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Symbolism of Homer the Odyssey
Homer and modern literature
Odysseus an epic hero charateristics
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Recommended: Symbolism of Homer the Odyssey
Aesop, Hesiod, Pindar, and Sappho were all great Greek poets that have work still alive today, but one author stands out above the rest. His name is Homer. Homer was a Greek poet that lived somewhere on the coast of Asia Minor into Greek territory. He grew up to become the most well known Greek poet ever. He is also one of the most influential writers in Western culture to have existed. Along with his writings being influential to others, these passages were shaped by his own experiences and learned knowledge. Homer’s epics and other writings were influenced by the traditions of storytelling, Greece’s history, and his religious beliefs. Homer’s epic writings were influenced through many experiences and sources throughout his career, and one …show more content…
One example of this is the Greek definition of a hero. Hero’s in Greece, were traditionally people who showed their abilities as a warrior, physicality, courage, intelligence, self control, endurance, and honor (Homer 192). These qualities are encompassed by Homer’s characters Achilles and Odysseus. For example, Achilles is able to show his physicality, courage, abilities as a warrior, honor, and endurance as he quarrels with the Trojan Hector. Achilles courageously storms into the fight with Hector to honor his fallen comrade, and defeats him by using his endurance to chase him down and eventually use his physicality and warrior like aspects (Homer 207). Odysseus displays these ideals as he courageously trudges through the waters of the syrens. Odysseus knows the Syrens have voices of beauty that he cannot withstand so he intelligently fills his ears so he can no longer her and shows much self control as he moves through these treacherous waters for he is not tempted by their beauty either (Michalopoulos). This interprets how Homer incorporates a fundamental of Greek tradition into his writing. Another point that shows the Greek interference is in the inner meanings of the passages. In much of Homer’s works, one can witness instances of philosophy, oratory, generalship, and moral values. These are seen as Odysseus asks the gods for insight on what place he actually has in the world in the Odyssey. These ideas were widely studied by Greek philosophers alive in Homer’s time such as Socrates or Plato (Eustathios). One can look upon how Homer has been influenced by these philosophical ideas that were present in his time. Another way to witness the Greek influence of Homer is through the likeness of his epic hero, Odysseus and another Greek hero, Gilgamesh. Odysseus and Gilgamesh live almost entirely the same lives (Beye) This indefinitely portrays the idea that Odysseus and
The Odyssey, written by Homer, is a heroic tale about the adventures of Odysseus in his pursuit of returning home to his wife. The Aeneid, written by Virgil, is also a heroic tale about the escapade Aeneas endures while in pursuit of finding Rome. When comparing and contrasting both epics, one must first explore the protagonists and their culture. Within the Greek culture physical and military strength as well as fighting for oneself, mainly for personal satisfaction, are highly favored and is seen evidently within Odysseus’ role. He possesses the endurance, nobility, and desire for glory of a true Greek warrior. His acute mind helps him solve his most difficult challenges while his good deeds and triumphant battles earn him immense respect amongst the Greek gods. However Odysseus’ attitude is continuously being shaped by his culture and subjects him to having a tragic flaw. Odysseus’ tragic flaw is his constant search for glory, Even though he rules his own homeland, he is still in search for a more profound glory of all lands. This flaw gets in the way of his ultimate goal of returning home to his family and kingdom. Odysseus’ flaw also greatly affects his personality. It causes him to appear prideful and/or conceited. His hubris seems to command respect from people rather than earning it. It is not that he is totally arrogant; it is the glorification and the praise he wants to receive. His behavior furthermore explains why the...
Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: 1996 Lucas, D. W., ed. Aristotle: Poetics. Oxford: Oxford U-Clarendon P, 1968.
Written in Archaic Greece – Homer’s the Odyssey demonstrates the advancement of Greek culture and history though its emphasis on cultural values and moral laws such as hospitality and loyalty.
The ancient Greeks and Romans made a variety of contributions to western civilization in the field of literature. Both of these ancient cultures produced a variety of literary works which have persevered the test of time and continue to be studied today. One of the biggest contributions of the ancient Greeks to literature came from an author, who still relatively little is known about, Homer. Homer, believed by many to have been blind, is credited with the authorship of two of ancient Greece’s most famous epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. These two epic poems chronicle the final days of the Trojan War and the epic struggle Odysseus underwent on his sea voyage back to his home after the tragic war. These two epics have had a profound impact on western literature and continue to influence literary scholars and authors to this day. The following excerpt from Bio descries the impact of these ancient poems, “The Iliad and The Odyssey have provided not only seeds but fertilizer for almost all the other arts and sciences in Wester...
