...For years, heros have been thought to be superhuman- only strengths but no weaknesses. However, Homer’s Odyssey proves otherwise. Homer’s Odyssey is the epic poem about Odysseus's journey back to Ithaca after winning the war against Troy. The epic poem explains that to be human means to have weaknesses. Odysseus’s biggest flaws is that he is proud and curious. Homer uses characterization to show that humans have weaknesses. One of Odysseus’s main weakness is that he's proud. Throughout the books, he tries to prove that he is invincible, and no creature can outsmart him. Earlier in Book 9, when Odysseus and his men had just reached the Cyclops’s home, his men pleaded not to go to the Cyclops, he still wanted to “ find out what the mainland...
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...Everyday people make choices, some choices are easier than others with a clear choice that only a fool would ignore, but some choices are much more difficult. The best way to make a good choice is often a cause for debate, but one of the oldest answers, comes from the ancient Greek poet Homer. Homer’s epic the Odyssey relates to the magnitude that choices play in our lives and how he thought choices should be made. The Odyssey revolves around the hero Odysseus and the choices he and his crew make on their decade long journey home at the end of the Trojan War. Sometimes the characters make good choices and sometimes they make bad choices, more often than not these good choices are made by using good judgement and consulting those who are wise....
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...genre, therefore it gives the piece of work a feeling of transcendetality. Two great authors from the Western civilization that take part of a modern literary culture that is characterized for its epic stories and epic characters that follow along the definition of an epic hero. An epic hero is a brave and noble character in an epic poem, admired for great achievements or affected by grand events. Dante’s Aligheri’s Inferno and Homer’s The Odyssey respectively have two characters that fulfill what is like to be recognized as a brave and noble character. Throughout both poems, we can see how each character has unique qualities that make them outstand and set them up as a leader, but at the same time, they have the flaws of any human being. It is clear when a character overcomes the status of any human being and sets the lead as a hero. An important trait of an epic hero is the fact that starts a journey; it may be of a personal matter, such as Dante, or of societal matter, like Odysseus. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is a war hero travelling home after a period of twenty years. In this epic, Odysseus is brought out as a hero with superhuman courage. In most cases, he has been shown fighting with supernatural forces. One characteristic of this journey that is different from Dante is that the hero in this epic fights against external forces. Odysseus faces many challenges while traveling home. To begin with, he is cast on an island that is surrounded by waters. Some situations appear to...
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...those from thousands of years ago, like the Ancients Greeks, used heros to share their values. The Greeks saw Homer’s Odysseus as an war hero because of his cunning and great battle skills. His legend still lives on today as people around the world learn about the myths of Odysseus. In more recent times, many people appreciate the work of Malcolm X for his heroic fight against injustice and his tremendous speaking ability. His monumental speeches impact the thoughts and shape the ideals of many activists that advance in the fight for social justice. In Homer’s The Odyssey and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet”, both heroes convey great strength in their battles through Odysseus’s surviving the hurricane sent from Poseidon, Malcolm X’s clear portrayal of the injustices in America, and both heroes willingness while staying persistent and achieve justice. Homer conveys Odysseus’s strength through his survival of the hurricane from Poseidon. For example, while Odysseus struggles to stay alive during the storm, “he’d not forget his craft-- he lunged after...
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...Jade Zayas Intro to World Mythology Final Paper 05/07/2012 O Brother, Where Art Thou? vs. The Odyssey When it comes to entertainment and box office hit movie making, it is not uncommon to come across films adapted from popular literature. Taking a story that is popular and well-known is a formula for a successful film, as long as it is done the right way. The Coen Brothers, famous for successful films such as “Fargo” and “The Big Lebowski,” made a movie together entitled “O Brother, Where Art Thou.” This film, while unique in its setting and a little bit different in the plot, is clearly an adaptation of the ancient classic poem “The Odyssey” by the poet Homer. Even a review by the renowned film critic Roger Ebert states: “O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a Homeric journey through Mississippi during the Depression (Ebert, Roger 2000).” The film itself depicts the obstacles and fate of a man during the Great Depression who escapes from jail and whose only goal is to make it back home. The struggles he and his fellow escapees meet along the way are strikingly similar to the perils that face Odysseus and his men on their mission to get back to Ithaca. Also, the character references in the film that parallel the characters in the epic poem are abundant. The film is almost a modern homage to the ancient poem in all the different ways it emulates “The Odyssey.” To fully understand all of the different ways the film relates to the poem, it is important to establish the character...
