Chapman's Version of The Odyssey and the Iliad

638 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Analysis of iliad and odyssey

Chapman's Version of The Odyssey and the Iliad This poem is an expression of how the poet John Keats felt after rediscovering Homer's "The Odyssey and the Iliad" when he read Chapman's English translation of this Greek classic. To express this he uses the form of a sonnet, with fourteen lines, every set of two lines rhyming. The first four lines are one long sentence consisting mainly as metaphors to summarize his full meaning in whole. "Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold, and many goodly states and kingdoms seen". This can be understood only in a "literary" and not a "literal" sense. I say this because he was relatively poor and probably had traveled very little when he wrote this poem at age 21.* But we know that he had a strong passion for literature. * John Keats is trying to tell us that he has traveled and explored the rich realms of literature. "Round many western islands I have been which bards in fealty to Apollo hold". Keats is using "western Islands" to cause us to think of ever new vistas of constant discovery. Keats is stressin...

Show More
Related

  • Homer’s Odyssey and O Brother, Where Art Thou?

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    In both Homer’s The Odyssey and the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? the audience is given an opportunity to experience a spectacular adventure, filled with not only the sense of journey, but also the senses of peril and excitement. A tale about a Greek hero being compared to a film set in Middle America starring three jail-escapees seems rather far-fetched. However, upon closer inspection, both actually share a lot in common. The Odyssey stars Odysseus, a man famous for his heroics in the Trojan War. O Brother, Where Art Thou? shows a bit of a contrast by starring Ulysses, a former convict who escaped and began looking for “A Treasure”. So by default, one would assume that that these two stories would be completely different. However, it ends up being quite the opposite. The two stories are so remarkably alike that it is almost staggering. However, it may not just be simple similarities that make the two so alike. The main reasons why the two characters are so alike are not so much the actions that they take, as oppose to the overall human emotional aspect of the two pieces of work. For example, we see that both Odysseus and Ulysses are invested in their lives with their families, and as such, they never have a moment where they stop thinking about the lives they used to live. Both characters are extremely alike in terms of thoughts, skills, and experiences. They are both profound tacticians, as well as being rather strong and good looking men. So in the end, both of these men have plenty in common on the emotional and psychological levels.

    Read More

  • Free Essays on Homer's Odyssey: Book XIX

    760 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Book XIX of Homer's The Odyssey, Odysseus, posing as a poor beggar, has a discussion with Penelope regarding Odysseus himself, and how the "two" met.  Readers may question why Penelope does not recognize her own husband.  Later on, one sees that at least Eurycleia distinguishes Odysseus.  Penelope reveals a dream she has had to Odysseus, asking for an explanation.  This Book of The Odyssey brings forth an envisage regarding the death of the suitors that is soon to come.

    Read More

  • Collectivism vs Individualism in Ayn Rand’s Anthem

    2519 Words  | 6 Pages

    He begins with a declaration that “It is a sin to write this. [because] men may not write unless the Council of Vocations bid them so” (Rand, 17). Equality 7-2521 writes that he was born with a curse: He is different than the other men in his society. He lamented that “the learning was too easy”.

    Read More

  • Free Essays on Homer's Odyssey: Book 5

    859 Words  | 2 Pages

    The beginning of the Odyssey portrays the chaos in Ithaca and the uncertainty and turmoil of Odysseus family as they have longingly awaited his return. Book 5 finally introduces Odysseus and his captor Calypso. The beginning of the novel illustrates how Odysseus is torn between the charm and will of Calypso and the love and loyalty to the family he has left behind. Calypso is described as beautiful; her island as a virtual Eden and her home a magnificent palace that awes even the gods themselves. Before Hermes delivers the order to release Odysseus he gazes in wonder of Calypso’s abode.

