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Essay on ozymandias by percy bysshe shelley
Comparison between ulysses and odysseus
Ozymandias by percy bysshe shelley essay
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Great Men
Ozymandias and Ulysses were distinguished men in the eyes of the authors that wrote the poems about these two characters. The personas in the poems are "great" men who share similar qualities. However, there are slight differences that are encountered in their experiences and events in their lifetime. Ozymandias was a great king in his time and had lots of power over land and people. Ulysses, on the other hand, was a traveler who had been too many places in the world. He became famous and created a name for himself from the traveling he did in his lifetime.
The omnipotence of Ozymandias compelled him to become arrogant and a pompous person. His quote on the statue states "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" This presents the evidence of his egotistical character. Whereas, Ulysses was a `great" man through his humbleness to gain knowledge of different cultures and as Ulysses stated, "Honored of them all." Ozymandias, as a king, had many riches and was an extremely wealthy man. Ulysses, however, was not a man of abundant fortune but he "suffered greatly" in his lifetime alone and with loved ones. He was rich in living life and traveling all over the world interested in meeting people from various communities.
Ozymandias is thoughtless because he praises no one other than himself in the poem. Everything that occurs revolves around him and no one else. He does not mention leaving his authority to a son or any other relative. Ulysses, however, describes leaving his son the land and his "scepter" in the most loving way. An entire paragraph is dedicated to his son, "mine own Telemachus." He simply states how his son will take up after him and what he will do with the authority he leaves him. Although it is the same duty, "He works his work, and I mine." Ulysses has created a name for himself through his own undertaking and his son will create his name and leave a legend that only he himself can choose.
Of all the differences they encompass, the future of Ozymandias and Ulysses remain the same. The two men had entirely distinct lives that carried an identical fate when there lives ended in old age. The men will both die and their legacies left behind will soon fade over time. Although they have created a name for themselves, as generations pass, there names will become mentioned less and less.
In this long narrative poem, Odysseus changes from being disrespectful to the gods by explicitly saying that he doesn’t need them, to longing forgiveness later by stating that he is nothing without them. After the success with the Trojan Horse, Odysseus considered himself higher than the gods because he, a mortal, was able to accomplish something even the gods couldn’t. He boasted to Poseidon and the others about how he is overpowering, and how his power and abilities were far beyond their limits. His epic boasting to the gods had lead him to create his own obstacles as, he is one who essentially was the cause. This disrespectful attitude is the personality which shows how Odysseus behaved at the beginning of the story. It not only demonstrates what he was once like, but how his obstacles get much more precarious. As this is the attitude in the beginning, by the end of this epic, Odysseus understands the value of gods and their power, even if it’s for good or bad. At the end of book twenty-two, page 1160, on lines 107-109, Odysseus finally accepts the fact that he is not the biggest thing
"John William Waterhouse's Ulysses and the Sirens." John William Waterhouse's Ulysses and the Sirens. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2014.
Throughout the epic poem of The Odyssey readers are exposed to the man that captures the interest of many, Odysseus. Odysseus is portrayed as a ‘godlike’ man as well being deemed a warrior of his own class, beyond all men in mind and in comparison, the Hugh Heffner of his time. He is everything men aspire to be in many ways as well as being profoundly in touch with his emotions when it comes to women. Odysseus shows this in many different ways from tears for his wife Penelope to the heartbreak for his long-dead mother, Antikleia.
Gilgamesh and Odysseus are two heroes from two different time periods that were both in search of the meaning of life. The epics that the two characters are featured in Gilgamesh, was developed from early Mesopotamia and the Odyssey in early Greece. Gilgamesh was a very popular and it was very valuable to the historian of Mesopotamian culture because it reveals much about the religious world, such as their attitudes toward the gods, how a hero was defined and regarded, views about death and friendship.
When comparing the two tales, it is very clear that both heroic characters are men with similarities and differences. One important trait that is common between the two characters is that they both possess superhuman strength which makes them dangerous and this remains useful for them when protecting their people. For instance, they encounter near
'No two men are alike in the way they act, the way they think, or the way they look. However, every man has a little something from the other. Although Oedipus and Gilgamesh are entirely different people, they are still very similar. Each one, in their own way, is exceptionally brave, heroically tragic, and both encompass diverse strengths and weaknesses. One is strictly a victim of fate and the other is entirely responsible for his own plight.
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.
There has been much debate on who is the greatest hero of the ancient world. There has also been much dispute on which is the greatest epic poem of the ancient world. However, comparing The Aeneid to The Odyssey is entirely a difficult task itself. Odysseus' journeys, both physical and emotional, are essential in the overall work because it defines The Odyssey as an epic poem. Aeneas also shares a similar experience as Odysseus as well. Both stories are similar in countless ways because they both undergo comparable experiences on their travels and their life journeys. With that being said, they both demonstrated leadership in their own way. However, it is difficult to determine who the best leader actually is. Both men exhibit great leadership skills; therefore, causing a challenge for some in determining which the greater epic is. After analyzing both texts, it is possible to conclude that Aeneas is the better leader, but The Odyssey is the greater epic.
The United States of America, in its short history, has given birth to numerous brave and honorable men. These men have helped shape and mold the country to what it is today. When someone thinks of men who have molded the United States, one might think of the Founding Fathers or early pioneers like Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett. One might also think of great presidents such as George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. These men laid the foundation of how the country should be led. There is one trait that all these great men possess, and that trait is determination. Determination is what fueled these American Renaissance men to do the great and brave things they did. There is one man who possessed an abundant amount of determination, and he was not going to let his physical circumstances get in the way of his goals in life. By the end of his presidency, he had changed the way the world looked at America. Despite his crippling disability, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was able to overcome his adversity and lead the United States out of the Great Depression and through most of World War II.
...of gentle and kindness shows that Odysseus is not a hero. His way of supporting ideas that favor him most portrays him as non-heroic and his true picture is also revealed by his selfishness and mercilessness.
The similarities between Odysseus and Jason are as vast as their differences, yet their main connections show their their main difference. The similarity of the two previously unsung heroic types is exactly what separates them, each man is a different type of the new hero that came about after the brutish and brawny warriors like Achilles and Hector. Each can be seen as a hero or as a perverse designation of the past warriors and heroic ideals. It is their journeys that define them as heros, Jason though he could not have made it alone succeeds in his endeavors and Odysseus although he made it home alone in the end he is the valiant lover and father. The endings show a major difference between the two characters as Odysseus is redeemed in the end for his good qualities, Jason become less of a heroic figure as he discards his ever helpful wife Medea.
The main characters of each work are automatically associated with each other by their names, but they also share similar personalities and characteristics. Odysseus is a wily hero of the Trojan War who uses his deceptive...
Throughout his wanderings for home, Odysseus becomes a humbler and more respectful man. The once boastful man learns that his bragging can bring people against him, and is quieter than before he left for Troy. He also learns that the immortal gods of Olympus can be merciful and bring great prosperity, but they also punish those that disobey their wishes. Every time Odysseus has not been respectful he has been severely punished and his trip home delayed. Out of this great tragedy he has become a greater man to regain his kingdom and live a long life.
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.
Odysseus and Ulysses have differences, but also similarities. The man's role in his son's life shifts once Telemachus matures. However, Odysseus and Ulysses portray similar characteristics - their love for their crew and their determination in achieving goals. The man is a born leader; he shows leadership in raising his son, caring for his crew, and ultimately, in taking charge of his life. The poets acclaim men who have direction in life to strive and attain goals.