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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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...Thus, Odysseus devalues his own wife in order to compliment another woman, which reveals how disloyal of a husband Odysseus really is. In addition, the second quotation captures Odysseus in his infidelity, as he is now sleeping with Calypso, behind Penelope’s back. When Odysseus and Calypso “long in each other’s arms” and “lost themselves in love”, it reveals the adultery and the disloyalty of Odysseus towards Penelope, as he entwines himself in an affair with Calypso. Another example would be Odysseus’s involvement with Circe, the nymph or Aeaea, whom Odysseus made love to. According to the text, it states: Straightaway she began to swear the oath that I required–never, she’d never do me harm–and when she’d finished, then, at last,...
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...The saga of Odysseus’ journey exposes the reader to the darkest and lightest aspects of human nature, all set in the larger than life world of the gods. When a man takes an act of revenge, it is on a small scale. When a god takes a similar action, the consequences are massive and can rock the entire ocean with waves or mountains with earthquakes. While the scale of the anger is greater, the passions are the same. Love, lust, and anger are all presented on godlike scale in these first two books because of their argument over Odysseus. The tale to one that offers a comprehensive platform from which to educate an adolescent learner as the symbolism between the trials and tribulations of the immortals can be easily drawn to mortal life in our modern...
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...Routledge, 1990. Bloom, Harold. The Anxiety of Influence: A Theory of Poetry. Oxford UP, 1973. ------ed., Homer: Modern Critical Views. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Brown, Stewart, ed. The Art of Derek Walcott. Chester Springs, PA.: Dufour P, 1991. Davies, Gregson, ed. The Poetics of Derek Walcott: Intertextual Perspectives. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 1997. “Derek Walcott.” Contemporary Literary Criticism. Volume 42 (1987). Dove, Rita. “Either I’m nobody, or I’m a nation.” Parnassus: Poetry in Review 14, 1 (1987): 49-76. Finley, M.I. The World of Odysseus. New York: Signet, 1974. Fox, Robert Elliot. “Derek Walcott: History as Dis-Ease.” Callalloo 9, 2 (1986): 331-40. Fuller, Mary. “Forgetting the Aeneid.” American Literary History 4,3 (1992): 517-38. Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. The Signifying Monkey: A Theory of African-American Literature. Oxford UP, 1989. Griffin, Jasper. Homer on Life and Death. New York: Oxford UP, 1980. Hamner, Robert D. ed. Critical Perspectives on Derek Walcott. Washington: Three Continents P, 1993. ------Derek Walcott. Twayne, 1993. Lernout, Geert. “Derek Walcott’s Omeros: The Isle is Full of Voices.” Kunapipi 14.2 (1992): 90-104. Livingston, James T. “Derek Walcott’s Omeros: Recovering the Mythical.” Journal of Caribbean Studies 8, 3 (1991-92): 131-40. Myrsiades, Kostas, ed. Approaches to Teaching Homer’s Iliad...
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...MYTHOLOGY IN MODERN SOCIETY [pic] [pic] [pic] |Mythology is everywhere! Daily you run across instances of words, city names, companies, | |literary allusions - and even planets and constellations - that take their name or borrow | |their theme from myths. Because of your many requests, I've provided a couple of thousand | |excellent examples to help you get started in your research. Remember, you're surrounded | |by mythology in today's society, whether you realize it or not! | Mythological Influence on Modern... |[pic]Companies & Groups |[pic]Planets & Constellations | |[pic] Words & Expressions |[pic]Literary & Pop Culture | [pic]American Cities Named From Mythology [pic] COMPANIES & GROUPS |Mythology is everywhere! There are hundreds of companies, groups and corporations that take their name, logo or theme from ancient mythology. | |I've provided a variety of examples to help you in starting your research. Some are well-known international companies, others are of a more | |local nature. | |Aegis - Zeus and Athena's protective shield; modern group of insurance companies (The Aegis Group). | |Ajax - Greek warrior in the Trojan War, who "cleaned up" in...
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...JAMES JOYCE -AN IRISH MODERNIST MODERN FICTION GROUP NUMBER 4 GROUP MEMBERS : HAFSA SHAHID R CONTENTS: Introduction to James Joyce Modernism and James Joyce A portrait of an Artist as aYoung Man Ulysses Themes and Style of Joyce's two Works a) Mythological Allusions b) Kunslerroman c)Stream of conciousness c)Focus on inner time rather than outer time d)Search for identity e)Treatment of religion f)Treatment of sexuality Conclusion James Joyce (from February 2, 1882 to January 13, 1941) was one of the most preeminent Irish authors of the 20th century. He is known for his literary innovation strictly focused narrative and indirect style. James Joyce matriculated from University College of Dublin in 1903. After moving to Paris, Joyce planned on studying medicine. The lectures were conducted in a technical French but Joyce’s education had not prepared him for it. Despite his mother’s attempts to get him to return to Catholic Church, Joyce remained unmoved even after her death. Joyce studied at Clongowes Wood College from 1888 until 1892. When the family’s financial state devolved, Joyce had to leave the school. After a brief time at Christian Brothers School, Joyce was enrolled at Belvedere College in 1893. In 1898, Joyce began studying Italian, English and French at University College Dublin. At this time, Joyce also began his entry into the artistic...
