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Analysis of the Odyssey by Homer
Examples of identity in the odyssey
Odyssey character traits throughout the journey
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Throughout Homer’s Odyssey there is a consistent internal conflict regarding identity. Odysseus’ long circuitous route home can be attributed not only to the gods but to his own flaws that additively form his identity. Particularly, these faults of complacency, arrogance, and desire for concealment as means of avoidance are outlined in his early interactions most explicitly with Polyphemus (IX). Phaeacia, where he recounts his adventures, serves as a transition point where Odysseus is forced to address his flaws. He gains the capacity to learn from his mistakes and change the person he sought to cover up with disguises (VI, VII). In the early aspects of Odysseus’ journey, Homer establishes the initial state of Odysseus’ identity, one that includes dangerous arrogance, complacency, and desires for concealment. This image is prominently presented in his encounter with Polyphemus. Overstaying his welcome, stealing, and overly expectant of hospitality he leads his men to their doom (IX.325-328, 258-259, 300-302). When asked for his name, he replies cleverly “Nobody--that’s my name” disg...
The difference between a wise and a foolish decision is often found in discerning when to conceal and when to reveal. This discretion in concealing and revealing is a major theme within The Odyssey. There is a proper time to deceive and a proper time to tell the truth; thus, it is crucial that one act accordingly. This importance is exemplified in Odysseus' life. When he is discreet in his timing, he achieves his goal. One example of this is the Trojan War. While the other men in the horse want to expose themselves when they hear their wives' voices being mimicked by Helen, Odysseus forces them to stay hidden within the horse (Book IV, lines 306-311). Because of this discernment and self-control, the Trojan War is won. However, when he is careless in his timing, troubles follow. In the situation with Polyphemus, Odysseus makes an improper decision. He gives his name to Polyphemus as he is leaving the island of the Cyclopes. Although his crew urges him to stop taunting Polyphemus, he does not listen because of his pride in his skill of deception (Book IX, lines 519-552). As a result of this foolishness and pride, his return home is full of hardships and his companions die. Timing of concealment and revelation has such significant consequences because disguise is a powerful tool that needs to be handled carefully. From Books XIII to XXII, Odysseus uses it against the people of Ithaca to plan his revenge. In Book XIX, Homer employs the story of the scar and uses various literary techniques to highlight again on the power of disguise and importance of Odysseus' maintaining his disguise until the opportune time.
In Homer’s epic poem titled The Odyssey Odysseus faces abuse from the suitors verbal and physical. He is able to have self control and not say anything about it due to Odysseus not wanting to reveal his identity yet. Throughout the book we see Odysseus didn’t always have self control like when he taunted Polyphemus “Cyclops if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so- say Odysseus” here Odysseus shows unbridledly by trying to show who was the brave soul the blinded him(9.558-560). Odysseus caused the death of some of his crew mates for not having self control and insisted taunting Polyphemus to the point where he prayed to his father Poseidon who then brought waves of destruction to which it killed some
In conclusion, Odysseus proves to be an epic Homeric hero by using leadership and cleverly defeating Polyphemus, and by eradicating the suitors. During his encounter with Polyphemus, Odysseus shows his leadership by putting courage into his men’s hearts. He shows his cleverness by claiming his name was Noman, intoxicating Polyphemus, and by blinding the cyclops then escaping with its sheep. Odysseus also exhibits arête through revenge as he kills the suitors. The suitors’ poor behaviors makes the violence justified. Throughout Odysseus’ 20 year excursion, he constantly demonstrates arête, which makes him go down in history as one of the most famous epic heroes.
I am a fourteen-year-old, 9th grader in high school. Every day, I come to school seeking individuality that helps form my identity, contemplating ways to improve as a person, searching for myself, and I feel as if this can easily relate to Odysseus' story in Homer's "The Odyssey." Odysseus is constantly traveling and searching for his identity. However, incidents that have occurred to Odysseus were out of his control are what shaped him. The men Odysseus traveled with also shaped his identity, therefore, I believe identity is effected by both yourself and society.
In The Odyssey, Homer, or more so, the characters, often referred to Odysseus as the ‘Great Odysseus’. In the text, it is obvious to see that Odysseus demonstrates arrogance, charisma, over-confidence, and pride. Odysseus and his m...
Odysseus is a peculiar mix of both heroic and intelligent qualities that make him seem both human and supernatural. The Odysseus portrayed in the Iliad somewhat contrasts the Odysseus we see in the Odyssey. For the p...
Odysseus’s spiritual growth begins with one of the major themes exploited in The Odyssey which is the portrayal of Odysseus’s excessive pride or hubris and his temptations. For example, Odysseus was able to escape the Cyclops Polyphemus by wrongfully stating his name as ‘Nobody’ and then stabbing Polyphemus’s eye. Afterward, Odysseus and his men were able to latch under the sheep and safely make their way back to the ships. However, Odysseus yelled back to Polyphemus his actual name which created havoc when Polyphemus prayed to Poseidon to punish Odysseus. According to Cavafy’s “Ithaca,” one should “pray that the road is long, / full of adventure, full of knowledge” (2-3) which is what happens to Odysseus—his temptation to boast delays his arrival home. But because of his hubris and temptation, Odysseus is able to embark on a journey th...
