The Endless Journey In Homer's The Odyssey
analytical Essay
1015 words
David Kiley
Mr. Beyreis
English 9
November 30, 2017
The Endless Journey
Imagine returning home from both a mentally and physically demanding battle, only to realize the most challenging task yet is to face the task of fitting in with the ordinary. A soldier can never truly return home to join a society. One can return from battle in their physical state, though both their mentality and perspective of the world cannot be restored to what once was. The scars and numerous hardships associated with war change a person beyond their appearing attributes, profoundly affecting the mind and soul; a previous life is never the same when an individual returns as a drastically different character. Within The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Stanley Lombardo, the effects of conflict demonstrate how an individual can be greatly distanced from their once familiar society. Illustrated by Odysseus and his encounters home from war, one cannot be found when lost in the psyche and spirit, the world cannot be perceived in the same sanguine demeanor when used as a foundation
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In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the effects of conflict in the odyssey, written by homer and translated by stanley lombardo, demonstrate how an individual can be greatly distanced from their once familiar society.
- Analyzes how odysseus does not fully realize when he returns home, nor recognize many of his people. he condemns the phaeacians for unknowingly carrying him home.
- Analyzes how odysseus, in his war-torn state, is deeply separated from the peace felt by civilians. the phaeacians are uncivilized relative to other cultures.
- Analyzes how the atrocities of war continue to burden and torment the lives of those attempting to escape in search of their former lives.
- Analyzes how odysseus' journey to hades sheds light on the differing views of life from those who were subjected to the savagery of war and those not.
- Explains that the journey back from war is also a metaphysical journey within the individual. odysseus restores virtue and honor in his character, defeating all those who differ in their actions.
As such, Odysseus’ journey to Hades sheds light upon the differing views of life from those who were subjected to the savagery of war and those not. When speaking with a variety of deceased individuals, Odysseus is told numerous stories of regret, accounts of death which could only be understood by one on the battlefield. Odysseus does not initially wish to speak with his mother, though he eventually recalls, “I stayed where I was until my mother / came up and drank the dark blood” (11.150-151). The interpreted symbolism behind this act is almost paradoxical, while representing the underlying theme of a different perception of mortality. Perhaps honor in a distinguished, fighting death is merely a cover for the unbearable consequences of
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- Homer's Epic, The Odysseyanalytical essayHomer is All Mixed Up Homer’s epic, the Odyssey, is a heroic narrative that follows the adventures of Odysseus, the powerful King of Ithaca. The main story involves Odysseus’s return journey to his homeland after the Trojan War. However, Homer skips around in the action periodically to give the reader a better understanding and interest in what is going on in the epic. Homer takes his audience from the present action involving Telemakhos’ search for news of his father’s return, to the past where Odysseus tells the Phaiakians of his tragic journey home after the war. The events in Homer’s epic are not in order but still prove more effective at guiding the reader through the narrative.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how homer introduces telemakhos, the main character in the ithaca plot, and the suitors in book ii.
- Analyzes how homer uses the en media res method to draw the reader into the story right away rather than waiting for a climax in the action.
- Analyzes how homer's odyssey is a heroic narrative that follows the adventures of odysseus, the powerful king of ithaca.
- Analyzes how homer leaves the proper order of time in the odyssey to show odysseus’ urgency to return home to his beloved wife and kingdom.
- Analyzes how zeus sent a sign to odysseus, which acknowledges telemakhos' bid for divine intervention and serves as an omen. the narrative style holds the reader's attention throughout the narrative.
1542 wordsRead More - Homer’s The Odysseyanalytical essayIn 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.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how homer uses a dramatic simile to describe the pain and sorrow that odysseus feels as he recalls the story of troy.
- Analyzes how the simile is the first verse paragraph following several prose paragraphs. the structure of the verse is loose in following rhythmic or syllabic patterns.
- Analyzes how homer compares odysseus's crying to a woman who weeps for her husband who died in battle.
- Analyzes how the simile of the weeping woman induces a feeling of sympathy for odysseus in the reader's mind.
- Analyzes how homer's repetition and vivid description of odysseus' and the metaphorical widow’s body parts create powerful imagery in the mind of the reader.
- Analyzes how the simile of the weeping woman reflects the sorrow that odysseus is going through. he is a hero who fought in the battle of troy.
- Analyzes how odysseus can be compared to the widow, who weeps for her heroic husband, and the trojan war and his fellow comrades.
- Analyzes how homer compares odysseus to a weeping woman. he wanted to show how broken down he was emotionally.
1262 wordsRead More - The Odyssey as a Hero Journeyanalytical essay"All of us have similar experiences. We share in the life journey of growth, development, and transformation. We live the same stories…the trappings might be different, the twists and turns that create suspense might be different from culture to culture, the particular characters may take different forms, but underneath it all, it's the same story, drawn from the same experiences"(Linda Seger, Creating Myth, 1). All people face trials and tribulations throughout their life. Thus, what defines one from one's fellow human beings is not the trials themselves, but how one overcomes the challenges along the journey, as well as the psychological and physical lessons one learns from the actions engaged.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the book takes place in, is called to action and set in motion on his hero.