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...regardless of the exploits recounted. Nothing can be done to alter or prolong the destiny of one’s life, regardless of the number of preparations or precautions taken. This inflexibility applies just as much to Zeus as to the lowliest mortal, as we see in Zeus’s hounding of Prometheus to divulge the name of the woman who will bear the offspring that one day will kill him. Though this lesson is somewhat consoling—the way of the world cannot be bent to match the whims of those in authority—it is also very disturbing. The prospect of free will seems rather remote, and even acts of great valor and bravery seem completely useless. The myths provide an interesting counterpoint to this uselessness, however. In virtually all the stories in which a character does everything in his power to block a negative fate, and yet falls prey to it, we see that his efforts to subvert fate typically provide exactly the circumstances required for the prescribed fate to arise. In other words, the resisting characers themselves provide the path to fate’s fulfillment. A perfect example is the king of Thebes, who has learned that his son, Oedipus, will one day kill him. The king takes steps to ensure Oedipus’s death but ends up ensuring only...
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...What is a Myth? Before defining the term "mythology" one needs to define the meaning of the word "myth". The word itself comes from the Greek "mythos" which originally meant "speech" or "discourse" but which later came to mean "fable" or "legend". So the word "myth" is defined as a story of forgotten or vague origin, basically religious or supernatural in nature, which seeks to explain or rationalize one or more aspects of the world or a society. Furthermore, all myths are, at some stage, actually believed to be true by the peoples of the societies that used or originated the myth. The definition is thus clearly distinguished from the use of the word myth in everyday speech which basically refers to any unreal or imaginary story. A myth is also distinctly different from an allegory or parable which is a story deliberately made up to illustrate some moral point but which has never been assumed to be true by anyone. Some myths describe some actual historical event, but have been embellished and refashioned by various story tellers over time so that it is impossible to tell what really happened. In this last aspect myths have a legendary and historical nature. Definitions of Mythology The word mythology has two related meanings. Firstly it refers to a collection of myths that together form a mythological system. Thus one can speak of "Egyptian Mythology", "Indian Mythology", "Maori Mythology" or "Greek Mythology". In this sense one is describing a system of myths which were...
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...Every mythological hero seems to be on a journey in search of the thing he desires most in the world. The two heroes who stood out to me were Gilgamesh, and Achilles. Gilgamesh’s greatest fear was death, while Achilles feared his legacy being lost and forgotten. Technically their desires are different, but their journey share many similarities, and in the end, boils down to the same thing. Each man in his own way, both Gilgamesh and Achilles desired immortality above all else. Though immortality takes on very a different meaning for Gilgamesh, as it does for Achilles, every decision as well as all the sacrifices they make, are based on their fear of death and dying. Gilgamesh’s journey for immortality begins with the death of Enkidu. Gilgamesh’s heart breaks when he had to watch his brother die, which made him consider the prospect of his own mortality and inevitable death.(1) Gilgamesh fears his own death so much that he seems to be willing to risk everything including death, for a chance at an immortal life. Gilgamesh does not know what the future holds for him, or whether his journey for immortality will bear fruit. But Achilles on the other hand, was given all the information he needed to make an informed decision before his journey even began. His mother Thetis told him of his fate. If he chose to go to Troy, he would die in in battle and his name would be forever remembered. If he chose not to go to Troy, he would live a long life and have many children who would honor...
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...GREEK MYTHOLOGY Background to Homer’s Odyssey As you read each story, ask yourself: What is most enjoyable, predictable, or bizarre about this story? How would I have responded in this situation? What mysteries or features of the world might this story try to explain? What bit of moral or religious instructions (i.e. don’t disobey the gods) might be contained in this story? How does this story compare with Christian beliefs, or with the values of our culture today? Are there any other stories or fables I’ve heard that follow the same pattern as this story? The Creation Myths Part 1 Before there was anything, there was Chaos, a formless void. This void, this pure nothingness, gave birth to Gaea (the Earth itself), Tartarus (the underworld), Eros (love), Erebus (underground darkness) and Nyx (the darkness of night). The two kinds of darkness joined together and gave birth two kinds of light: the Light of the heavens and the Light of day. Nyx (night) also gave birth to the three Fates, who control the course of the universe and determine the length of each person’s life on their wheel of fortune. Of the fates, Clotho spins the threads of each person’s life, Lachesis measures the length of the thread, and Atropos cuts the thread. The Fates – Francisco Goya (one of the best painters ever!) 1823 – Note the scissors in the hand of Atropos and Lachesis measuring with a magnifying glass. Who’s...
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