Homer who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey used a number of different techniques to convey his poems and stories to his audience. I will be writing about these in this essay.
In two of Homers epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, it can be seen that in his epics he displays his own Homeric and heroic. The honor of every person in Homeric culture was important, but to the hero, his honor was extremely important. Not only does ones heroism and honor define ones social status and ranking, it is also defense mechanism to build within their own persona of themselves. This way of thinking can cause the Homeric characters to feel invincible and untouchable to their enemies with pride of dying with honor. In the Iliad, the two major opponents with the same ranking stature of being exceptional warriors were Achilles and Hector. In the Odyssey, the character Odysseus the main character in the epic is seen as a strong and courageous
The Iliad is a story of rages of Achilles and the War of Troy. Thanks to the techniques of the author, Homer, The Iliad is very colorful, romantic, and it makes the readers imagine the ancient Greeks and their times of war. Homer is believed to be the author of epics other than the Iliad, although their authorship remains uncertain. Historian believes that Homer probably lived in the eighth century, B.C.1 (Discovering World History). However, there are very few things that we know about him. Some historians think Homer's birthplace may have been on an island on the eastern edge of the Aegean Sea, or perhaps in a city on the nearby coast, but they don't have evidence to support their theory (Michalopoulos).
Although we may not know whether Homer was real or not, a group of people, a boy or a girl; one thing we are sure of is that “Homer” wrote two of the best epic poems. The Iliad, which was based on the tenth year of the Trojan War and the Odyssey, which was about a guy named Odysseus who goes on many adventures as he tries to get home to his wife and son. In conclusion Homer was the most famous of all Greek poets because of his written works, his legendary history, and his influential work.
Homer. "The Odyssey." The Norton Anthology: World Literature. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W.
Homer was a very influential and significant part of the Greek civilization. The Greeks had been passing down stories, by word, of the Golden Age and of the great battles of the Greeks for many years. Homer ...
The Greeks hailed him as their greatest poet, as well as their first. Although the Greeks recognized other poets who composed in Greek before Homer, no texts from these earlier poets survived. Perhaps they were lost, or perhaps they were never written down‹Homer himself was probably on the cusp between the tradition of oral poetry and the new invention of written language. Texts of the Iliad and the Odyssey existed from at least the sixth century BC, and probably for a considerable span of time before that. These two great epic poems also had a life in performance: through the centuries, professional artists made their living by reciting Homer, performing the great epics for audiences that often know great parts of the poem by heart.
Homer’s literature served as a moral messenger to the people of ancient Greece. The Odyssey by Homer demonstrates the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, and his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus was a great, wise, noble, and well respected war hero to his people. Odysseus had one tragic flaw that was demonstrated by his actions throughout the book. The author Homer continued to strip Odysseus of his arrogance throughout the story, by throwing challenges his way, making him pay for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus journey also to reach his home a more humble man. Reading Odysseus’ journey also served as a way to look at morals. The
The Iliad was a masterpiece of a work, which entertained and gave a description of how the Greeks lived out their lives in battle and at peace. The Iliad, by Homer, is an epic classic set in Ancient Greece. The story ,in its own, contained the use of epic characteristics, which reveal further characteristics of the Greeks. A large influence on the book, was the Greek's religious and mythological stance along with their strengths and weaknesses that were also displayed. The Greeks, with both their strengths and weaknesses, reveal the overall character in Homer's tale..
Homer: the great Greek author of The Odyssey is likely the prime writer that one could analyze for this statement. Homer
Modern archaeological research has uncovered artifacts similar to those described in the poems, providing evidence that Homer wrote at a later date. Because the poems display a considerable knowledge of Eastern, or Ionian, Greece and are written in the dialect of that region, most scholars now suppose that Homer was Ionian of the 8th or 9th century BC. Homer writes nothing of himself in his poems, but similes in the Iliad and the Odyssey frequently make reference to the humble lives of farmers and artisans, so it is sometimes conjectured that Homer was of this class.