Summary: Odysseus begins telling his story to the king and queen beginning from when he left Troy and begins with his home island of Ithaca. He tells of how he made Calypso believe that he loved her and then begins filling in details from the Trojan War to being captured by Calypso. He recounts the tails of the land of the Kikonians, the lotus eaters, and then of how the cyclops just wanted to eat all of them and Odysseus had to use trickery in order to escape the island, but is foolish enough to let the cyclops know his real name. Since the cyclops is a son of Poseidon, he has his father curse Odysseus. When Odysseus finally lands, he makes a sacrifice to Zeus who rejects it.
Commentary: The way the book is set up so it’s eight chapters in
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If Odysseus’ crew had been half brained enough to not open the bag, then everyone would have most likely returned home to Ithaca safe and sound just after the end of the war, but no, they had to let their curiosity get the better of themselves before the Odysseus was even awake to realize what was going on. His crew is not the only one who deserves blame though. If Odysseus had told them what was in the bag, there would’ve been no way that hiss crew would’ve messed with it. Also, even if Odysseus still hadn’t told them, he could’ve had the common knowledge that he needed to rest because being awake for nine straight days seems borderline suicidal. One can possibly understand his anxiousness to get back home though, having been gone ten years from his wife and son can do a toll on anyone and would certainly make them eager enough to rush things. However, that is no different than speeding at night to get back home as quickly as possible; while you will get there faster, the danger becomes exponentially higher and could result in being pulled over by a cop, or dying. Unfortunately for Odysseus, there was no maritime police so there was nothing stopping him from just chugging on forward. An interesting thing to point out is that Odysseus didn’t seem to trust his own crew with what was going on or even to sail the ship for …show more content…
While mourning for his mother, Teiresias appears and begins to drink the blood like the other shades. Teiresias warns Odysseus to not eat the cattle of Helios and that he alone will make it back to Ithaca alive and will then have to fight the suitors who are after his wife and then pray to Poseidon that he will live a long and happy life and die peacefully. Odysseus speaks to his mother’s ghost who is unable to hug him but tries three times. While taking a break from telling of his journey, Queen Arete decides that when Odysseus leaves he must leave with plenty of treasure and the king asks if he saw any friends from Troy in the underworld. Odysseus continues his tale and recounts of how he encountered Agamemnon as a shade and learns of his newfound hatred towards all women, except Penelope for her steadfast faithfulness to Odysseus. Odysseus then encounters other spirits such as Achilles, who is quite unhappy being dead and says that he would rather be a poor farmer, and Aias who killed himself over not getting the arms of Achilles during the Trojan War. Odysseus and his crew finally depart when more and more shades come to drink the
While with Calypso Odysseus relies upon the gods to decide whether he shall return home or if he is fated to stay with the nymph goddess. Though Odysseus is powerful amongst mortal men his attempts to free himself from Calypso’s island prove to be in vain. Instead, Odysseus must wait, for "…in the gods’ lap it lies to say if he shall come and wreak revenge in his halls…" (6). Odysseus must bow to the gods’ wishes and it is Athena, rather then Odysseus himself, who convinces mighty Zeus to free Odysseus and set him upon his journey home. Athena pleads Odysseus’ cause to the gods upon Olympus and beseeches her father begging that "…if it now please the blessed gods that wise Odysseus shall return to his own home…" (2) then she will aid him in this journey. Were it not for Athena’s intervention, Odysseus might never have returned to his native land and seen his dear Ithica once more.
Odysseus not telling his crew about the bag or what it contains is Odysseus flexing his muscles, proving to himself that he’s the only one worthy of knowing what’s inside the bag because he believes he is the smartest in the crew. He sails for nine straight days, and is so close to home that the crew can see the shore of Ithaka. Odysseus goes to take a nap and falls asleep and the crew becomes suspicious of the bag, believing Odysseus was storing riches inside that he didn’t want to share. “Temptation had its way with my companions, and they untied the bag” (10. 50-52).The crew sends Odysseus and his dream of reuniting with his family thousands of miles away. I find this instance to be a little strange, because if one were to think about it, they would come to the conclusion that Odysseus had nothing to lose if he were to inform his shipmates about the bag. After his strategy fails and he realizes the great
Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.
Odysseus is known as a great war hero and leader who encounters and conquers unimaginable obstacles in his quest to return to Ithaca. This is understandable, given that Homer often uses Odysseus’ point of view in recounting his tortuous ten-year journey. However, beneath the surface is another perspective that is often overlooked, namely, that of Odysseus’ men who accompany him on this journey. Odysseus often glosses over his shortcomings as a leader and accentuates or even exaggerates his successes. If his men had been given more of a voice, it is likely that a different account of Odysseus’ leadership qualities would have been presented. For instance, Odysseus takes great pains to portray himself as an innocent victim and Homer’s readers generally accept this perspective. Odysseus’ hubris makes him careless when it comes to the safety of his men and therefore, an unreliable leader. Careful analysis of the scenes featuring Cicones, Aeolus and the Winds, and Scylla and Charybdis reveals that Odysseus often fails to transcend his own self-interest and ultimately he is the one responsible for the deaths of his men.
