The Relevance of The Odyssey Today Homer's epic poem The Odyssey was written after his Iliad which told the tales of the Trojan War. This Odyssey told of the wanderings of a prominent warrior and ruler, Odysseus. Odysseus fought in the Trojan War and, after the Greeks claimed their victory at Troy, began his prolonged journey home. During his travels Odysseus faced many obstacles which he had to overcome. Through his wanderings, Odysseus had to prove his valor, intellect, and determination. Incorporated into The Odyssey are many current-day characteristics of man including a constant dependence on others, the presence of a greater vision, or lack there of, and the essence of a sensitive side behind courage and pride. At times throughout The Odyssey Odysseus didn't think about the consequences of his actions and depended on guidance from the gods to help lead him in the right direction. Odysseus was quick to take action and occasionally made poor decisions that were bound to harm him. Odysseus was eager to fight, even if he had little chance of survival. His impulsiveness resulted in Athena coming down from Mount Olympus to warn him saying "Foolhardy man! Still bent on war and struggle! Will you not even yield to immortal gods? This is no mortal being, but an immortal woe, -dire, hard, and fierce, and not to be fought down. Courage is nothing; flight is best" (116). Odysseus didn't know when to run and leave a situation and when to face and fight. He believed that his courage would pull him through to victory, even against a goddess. Without Athena's wisdom, Odysseus was sure to meet his doom because there was no way that he could defeat the goddess Charybdis. Odysseus not only depended on immortals to get him out of a mess, but he also depended on them to boost his confidence when he struggled to overcome self-doubt. When Odysseus feared he would fail and began to doubt himself, the gods would come to his aid and encourage him. Athena reassured Odysseus throughout the epic poem saying "I am a god and will protect you to the end, through all your toils" (196). Odysseus became dependent on Athena's encouragement and lacked self-reliance. He believed it was all right to doubt himself because he knew that Athena would always be there to brush the doubt away and encourage him on his journey home. Odysseus depended on mortals and immortals to boost his confidence and he sought their help, knowing that both would come to his aid because they pitied him. Odysseus' journey home was to prove that he could do something on his own, but the mortals' and immortals' pity constantly helped him along his journey. Odysseus was aware that both men and gods would help him and he said "Oh hear me now, although before though didst not hear me, when I was wrecked, what time the great Land-shaker wrecked me. Grant that I come among the Phaecians welcomed and pitied by them" (61) and so Odysseus foreshadowed what was to come. He knew that when he reached the land of the Phaecians that they would feel sorry for him and would try to help him. He became so dependent on others help, that he forgot his own intellect and determination, and he ended up not making the journey on his own. Although Odysseus did depend on others much more than on his own intellect, valor, and determination, he did maintain a greater vision and didn't let spontaneous yearning draw him away from his destiny. While Odysseus was in the underworld, he became acquainted with Tiresias who told him not to kill the Sun's kine because it would bring him and his crew bad luck. Odysseus followed this advice and didn't kill the kine. Unfortunately, his crew did kill the kine, which cost them their lives. After his crew killed the kine Odysseus recalled "Out of the ship my comrades fell and then like sea-fowl were borne by the side of the black ship along the waves; God cut them off from coming home" (121). Odysseus' crew was killed because they overlooked the greater vision of making it home. They gave in to their hunger, and in doing so they brought death upon themselves. Odysseus didn't give into the craving for the kine, and this self-discipline was what helped him survive. Odysseus didn't let small yearnings draw him away from the greater vision, and he pursued the greater vision even when it would have been easy for him to disregard it and take another course. Odysseus was tested throughout his journey home even though he was a man of rank. The epithet "... long-tried royal Odysseus..." (62) proved that Odysseus was faced with many hard times, and that he was tested. Many obstacles sprouted up along Odysseus' journey and it would have been easy for him to become discouraged by them and give up hope, but Odysseus pursued the greater vision. He continued to face the obstacles one by one, and his determination and longing to get home to prove that he could, helped him eventually return after twenty years of war and struggle. Odysseus could have easily given up hope on his long journey home, but the greater vision of seeing his wife Penelope and son Telemachus gave him a reason to continue on. Odysseus remembered through all his struggles that he had a family at home waiting for his return, and that is what kept him going through all his toils. Odysseus showed his love for Penelope when he said to the goddess Calypso "Full well I know that heedful Penelope, compared with you, is poor to look upon in height and beauty; for she is human, but you are an immortal, young forever. Yet even so, I wish- yes, every day I long- to travel home and see my day of coming" (49). For a weak man, it would have been easy to give up faith, but Odysseus, being the strong man that he was, continued homeward in spite of the many hindrances. The incessant longing to see his family again and his perpetual determination were what gave Odysseus the strength to return home. Odysseus pursued the greater vision and even being the war-loving man that he was, had a sensitive side behind his courage and pride. The sensitive side that Odysseus possessed was only seen by the people whom he loved dearly, and only to these people did he show his true feelings of love and despair. After twenty years of absence from his family, Odysseus saw his son and he "kissed his son and down his cheeks upon the ground let fall a tear, which always hitherto he sternly had suppressed" (167). Odysseus missed his family the whole time he was gone, but didn't show his feelings of love and sadness on his journey. When he finally reached home and received the unforgotten love of his son, Odysseus