Odysseus’ men want to steal some of Polyphemus’ goods, but Odysseus wants to wait and see him, in hopes he will offer some hospitality. However, immediately when Polyphemus returns to his cave, he accuses Odysseus and his men of being, “Pirates… roaming around and causing people trouble” (Odyssey 9.247-48). Odysseus explains where he and his men come from, and appeals to him for some hospitality, but Polyphemus responds from his ‘pitiless heart’, calling Odysseus dumb and claiming not to fear the gods (Odyssey 9.265-66). After a bit more conversation, Polyphemus assaulted two of Odysseus’ men and ate them, then took Odysseus and the rest of his men prisoner. Odysseus had thought about stabbing Polyphemus with his sword, but decided against it as he realized that only the Cyclops was strong enough to move the stone (Odyssey
Homer’s “The odyssey” is one of the most well-known poems in Greek literature. The poem describes the incredible journey of the Odysseus. Odysseus faces many difficult challenges amongst his journey. One of them which being the Cyclops, or generally known as Polyphemus. Who is a one-eyed monstrosity, who lives companionless residing in a dark hollow cave. Throughout the poem, Homer consistently presents the reader with unsatisfying descriptions of Polyphemus. To develop the character of Polyphemus, Homer use vulgar diction, literal imagery, and similes to reveal the uncivil character of Polyphemus.
The range of perspectives from which the Odyssey is viewed produces sometimes essentially incompatible readings. These unreconciled differences derive not only from the different points of view that the poem leaves open to interpritation, but also from the extraordinary richness of its characters. When viewed as simply an action-adventure story, what happens to the hero is accidental, and the interest lies in a series of daring escapes brought about by the hero's cleverness, stamina, and tenacity; all admirable qualities, if not necessities. But the Odyssey, I am convinced, requires that one recognize its great spiritual significance at the same time that it recognizes Odysseus as a complex and typically human character. His success at the end of the poem is not accidental, but founded on the recognition and acceptance of his divine mission, and on harmonizing his own will with that of the divine. The purpose of my essay is to try and make clear those parallel distinctions fundamental to understanding both the Odyssey itself, and the assumptions it makes with respect to the relations between divine and human interactions.
In Lucian’s Dialogues of the Sea Gods, the second dialogue is a conversation between the Cyclops, Polyphemus, and Poseidon. Their discussion, centering on Polyphemus’ blinding at the hands of Odysseus, is an obvious reference to Book IX of Homer’s Odyssey, where the same events occur. In his work, Lucian is able to use the reader’s knowledge of Homer’s hero and monster to demonstrate their similarities and that neither fall into a well-defined category of character type. In the Odyssey, the character of Odysseus is, without question, the hero of the work. The Odysseus found in Lucian’s second dialogue more closely resembles the self-serving and cowardly man found in the tragic tradition.
The Greek hero in Homer’s epic The Odyssey—Odysseus, the king of Ithaca—still hasn’t returned home in years after the end of the Trojan War. He realizes that he needs to get back to his wife, Penelope—who has a crowd of suitors flocking their palace—and his son, Telemachus, who takes on a journey to finally question the father he did not grow up with. During Odysseus’ trip to his homeland, he encounters the cannibalistic one-eyed giant and son of Poseidon, Polyphemus, on the island of the Cyclops. There, he and his men enter the Cyclops’ cave filled with provisions. Polyphemus returns with his flocks and blocks the entrance, not knowing about the intruders. Upon his return, Odysseus offered and intoxicated the giant with some of
For this second identification Odysseus has undergone a long journey, measured not only by time and distance but also as a series of alienations in foreign lands, illustrating to Odysseus what exactly his identity does not consist in, namely the immortal, the underworld, or other nationalities. Through these alienations Homer establishes the hostile world in which Odysseus must struggle to exist and in which sometimes the Gods themselves become hostile, causing mortals to suffer. In order to survive this, Odysseus also explores what it is to present oneself as without a past, home, fixed identity, or as he names himself to the Cyclops - a "Noman". That is to say that in certain instances Homer presents Odysseus as performing the opposite action of most mortals(i.e. attempting to make a name for themselves) by disguising or even eradicating his name, thus establishing an externally identifiable ...
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
middle of paper ... ... In Homer’s Odyssey, both Odysseus and his son Telemachus embark on long, difficult journeys; Odysseus trying to return from Troy to his home in Ithaca, escaping Calypso and the island of Ogygia, and Telemachus from Ithaca to Pylos and Sparta in search of his lost father. While The Odyssey tells of the courage both men demonstrate during their respective travels, their quests are the results of the intentions and desires of gods. Odysseus is trapped in exile on Ogygia by the will of Poseidon, whose anger Odysseus attracts when he blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, and by the love of Calypso, who wishes to make Odysseus her husband.