What are the key points you will want to emphasize in your online profile for Character 1 (3-4 sentences)?
Is Odysseus, the main character of Homer’s The Odyssey, really an epic hero? An epic hero embodies several heroic traits such as; having superior or super-human strength; being intellectual and courageous; and being a strong and responsible leader. An epic hero struggles and is overwhelmed with difficulties. An epic hero is on a quest of self discovery, war or some sort of goal. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is on a quest to return home to Ithaca after ten years of war in Troy. Odysseus, during his quest, is forced to venture through a merciless Cyclops, angered Gods, deeply obstinate Goddesses, the underworld, and determined suitors that are after his wife Penelope. Odysseus surmounts over these obstacles and returns home safely with courage, intelligence, superior strength, brave leadership, and also performs brave deeds.
...ugh Calypso wouldn’t let him leave the island so it wasn't his fault. Calypso finally agreed to allow Odysseus to leave the island: “So then, royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, man of exploits, still eager to leave at once and hurry back to your own home, your beloved native land? Good luck to you, even so. Farewell! But if you only knew, down deep, what pains are fated to fill your cup before you reach that shore, you’d stay right here, preside in our house with me and be immortal. Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days”.
There are many different ways that a hero can be described or imagined. Everyone has their own ideas of what makes someone a hero. Also, for many heroes it is debatable whether they really are a hero. In The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Odysseus is one such debatable hero. Odysseus is a hero because he is brave, level-headed, and he shows faithfulness and respect to important figures in his life.
The quotation, “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose,” Bill Gates, an American business professional, philanthropist, investor, computer programmer, and inventor, demonstrates how one can be superior and strong, yet exemplify it in the wrong way. Odysseus can relate to this quotation when he reveals his name to the Cyclops, Polyphemus, not thinking about his outcome. He is a remarkable leader and he proves it throughout his expedition in the Odyssey. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Trojan War hero Odysseus displays heroic and sharp-witted actions throughout the tribulation and journey home. He undergoes the adversity of a ten year war and disregard from the exasperated gods due to his impetuous deportment.
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,
Odysseus is successful in completing the first two steps of the hero’s journey and starts off his journey by leaving home. Odysseus leaves his beloved home of Ithaca to fight in the War of Troy and knows that he will not be able to return for a long time. This demonstrates the first phase of the hero’s jour...
When challenged during his excursion, Odysseus was prepared to give up any of his men if it meant saving himself. While he was absent for twenty years, Penelope did everything that she could to remain faithful to her husband. Penelope was unsure if her husband was even alive, but felt that moving on to a different man would not be just. While Penelope was at the palace awaiting Odysseus’ return, Odysseus was at Aeaea with Kirke. Odysseus was off living his life without thinking of how his actions could affect his wife. In book eleven, Odysseus is instructed by Kirke to go to the underworld to talk to Tiresias. When he arrives, one of the first people he spoke with was his mother, Anticlea. She goes on to inform her son that she died of grief waiting for him to return home. Odysseus only ever thought about how he would be affected by this prolonged journey and never about the lives of those who cared about him, such as his wife and his
...n 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. He is released from Ogygia and permitted to return to Ithaca only by the command of Zeus, as delivered by Hermes. Telemachus, rather than being trapped physically, was detained emotionally, feeling helpless to repel the suitors wooing Penelope. Only through the motivation of the goddess Athena did Telemachus find the will and courage to embark in search of Odysseus.
One important characteristic that Penelope and Odysseus share is their loyalty to each other. Odysseus failed to return home seven years after the Trojan war. Because he is assumed dead, 108 wealthy noblemen and princes invade his palace and refuse to leave until Penelope has married one of them. By marrying her, the suitors hope to gain control over Odysseus’s wealth and power. However, Penelope remains faithful to Odysseus. But, as a woman, she is powerless to remove the suitors from the palace. And without a man in the household, she is subject to her father’s decisions. However, despite his wish for her to remarry, Penelope clings to the hope of Odysseus’s return and remains faithful to him. She waits and gathers information by asking strangers who arrive in Ithaca about Odysseus. She goes through the stories of their encounter point by point, and asks about every detail while tears stream down her eyes. Although the suitors promise her a secure future, Penelope continues to wait for Odysseus. Without Odysseus, she does not believe that she will ever be happy again.
...a, 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. He is released from Ogygia and permitted to return to Ithaca only by the command of Zeus, as delivered by Hermes. Telemachus, rather than being trapped physically, was detained emotionally, feeling helpless to repel the suitors wooing Penelope. Only through the motivation of the goddess Athena did Telemachus find the will and courage to embark in search of Odysseus.