felt he could finally show the love he had in return for Telemachus. Odysseus showed his sensitivity to the people he loved and the greater occurrences in life rather than sorrow over minor misfortunes. Inevitable changes occurred over the twenty-year period that Odysseus was gone and it was these changes, and the missed time with his family, that caused him to grieve. Odysseus missed the years when his dog was young, and when he returned he saw that "Here lay the dog, this Argos, full of fleas. Yet even now, seeing Odysseus near, he wagged his tail and dropped both ears, but toward him he had not strength to move. Odysseus turned aside and wiped away a tear, swiftly concealing from Eumaeus what he did" (167). Odysseus sorrowed because when he left, Argos was swift and strong, like he was, but when he returned, Odysseus realized that he had been neglected, and was sick and dying. Argos recognized Odysseus when no one else could, and his loyalty was what touched Odysseus' heart and let his love shine through. While they could have grown old together, they didn't because of the long separation. It was the realization of how much he'd missed in life that made him sad. Odysseus sorrowed over the major occurrences in life, but only revealed his sensitivity to those who confided their sensitivity in him. Before showing his true feelings, Odysseus had to feel comfortable with the person. These people knew that he wasn't the courageous, war-loving hero that he was made out to be, but still took him seriously. Odysseus revealed himself to Penelope and he "began to weep, holding his loved and faithful wife. As when the welcome land appears to swimmers, whose sturdy ship Poseidon wrecked at sea, confounded by the winds and solid waters; a few escape the sea and swim ashore; swift salt forms crusts at their flesh; they climb the welcome land, and are escaped from danger; so welcome to her gazing eyes appeared her husband" (226). Odysseus showed his sensitivity because Penelope showed hers. He felt comfortable showing this side because he knew that she wouldn't laugh at him, but would be understanding because she felt the same as he did; they both longed for each other. The Odyssey involved many current-day characteristics of man including a dependence on others, the existence of a greater vision, or lack of it, and asensitive side found behind courage and pride. Today people still face these problems and must work to overcome them. Man must learn to survive on his own determination and strengths instead of others. Man must also learn to see a greater vision and look at the big picture rather than the moment. Lastly, man must decide with whom he wants to share his feelings of fear, love, and despair so he can experience a greater fulfillment in life.
... in his heart pitied his sobbing wife; but his eyes stood fixed as horn or iron. Through craft he checked his tears" (187). Homer's use of epic simile in describing the tears Penelope shed enhances the reader's understanding of her sorrow. Odysseus longs to be embraced by his wife after twenty years of roaming. However, he knows that if he would reveal his true identity, he might jeopardize his carefully plotted revenge. One can see that even Odysseus' perseverance wavers when he encounters temptation to obtain what he longs for.
Throughout The Odyssey man is continually being tested to determine his destiny. He is tested for loyalty, determination, and valor. Odysseus along with many other characters have to conquer these values to determine their destiny. For example Odysseus is tested for loyalty to Penelope while out at sea. Then tested for his determination to get home. At times he was doubtful, but he never gave up. And lastly he was tested for his valor. He fought many battles to get home. And in the end it all turned out how he wanted it because he has passed all of his tests for his destiny. His destiny was determined by him, he truly wanted to get home, and indeed he did.
Penelope refused to take another man in Odysseus’s place, as she continued to love and respect him in his absence. She was too appalled by any of the suitors to decide between them. Without a final decision, the suitors continued to vie for her hand in marriage and kept using and destroying Odysseus’s possessions and property. Athena, in her disguise, pointed out the flaw in the suitors’ actions to Telemakhos: “‘How arrogant they seem,// these gluttons, making free in your house!// A sensible man would blush to be among them.’” (Book I, pg 8, 272-274) She acknowledged their wrongdoings and pointed out how awful they truly were. The suitors became one of Odysseus’s main challenges in the novel, as he needed to rightfully return to Penelope. Their greed and desire for Penelope’s hand in marriage necessitated Odysseus’s return to Ithaca. To enact his revenge upon the suitors, Odysseus had to kill them all. This changed Odysseus’s fate, as he was forced to sneak home and kill one hundred men by himself; however, before that was able to happen, Odysseus had to sail a ship home with the help of a
With the Odyssey, Odysseus learned a big lesson in humility. The greatest example of this is in the last five books or so within the story. He has to dress, act, and live like a beggar in order to regain everything he had lost. While he was a beggar, the suitors treated him horribly. Antinous, leader of the suitors, was the worst of them all. He was the first to mistreat Odysseus and planned to kill Telemachus. He was also the one that would abuse him physically and verbally for some time to come. Also, if that weren’t enough, he planned a boxing match for Odysseus to be in to watch him get beat up. All this was happening and the other suitors were most likely following their leader in whatever he was doing. Odysseus had to control himself the whole time this was happening. If he had lost his temper, the suitors would have killed him, his son, and most likely taken over the kingdom. That didn’t happen though. Odysseus learned self-control and humility. He may not be perfect at it, but going through all the humility made him a better man. Along the same topic, he was a king going through this humility. It would be one thing for a peasant to go through it, but a king? This made it even harder for Odysseus. He had rank above all the suitors and could rightly kick them out of his kingdom. Instead he waits for the right time and kills them all. The “pre-journey” Odysseus would of thought of himself invincible and probably would have died trying to get his kingdom back.