    Read More

  • The narrative epic, ‘The Odyssey’ composed by Homer between 750 and 650

    2211 Words  | 5 Pages

    The narrative epic, ‘The Odyssey’ composed by Homer between 750 and 650 BC recounts the nostos or homeward voyage of Odysseus If I were you, I should take steps to make these men disperse. Listen, now, and attend to what I say: at daybreak call the islanders to assembly, and speak your will, and call the gods to witness: the suitors must go scattering to their homes. Then here’s a course for you, if you agree: get a sound craft afloat with twenty oars and go abroad for news of your lost father— perhaps a traveller’s tale, or rumored fame issued from Zeus abroad in the world of men. Talk to that noble sage at Pylos, Nestor, then go to Menelálos, the red-haired king 330 at Sparta, last man home of all the Akhaians. If you should learn your father is alive and coming home, you could hold out a year.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Twain And Walt Whitman

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    Walt Whitman was born in 1819 to a family with seven siblings. He started work at a printing service when he was just a boy in order to help out his family financially. During his tenure in the printing industry, Whitman began to read and write. He fell in love with the art of writing and would eventually go into editing as a career. Whitman created a new style of poetry called free verse, and at the time American culture would reject this

    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

  • Homer’s Odyssey and the Odyssey of Our Lives

    1565 Words  | 4 Pages

    Homer’s Odyssey is a magnificent mythological tale. This work was presumably created after his encounter with goddess Athena. Although Odysseus’ journey is filled with unrealistic adventures and mythical powers, some principles behind this story can relate to our everyday lives. Odysseus’ adventures in Odyssey relate to the heroism, intellect, and ruthlessness that are in our lives.

    Read More

  • Odyssey And Desmond Hume Comparison

    97 Words  | 1 Pages

    Both Odysseus of Homer’s “The Odyssey” and Desmond Hume of the ABC television show “Lost” were heroes who were trapped physically and psychologically, were loyal to those they loved, and desired to save the lives of their friends. Even though their stories were written thousands of years apart and took place in different geographical locations, the heroes are extremely similar. Modern-day Odysseuses such as Desmond Hume and their similarities with the epic hero reveal the timelessness and universality of ancient Greek literature. Thus, they reveal what humans of every time and every land have in common:

    Read More

  • Homer’s The Odyssey

    1262 Words  | 3 Pages

    In book eight of Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is on the island of the Phaeacians and is waiting to return home to Ithaca. Meanwhile, Alcinous, the Phaeacian king, has arranged for a feast and celebration of games in honor of Odysseus, who has not yet revealed his true identity. During the feast, a blind bard named Demodocus sings about the quarrel between Odysseus and Achilles at Troy. The song causes Odysseus to start weeping, so Alcinous ends the feast and orders the games to begin. During dinner after the games, Odysseus asks Demodocus to sing about the Trojan horse and the sack of Troy. This song too causes Odysseus to break down and cry. Homer uses a dramatic simile to describe the pain and sorrow that Odysseus feels as he recalls the story of Troy.

    Read More

  • O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Modern Adaptation of Homer's Odyssey

    1253 Words  | 3 Pages

    The film O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a reinterpretation of the epic poem The Odyssey. The Coen brothers, writers and directors of the film, did not over analyze their representation. “It just sort of occurred to us after we’d gotten into it somewhat that it was a story about someone going home, and sort of episodic in nature, and it kind of evolved into that,” says Joel Coen in Blood Siblings, “It’s very loosely and very sort of unseriously based on The Odyssey” (Woods 32). O Brother, Where Art Thou? contains ideas from The Odyssey for the sake of modernization and entertainment of an audience that comprehends the allusions to the epic. The Coen brothers utilize elements of Homer’s The Odyssey to improve and to give direction to O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a reinterpretation which was made simply to show that an epic-adventure such as The Odyssey could be modernized to apply to modern times.

    Read More

  • Homer's Odyssey: Settings and Themes of Book 13

    795 Words  | 2 Pages

    Book 13 of the Odyssey begins with Odysseus finishing his tale in the King Alcinous' palace. It is King Alicinous that tells Odysseus he will give him a safe passage home to Ithaca.  Odysseus is not surprisingly grateful and hopes that Alcinous and his people and island are blessed by the gods.  The king then gave Odysseus a great black ship with a crew and more treasure then he could have ever gotten from Troy.  The men sail Odysseus and his treasure home to Ithaca.

    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

  • 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 Iliad and the Odyssey

    1521 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Iliad and the Odyssey are two classic stories told by Homer. Within these two stories the roles of the gods are very important to the story line and how they affect the characters throughout. In the Iliad, more gods are involved with the characters whereas in the Odyssey there are only two major gods that affect two major characters. The roles of the gods in the Iliad are through two different stances of immortal versus immortal and mortal versus immortal. The roles of the gods in the Odyssey are through two major gods and they affect the plot as Poseidon versus Odysseus and Athena versus Telemachus.

    Read More

More about Chapman's Version of The Odyssey and the Iliad

Open Document