Compare And Contrast The Aeneid And The Odyssey

3056 Words7 Pages

We have read two myths of great heroes this semester, Virgil’s The Aeneid and Homer’s The Odyssey. In both of these tales we get to go along with two great heroes on their journey home and all of the troubles that they face. Although these stories tell us about two great heroes and their journey there are a lot of differences. In this paper I will compare and contrast scenes from both myths and suggest a reason that this borrowing was appropriate for what Vergil was trying to do with his version of the myth.
To begin, I will discuss how both heroes have the help of a god or goddess and how both have a god or goddess that is opposed to them. Odysseus has offended Poseidon because he blinded his son that is a Cyclops, Polyphemus, because Odysseus …show more content…

When Odysseus first gets to the Underworld he sees “…the souls of brides and youth and worn-out old men and soft young girls with hearts new to sarrow, and many men wounded with bronze spears...” (159). He sees his friend Elpenor next. Elpenor tells Odysseus that he fell off of Circe’s roof and begs Odysseus to bury him (161-162). Odysseus then sees his mothers spirit and that is how he found out she had passed away. He then sees Theban Tiresias who tells him not to harm any of the cattle or sheep on Thrinacia or they will be harmed. He also says that if any of his men touch the cattle but somehow Odysseus escapes he will find trouble at home. Odysseus will have to kill suitors that took over his home. Tiresias also tells Odysseus to offer a sacrifice to Poseidon, a ram, a bull, and a boar in their prime, when he gets to the land where men know nothing about the sea (161). Next, Odysseus talks his mother who tells him his wife is still in his halls, Telemachus holds his lands, and his father is still alive mourning for him (163). Three times Odysseus tries to embrace his mother and all three times she drifted out of his hands (164). He saw a lot of people he knew, but the next one of his friends he spoke to was Agamemnon. Odysseus asks him what fate he met and Agamemnon responds

Show More
Related

  • Compare And Contrast Poseidon In The Odyssey

    443 Words  | 1 Pages

    Even though there are more better people is the Odyssey, by Homer, Darth Vader is the best because he is strong, powerful, and aggressive. Is it more heroic to see someone have the force or for someone to a god in a book the Odyssey?A villain is defined as someone that is evil and that has a lot of power. Even Though literature is filled with hero, the two main ones are Poseidon and Darth Vader. Even though Poseidon is strong, but Darth Vader is even more stronger and powerful.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Homer's Odyssey and Oedipus the King

    892 Words  | 2 Pages

    won) fighting a war against the city of Troy and has been held captive by

    Read More

  • Aeneid vs. Odyssey

    2152 Words  | 5 Pages

    are followed and proper respect given the gods, it is possible for man to live

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Aneas of Aeneid and Turnus of Iliad

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    A Comparison of Aneas of Aeneid and Turnus of Iliad The subtlety in the differences between Aneas and Turnus, reflect the subtlety in the differences between the Aeneid and the Iliad.   Although both characters are devout and noble,  Aneas does not possess the ardent passion of Turnus.   Unlike Turnus, Aneas is able to place his beliefs in the fated establishment of Latium before his personal interests. Although Turnus is not a bad person, the gods favor Aneas in their schemes.

    Read More

  • Comparing Aeneas from Aeneid and Gilgamesh from the Epic of Gilgamesh

    539 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this essay I will compare and contrast the qualities and plights of both Aeneas and Gilgamesh. These two epic heroes share similar fates, yet are very different in personality.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Aeneid and the Odyssey

    2715 Words  | 6 Pages

    Both the Odyssey and the Aeneid represent their cultures very well, but they express different ideas on what one should strive for in life.  There are also different forces that pushed both epics to be written.  The Aeneid expresses the Roman idea of pietas which means to show extreme respect for one’s ancestors. We see this in Aeneas when he is pictured caring his father away from burning Troy.  He has pietas because he cared so much for his father that in fleeing from Troy he took up his father over his shoulder to save his from certain death.  This is not the only major idea in the Aeneid.  There is also a very political focus.  The Roman were very interested in politics which comes through in the Aeneid. The Odyssey has the Greek idea of arete trapped somewhere among the many themes.  Arete is a strive for perfection in both mind and body.  It is a much more personal and individual idea than the Roman pietas. In the most basic seance the Aeneid and the Romans have a much more political focus and duty to the state ( republic ) than the Greeks who honor tradition , family , and arete.

    Read More

  • Compare Aeneas And The Odyssey

    1405 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although both epics justify a status quo, codify a national mythology, preserve cultural memories, and establish literary tropes, they are united by sensibility and are traditionally poetic. They both almost have the same exact core values such as in the end, but project influence into a number to areas of cultural identity. Once more, after analyzing both texts, it is possible to conclude that Aeneas is the better leader, and The Odyssey is the greater epic. Knowing that this is the proper proposition made, this affects the readers of both well-known stories.

