Craft In The Odyssey

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In the Odyssey, it can be witnessed that Homer repeatedly describes Odysseus as ‘the man of craft’, by which he means the craft of story-telling. Storytelling is seen throughout The Odyssey, but the entry to Phaecia and his entry to into his home in Ithaca are two prime examples in which the reader can see that storytelling is the primary craft by which Odysseus achieves his return home.
First, it must be proven that storytelling is a craft like others in the Odyssey. A craft is described as having dexterity in a particular occupation, hence the usual employment in such a trade. The Phaeacians are said to “[believe in ships], fast cutters that travel about the open sea; this is the Earthshaker’s gift to them. Their ships fly quick as a bird, …show more content…

He keeps his identity a secret by creating a new one on the spot, which Athena responds to with: “A cunning rogue he would be, master of craft, who would outwit you! Even a god couldn’t do it. Irrepressible! Everlasting schemer! Indefatigable fabulist! Even in your own country you wouldn’t desist from your tales and your historiological inventions, which you love from the bottom of your heart. / But no more of this. We are both clever enough; you are the paragon of mankind at planning and story-telling, and I have a name among the gods for cleverness and intelligence.” (Homer 167). In this quotation Athena praises Odysseus for keeping to his true self and never dispersing from his craft and his cleverness, and that he is the perfect model, a mortal above all others at the craft of story-telling and cunning. As he makes his way home, he will continue to propel himself forward with the Cretan story as a means of testing those he wishes to return to as a means of gouging their loyalty to him and as a way to see if even he should make his final act of

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