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scared and threatened by the godly forces Odysseus has to survive. A quote that demonstrates
I said that after going through much hardship and losing all his men he should come home again in the twentieth year and that no one would know him; and now all this is coming true” (14). This shows how the gods did interfere and would tell the people on earth with symbols. The gods knew from the beginning the fate of Odysseus because they predestined it. The gods are those who gave Odysseus misfortune, and they are also the ones who fated him the way he did. Through these examples of hospitality, pride and fate, one can learn many important Greek principles.
Coca cola Co. was invented in 1886 by a pharmacist named John Stith Pemberton. Af...
Homer compares the crying Odysseus to a woman who weeps for her husband who died in battle. The weeping woman is described in a very dramatic scene in order to reflect the intensity of the sorrow that Odysseus is experiencing. The “woman weeps, flinging herself across the fallen body of her dear husband.” As she is “clinging to him, [she] wails,” and then “the enemies behind her strike her back and shoulders, then they carry her away to slavery and trials and misery.” The woman goes through a great deal of hardship, which explains why “her cheeks are wasted with pain.” Not only does her husband die, but the enemies strike her with their spears and take her away to suffer more. By comparing Odysseus’s crying to the woman weeping in this intense scene of misery, Homer is able to show the reader the degree of sorrow that Odysseus is feeling.
The relationship between Odysseus and his wife Penelope is one of loyalty, love, and faith. Both characters are driven by these characteristics. Odysseus displays his loyalty in his constant battle to get home to his wife. This love helps him persevere through the many hardships that he encounters on his journey home. Odysseus spent 20 years trying to return to his home in Ithaca after the end of the Trojan War. Along the way he manages to offend both gods and mortals, but through his intelligence, and the guidance of Athena, he manages to finally return home. There he discovers that his home has been overrun by suitors attempting to win Penelope’s hand in marriage. The suitors believed that Odysseus was dead. Odysseus and his son, Telemachus,
In conclusion, the “Odyssey” is one of the greatest literary works ever known and this literary analysis should help the reader to understand the important components of the novel such as theme, characters, relationships, symbols, motifs, literary devices, and tone.
Coca-Cola has an extensive history that began in 1886 when the curiosity of an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John S. Pemberton, led him to create a distinctive tasting soft drink that could be sold at soda fountains (WOCC 1). He created a flavored syrup, took it to his neighborhood pharmacy, where it was mixed with carbonated water using the process of effervescence and deemed “excellent” by those who tried the new product (1). Dr. Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, is credited with naming the beverage “Coca‑Cola” as well as designing the trademarked, distinct script, still used today(1).
Throughout the book every time and after he conquers the new challenges Odysseus answers the question, which is repeated throughout, with a different answer. Each time he conquers a challenge on his journey home he learns a new lesson towards humility and answers with a new perspective. “‘I am no god,’ said the patient, good Odysseus. ‘Why do you take me for an immortal? But I am your father, on whose account you have endured so much sorrow and trouble and suffered persecution at men’s hand.’”(P 214 L 186-189) Although he is viewed by many people as very god-like Odysseus realizes that he is an ordinary man and is not a god. Odysseus’ desire to return home is another example that makes him an everyman. In this epic tale the word home had a double meaning for the hero. Home was where his family was and where he wanted to be. The physical element of being home and with his family was a huge deal for him. The other meaning of home was being safe and secure. His aspiration to return home and to return to his safety in sometimes shows that he is also a rather weak man. It is a human instinct to want to go home and stay safe instead of always being brave and
In May 1886, Coca-Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton a pharmacist from Atlanta, Georgia. The name was a suggestion given by John Pemberton’s bookkeeper Frank Robinson who was the first to script “Coca-Cola” into the flowing letters which has become the famous logo of today. Until 1905, the soft drink, marketed as tonic, contained extracts of cocaine as well as the caffeine-rich kola nut.
Back then, Coca Cola was a nerve tonic. Yet, Coca Cola is the most popular soft drink of our time, how could this be? Well, you shall soon find out since the origins, until the current times. You will be taught how “Pemberton’s French Wine Coca” also known today as Coca Cola, became so popular and many fats you may have never heard of before! This phenomenon started in 1884..