    Read More

  • Achilles Vs Odysseus

    3801 Words  | 8 Pages

    Homer's two central heroes, Odysseus and Achilles, are in many ways differing manifestations of the same themes. While Achilles' character is almost utterly consistent in his rage, pride, and near divinity, Odysseus' character is difficult to pin down to a single moral; though perhaps more human than Achilles, he remains more difficult to understand. Nevertheless, both heroes are defined not by their appearances, nor by the impressions they leave upon the minds of those around them, nor even so much by the words they speak, but almost entirely by their actions. Action is what drives the plot of both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and action is what holds the characters together. In this respect, the theme of humanity is revealed in both Odysseus and Achilles: man is a combination of his will, his actions, and his relationship to the divine. This blend allows Homer to divulge all that is human in his characters, and all that is a vehicle for the idyllic aspects of ancient Greek society. Accordingly, the apparent inconsistencies in the characterization of Odysseus can be accounted for by his spiritual distance from the god-like Achilles; Achilles is more coherent because he is the son of a god. This is not to say that Achilles is not at times petty or unimaginative, but that his standards of action are merely more continuous through time. Nevertheless, both of Homer's heroes embody important and admirable facets of ancient Greek culture, though they fracture in the ways they are represented.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey Literary Analysis

    1143 Words  | 3 Pages

    “The Odyssey” is an epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus and the story of his many travels and adventures. The Odyssey tells the main character’s tale of his journey home to the island of Ithaca after spending ten years fighting in the Trojan War, and his adventures when he returns home and he is reunited with his family and close friends. This literary analysis will examine the story and its characters, relationships, major events, symbols and motifs, and literary devices.

    Read More

  • Parallels between Virgil’s The Aenieid and Homer’s The Odyssey

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Virgil’s The Aeneid, there are many parallels found in Homer’s The Odyssey. In each epic, the heroes, Aeneas and Odysseus, are on a journey “home.” Aeneas is on the search of a new home for he and his companions to settle since Troy has been destroyed, Odysseus on the other hand is attempting to return to his home he left years earlier to fight the Trojan War. They both have Gods against them and helping them, both Aeneas and Odysseus are both held back by women, both voluntary and involuntarily, and they both have experiences visiting the Underworld. Despite these similarities, there are differences between the two characters and it reflects their values and the society they live in. Aeneas relies on his strength as a warrior, where as Odysseus uses his deception to survive which reflects how Aeneas is truly Roman is versus Greek.

    Read More

  • Comparing The Epic of Gilgamesh with The Odyssey

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey both are held in high respect by literature analysts and historians alike for the characterization of the hero and his companion, the imagery brought to mind when one of them is read, and the impressive length in relation to the time period it was written in. The similarities that these two epics share do not end with only those three; in fact, the comparability of these works extend to even the information on the author and the archetypes used. However, The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh contrast from one another in their writing styles, character details, and main ideas. Both epics weave together a story of a lost man who must find his way, but the path of their stories contrast from one another.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast The Iliad And The Odyssey

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the book the Iliad, The Odyssey, and Works and days, there are many things that can be similar when talking about Greek heroes and the world of Greek poetry. The stories and topics are describing similar events during this time of the eighth and seventh century B.C. In the end, however, they do have some differences in some parts when describing or explaining certain situations and ideas. The world of Greek heroes is written like a story; or Epic Poetry. That is what The Iliad and The Odyssey are; Epic Poetries. They are telling a story of a great hero and their adventures. On the other hand, the more realistic Greek World that is being described in Works and days is a Didactic poem, which tells more of a moral or message to the reader.

    Read More

  • The Role of the Gods in the Odyssey

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    middle of paper ... ... In Homer’s Odyssey, both Odysseus and his son Telemachus embark on long, difficult journeys; Odysseus trying to return from Troy to his home in Ithaca, escaping Calypso and the island of Ogygia, and Telemachus from Ithaca to Pylos and Sparta in search of his lost father. While The Odyssey tells of the courage both men demonstrate during their respective travels, their quests are the results of the intentions and desires of gods. Odysseus is trapped in exile on Ogygia by the will of Poseidon, whose anger Odysseus attracts when he blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, and by the love of Calypso, who wishes to make Odysseus her husband.

    Read More

  • The Iliad and the Odyssey

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    These two gods have different effects on the story: Poseidon is trying to cause pain and suffering for Odysseus, while Athena is trying to help Telemachus and give him hope that his father will return soon. The role of these gods is important to both journeys as Odysseus and Telemachus try to reunite their family.

    Read More

  • Free Essays: A Comparison of Iliad and Odyssey

    1063 Words  | 3 Pages

    treachery among the Gods that is so prevalent in the Iliad, is nowhere to be

    Read More

More about Compare And Contrast The Aeneid And The Odyssey

Open Document