Odysseus is not dead” (Fagles, pg. 85). Athena disguises herself as this lord of the Taphian men as to convince Telemachus that she is friend of his father’s not just a stranger. Unaware that “Mentes” is in fact Athena, Telemachus prepares to leave for Pylos and Sparta to not only set a name for himself but to seek information of his father. Telemachus was given a lot of...
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...was not only a warrior but he was mostly respected because of his intelligence. He was devious warrior that achieved great lengths and led his team to many victories because of his way of thinking. Ulysses was also a great leader, he was leading Pete and Delmar into a treasure he knew it was hidden and wanted to retrieve it before they got to build the new lake. Everett was very quick with his words and getting himself out of trouble. Just as Odysseus, Ulysses wanted to return home to see his family. The journey of Ulysses preserves the essential meaning of the journey of Odysseus by following their story similarly though the struggles they faced each step of the way. One of the events with Big Dan T who represents the Cyclops in the odyssey, attack Ulysses and Delmar and kills Pete. Big Dan T then proceeds to rob them of their money and making a run for it. You can familiarize this scenario with the Cyclops attacking Odysseus and his crew and killing his crew members. Another essential meaning to their journey could be seeing their wife with another man. Ulysses wife was now engaged to Vernon. Penny, Ulysses wife was so ashamed of his actions that he had told everyone he was killed by a train. Odysseus had a similar situation, after returning from war that lasted decade, he found his wife with another men believing he had been killed at war. In all, it follows the journey closely but not...
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...Greek Heroes, Gods, Goddesses, and other creatures in the Odyssey are well known for fitting into archetypes. The Goddess of Magic Circe is no exception to this. Throughout her time in the story, she shows herself to be of the archetypal role known as femme fatale. Which is “A seductive woman who lures men into dangerous or compromising situations”. Circe makes this clear by one of her first actions in the Odyssey. When Odysseus lands on Circe’s island Aiaia, he sends his 22 of his men out to search her castle. Circe invites his crew to feast at a dinner. Luring the men in with the promise of a feast, she lets them eat the food she laid out for them, but they did not know that she had laced it with her magical potions. After they finish eating,...
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...The Odyssey and Heros Journey Essay “You don’t choose your destiny, your destiny is already chosen and handed to you.” In each story the main character takes certain steps in life that lead to the same ending. The Odyssey by Homer explains Odysseus's return to home. In the Odyssey by Homer through chapters nine through twelve, Odysseus displays some of Joseph Campbell’s seventeen steps of the Hero’s Journey. On the subject of the 17 steps Odysseus takes, one of them is Belly of the whale. Belly of the whale means that the hero willingly crosses the point of no return. “But I would not listen to them, and shouted out to him in rage, ‘Cyclops, if anyone asks you who it was that put your eye out and spoiled your beauty say it was the valiant warrior Ulysses, son of Laertes, who lives in Ithaca.” (Homer 77) None of Odysseus men are still with him because Odysseus was unable to save his comrades lives because the “recklessness of their own ways destroyed them all”, by devouring the cattle of the sun, so the sun god took...
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...Kirke is introduced to the audience as a seductress, and a witch. She tricks Odysseus’ men and turns them into swines or pigs using her magic, and now she has lured Odysseus into her arms. For example, in the citation above Kirke is using her role as a women to seduce Odysseus into her bed. But, Odysseus is clever. He makes a deal with her, the deal is that his men are turned back into men if he sleeps with her. Kirke is now one of the bad guys. It seems like Kirke’s only weapon against Odysseus is her beauty, and her magic. This shows that the role of women were very limited. The only power they had over the men were their bodies. It is absurd that women in the Odyssey exist to satisfy men’s needs. They are also there to give birth to men’s...
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...to be strong and powerful. However, the role and personality of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, in the epic The Odyssey is not the image of a weak woman. Athena is just as strong and as powerful as men in protecting and guiding Odysseus and Telemachus throughout the epic. The paragon of the Greek woman back in Homer’s time was someone who was weak willed, subservient, and overtly emotional. Penelope, the wife of Odysseus is a suitable example as she is docile and a damsel in distress type figure. During the long absence of her husband, Penelope is trapped with the suitors, forever chasing after her. While she despises the suitors in her house, she has no control over her...
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...far, the Odyssey full fills the hero’s journey in all aspects of the story. Throughout this story there are vivid examples of how the hero’s journey is outlined. From the beginning of “the hero’s journey”, which is the call to adventure Odysseus will begin his journey when he makes the choice of going into battle in the Trojan War. There will also be specific events in this epic story to display “the hero’s journey” even further. Eventually the end of the journey will be revealed when Odysseus regains his family, friends, and home. This part of hero’s journey is called the return. As stated earlier, the hero’s journey starts out in the Odyssey with the call to adventure. This is shown when Odysseus goes to Troy. He had the right to refuse but he goes anyway. He didn’t want to leave his wife and son, but he felt it to be his duty to show his son what a true man and soldier he was. There were plenty supernatural aids within this story. One would be Athena. Athena is a goddess who always helped Odysseus along his journey. One example of how she helps him is that she convinces Zeus to send Hermes to Calypso. Hermes gives instructions to Calypso to release Odysseus from her prison. If Athena never would have convinced Zeus Odysseus might not have ever left Calypso’s island which would have prevented him from returning home. Circe is also a supernatural aid in the Odyssey. She was a sorceress who turned Odysseus men into Swine. She also plays a major role in helping...
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...Greeks by saying ‘may the gods on Olympus grant you wipe out Troy’s city, and then return home safe” (20). This lines shows that Chryses believes that through his prayer to the gods that it will give the Greeks the advantage against Troy. The people of this time believed that the gods held their fates in their hands and the way to ensure a good outcome was through prayer and offerings. They felt that through theirs prayers and offerings that they could appease the gods enough to get them to do what they needed. There was some reverence for the gods and also a great deal of fear. They understood that the gods could do good things for you as well as cause you hardship. After Agamemnon’s refusal to release Chryeis and his threat of harm, Chryses goes to the god Apollo first with compliments, “god with the silver bow, protector of Chryse… mighty lord of Tenedos” (39) and then with an ultimatum showing his devotion and faithful service, “if I have ever pleased you … or burned bones for you.. grant my prayer” (42). Apollo hears this prayer and was enraged and came down from Olympus and first destroyed the mules and dogs and then shot at the troops. One of the first lines of piece says “angry with Agamemnon , he (Apollo) cast plague down onto the troops” (11). This passage shows that they believed that the prayer of Chryses caused Apollo to cast a plague upon the Greek troops. This shows the belief that if they are faithful and ask for assistance from their gods that they will avenge...
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