- Opines that he must be convinced to leave a safe place, such as his home.
- Narrates how odyssey is called upon to join the atrides in a war to defeat them.
- Explains that leaving ithaca can't be based on a whim: he's young king with young ambitions.
- Explains that with the help of his men, he can pass by the sirens without being drawn in.
- Describes the dangers of drowning at sea, with one deep gulp of death, than die by inches on this.
- Analyzes how his head ad decked him out / in rags he'd hate to see some other.
- Analyzes how the hero of the odyssey has a son he left behind at home.
- Explains seger's "creating the myth." signs of life in the u.s.a.: readings on popular culture for writers.
2354 wordsRead More - The Hero’s Journey in Homer's The Odysseyanalytical essayThe Hero’s Journey is never an easy one. This particular journey, as detailed in Homer’s The Odyssey, is one of struggle, loss, heartache, pain, growth and triumph. It is comprised of many steps that Odysseus has to overcome and battle through in order to achieve his final goal of reaching his home and his loved ones. From the Call to Adventure to the Freedom or Gift of living, Odysseus conquered them all. The story begins in the middle of the story, as many of the oral Greek traditions did, with the Journey of Telemachus to find his father. Although Telemachus has not yet met his father, it is almost as if they are journeying together, where the end of both of their journeys results in being reunited. Telemachus journeys from being a boy to becoming a man, while out in the sea Odysseus is battling Poseidon to return to the home that wife that he loves and the home he has left behind.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the hero's journey is one of struggle, loss, heartache, pain, growth, and triumph, as detailed in homer’s the odyssey. the story begins in the middle of the story with the journey of telemachus to find his father.
- Explains that the first step in any hero's journey is the call to adventure, or the seperation from the pack.
- Analyzes how odysseus faces numerous challenges and tribulations. poseidon realizes his presence in the open waters and begins to release his wrath upon him once again.
- Analyzes how athena, the gray-eyed goddess of wisdom, has taken on this role for both odysseus and telemachus.
- Describes how odysseus, disguised as an old beggar, finds that suitors ravage his home, his son is nearly a man, and nearly the whole isle has lost hope.
1885 wordsRead More - The Qualities of Odysseus in Homer's The Odysseyanalytical essayBeing separated from someone for long periods of time is quite depressing, but imagine being away from your special someone for 20 years. The 10 years it took to fight the Trojan War were anything but easy for Odysseus, the hero of The Odyssey written by the poet Homer. The venture home was much worse due to encounters with monsters such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, raging storms, challenges from forceful gods and goddesses, and setbacks due to foolishness and pride. Odysseus displays many qualities through-out his journey home, some negative and others positive. In “The Homecoming,” Odysseus reveals his great courage, intelligence, and strength.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how odysseus, the hero of homer's "the odyssey," displays many qualities through his journey home, some negative and others positive.
- Analyzes how odysseus displays courage in many events throughout "the homecoming." he shows courage when he takes the bow in his hand to try hitting the target despite what the suitors were saying.
- Analyzes how odysseus displays intelligence when he dresses as a beggar and trusts in loyal servants. he was also very intelligent in blocking the only exit so none of the suitors would escape.
- Analyzes how odysseus displays strength throughout his entire journey. he shows strength when he wouldn’t allow any suitors to escape and when telling his son to grab armor
- Analyzes how odysseus displays his qualities during the test of the bow. he shows his courage and strength as he kills every suitor.
583 wordsRead More - The Odyssey: Human Will In Homer's Odysseyanalytical essayThe Odyssey: Human Will In “The Odyssey,” Odysseus lives in a world where there is no room for the human will. Human choices can make a tremendous difference in his world. The god, Helios, was one who made it difficult for Odysseus to get home with his crew. Another included the witch-goddess, Circe, who delays Odysseus and his men from their homecoming.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how odysseus lives in a world where there is no room for the human will. the god helios and the witch-goddess circe make certain choices that affect their travels home.
- Analyzes how odysseus and his men encounter the cattle of the sun god, helios. zeus worked up a storm that forced them to stay because they could not continue their travels on the water.
- Analyzes how odysseus and his men end up at the home of the witch-goddess, circe, and hermes approach him in the form of a young man.
- Explains that odysseus had to allow for a few men to be possibly killed so that others could make it home. this decision was to go towards scylla.
- Concludes that odysseus' world doesn't have human will and their decisions do make adifference for certain things.
456 wordsRead More - The Theme Of Death In The Odysseyanalytical essayReturning to the quotation “… the great leveler, Death: not even the gods/ can defend a man, not even one they love, that day/ when fate takes hold and lays him out at last’” (Homer 3.269-271). Death is a power that surpasses the gods. In The Odyssey we are introduced to gods who control the water, the wind, and the decisions of men. They can bring peace and war, but the one thing they cannot do is prevent a mortal’s fated death. This alone shows how central death is to The Odyssey. The power that death holds rivals no others in this story, there is “… no escape from death” (Homer 12.483). Death is a constant threat for Odysseus throughout this story, and the future foretold for Odysseus by Tiresias is not one of his life being a good one but of “…your own death will steal upon you…/ a gentle, painless death, far from the sea it comes to take you down…” (Homer 11.153-154). His fortune ends not with his happy life, but with his eventual death. This scene is crucial because it draws the reader back not to the life that Odysseus will have once he has successfully returned home and killed the suitors but the death that he will experience. It draws it back to when and where Odysseus will die and take his place among the
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how odysseus is often considered a hero for triumphing, for living through the many challenges that he has to face over the course of the odyssey.
- Analyzes how homer brings the idea of death into his work through his word choice, and focuses on what the characters are escaping instead of what they are accomplishing.
- Analyzes how homer uses the book on the underworld not to show what life can bring, but what death takes away.
- Analyzes how homer brings into light the idea of an honorable death in the odyssey. achilles is the one who supports it.
- Analyzes the theme of death leading to more death in the odyssey. odysseus doesn't kill the cyclops because that will kill him.
- Analyzes how odysseus uses his knowledge of death to deal out the worst punishment he knows of to the suitors, taking away their lives.
- Analyzes how odysseus is drawn to all that the gods can do, but death is a power that surpasses them.
- Analyzes how death in the odyssey is a constant shadow over the life of mortals, and drives men on, even when their life is horrible, to live longer to escape the fate of an eternity in the underworld.
1608 wordsRead More - Heros Journey In The Odyssey: The Hero's Journeyanalytical essayOdysseus’ Quest In the Hero’s journey, The Odyssey, the main protagonist, Odysseus, changes in a way which helps him gain self-knowledge. Odysseus ' experiences transformed his personality from how he was in the beginning to the end, by leading him through a heroic journey, also known as a quest. The real reason for a quest never involves the stated reason, and this is no different with Odysseus. As the story developed, many of Odysseus’ sides were exposed through the challenges he faced.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how odysseus' experiences transformed his personality from how he was in the beginning to the end, by leading him through a heroic journey.
- Analyzes how the odyssey follows the archetypal hero's journey, but it doesn't mean they acquire equal amount of knowledge from their expedition.
- Analyzes how odysseus has never truly come to terms with reality and the fact that he can't destroy every mortal, god or monster that approaches him.
- Analyzes how odysseus displayed his loyalty by demonstrating that he stands on his word and that it's not all about himself.
- Analyzes how the self-knowledge odysseus acquired from his journey helped him discover and meet new friends, mentors, enemies, challenges, skills and new knowledge.
- Analyzes how the main protagonist, odysseus, changes in a way which helps him gain self-knowledge. it is only through these challenges and trials that an individual goes through, to truly evolve into an improved person.
1422 wordsRead More - Jourody Free Essay Importance of the Journey in Homer's Odysseyanalytical essayImportance of the Journey in Homer's Odyssey In the Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus's main goal was to reach home. Even though all of his thoughts were turned towards his home and family, he learned many lessons along the way. Odysseus's greatest learning experiences were in his journey, not his destination. One of Odysseus's biggest challenges was to resist temptation.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how odysseus's greatest learning experiences were in his journey, not his destination.
- Explains that odysseus' biggest challenge was to resist temptation. the sea nymph, kalypso, wanted to have him as her husband, but all he could think of was home
- Analyzes how odysseus learned that greed would never result in any good. after visiting aiolia, his crew got jealous because they didn't get anything.
- Narrates how odysseus learned humility after escaping the kyklops. he was conceited and yelled at them.
- Analyzes how odysseus learned not to act like a swine because that is what he would become, at least metaphorically.
- Analyzes how odysseus was willing to fight to save all of his men. kirk tells them to sacrifice some of their men, rather than lose them all.
- Analyzes how odysseus realized that family was the most important thing in the world. he resisted kalypso and all the other temptations and became humble to his servant.
- Opines that odysseus would not have been the man he was without the journey home.
1057 wordsRead More - The Thorny Road In Homer's Odysseyopinion essayDespite the fact that the kingdoms could scarcely agree on anything, from food to dress to speech to trade to even legend, all of the denizens of the western world shared faith in one thing: the thorny road. Of course, there was more to it than just thorns, as even an Athenian shepherd could tell you, but it went by that name as a symbol, as a representation of the infinite hardships within them. The road was beyond control, full of the beasts defeated in the past or those yet to attack us. It also contained poisonous plants, and, though full of life, most of the life was things that wanted to strangle everyone that came across it.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the thorny road as a symbol of the hardships within the western world. it was beyond control, full of beasts defeated in the past or those yet to attack us.
- Opines that the road wasn't all bad. every noteworthy hero, hercules, and horus had been across it.
- Opines that nathaniel's map of the forest doesn't match the places, which is a shame, since they left important world-saving artifacts on the road.
- Opines that even though we knew it was over, someone like us will start looking. someone will decide it's worth the risk.
301 wordsRead More