The Greek mythology is – and always was – a synonym for incredibly silly gossip. Here is such a pathetic effort from the bottom drawer of the storage cabinet that houses antique junk. As a special annoyance to us archers, bow and arrow have been misused in the plot for a silly trick shot, as we learn from that insane story. The myth called ‘Odyssey’ is the second epic besides the ‘Iliad’ that is attributed to the poet Homer. Written down in the late 8th century, the Odyssey belongs to the oldest and most influential works of the cultural heritage of literature in the Occident. This gives the part of bow and arrow, contained in this grotesque and shoddy tale, an elevated level of importance. Odysseus was ruling over Ithaca, an island in the Ionian Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean Sea. He was married to Penelope and they had a son named Telemachus. The long lasting war against Troy kept him away from home, wife and child, for many years. The Greeks were not able to reach inside the town of Troy, yet they finally succeeded through cunning and trickery. Some of their soldiers cramped themselves in a wooden horse, which was constructed in just three days with the help of the goddess Athena. They placed the oversized nag before the city gate and feigned their withdrawal. The Trojans thought that it was a farewell gift from the Greeks to their god Poseidon, who had supported them in the battle. The Troy soldiers neglected the warning calls of Cassandra and pulled the horse into the town, perhaps with the intention to insult Poseidon, who was not very well respected in Troy. At night, the hidden soldiers crept from the horse, opened the town gates and the Greek troops stormed in. Odysseus thought that this was his own bril... ... middle of paper ... ...h endless repetitions, even when participating in a nymph’s favorite pastime, and Odysseus left. According to Homer, this wild lifestyle remained childless. After the time of Homer, this was somewhat corrected and children were added, resulting from this seven-year-long party in the cave. Apollodorus, one of the archetypes of a rainbow press journalist, had named Latinus as a son of Odysseus and Calypso and totally ignored that he was already the son of Kirke. Hesiod, another one who prefers gossip over facts, is blustering about two sons, Nausithoos and Nausinoos. This was probably the version that came to the ears of Penelope. In summary: This is one of the stories, constructed in a totally confused fashion, as we know them in great numbers from the Greek mythology; an antique myth-hoax, including the famous (and impossible) arrow shot contained therein.
As well as having courage and bravery, Odysseus is also a strong warrior and leader. Living as king of Ithaca, he leads his fleet of warriors across Poseidon’s sea into a great battle against the Trojans. It is here where Odysseus and his fleet of warriors defeated the Trojans because of his great leadership. Knowing that he cannot defeat the Trojans from outside the immense walls, he comes up with a different plan. A plan that will get him through the walls with a little help from Poseidon. He makes a giant wooden horse (Trojan Horse) and has a person present it as a gift to accept a peace with them. The Trojans accept the gift and open the walls for the horse, not knowing that inside the horse was Odysseus and a small fleet of soldiers. The Trojans had a great celebration for what they thought was a victory. As the Trojans finally went to sleep, Odysseus and his fleet crept out of the horse and completely slaughtered the Trojans in a very bloody battle.
This shows that Odysseus’ self-serving nature extends beyond material greed into the equally sinful realm of pride. In a classic display of hubris, Odysseus taunts the Cyclopes fulfilling the sole purpose of stroking Odysseus’s ego. At first it appears that our hero is lacking foresight, but Odysseus tells Polyphemus his name in hopes that tales of his cunning will spread throughout Greece: a very selfish goal, directly resulting in the endangerment of the lives of both him and his men throughout the remainder of their travels.
Odysseus returns home and seeks revenge on the suitors that plague his wife. In order for him to be successful with the revenge he must use his cunning, knowledge of battle and his desire to be with his wife Penelope.
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.
James Tiberius Kirk is a name that reigns throughout the entities of space; a fearless leader traveling throughout the galaxies on a mission of peace and conquest. Kirk battles countless species of aliens and encounters numerous walks of life in the Milky Way. While Captain Kirk is a very pragmatic leader, he is, at times, very boisterous and boastful; one could say that he is a modern day Narcissus. After reading this description, it occurs to me that James Tiberius Kirk is not a modern day Narcissus; however, it occurs to me that the prominent theme of a former Greek Hero who, with a few finely- tuned words could easily fit this description. His name you ask? Odysseus.
The first place Odysseus goes after the war is the land of the Ciconians. He and his men raid the island and destroy the village. However the next day, more Ciconians arrive and defeat Odysseus and his men. Several men are killed, and Odysseus experiences his first of many sorrows and tribulations. Next, the hero goes to the land of the lotus-eaters. Some of his men eat the lotus plant and instantly want to stay there and never leave. Odysseus manages to get his men away from the island, and they leave.
Throughout the tale, Telemachus continually grows into the role of a confident, clever and wise young man, striving to live up to his reputation as Odysseus’ son and Prince of Ithaca. His mother, and Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, is a symbol of marital fidelity, having waited for her husband’s return for twenty long years and refusing to succumb to the Suitors demands that she marry one of them, and instead employing trickery and subterfuge to evade their pressing stipulations. In stark contrast, the Suitors are very static characters, neither growing nor changing in character development throughout the tale. Both Telemachus and Penelope are dynamic characters because their characters grow, develop and change. Through the reading of this epic poem of Odysseus’ ten-year journey, we also gain a keen insight into ancient Greek society, and the social expectations one might encounter. The Greeks were very hospitable and very welcoming, even to foreign outsiders. There is also a great presence of both aristocracy and patriarchy in action appearing in this tale, both key aspects of ancient Greek
Telemachus has many experiences on his journey to manhood. In Ithaca while Odysseus is gone Penelope is being plagued with suitors asking for her hand in marriage. Telemachus sees what a nuisance they are to his mother, and how much they are taking from his father’s palace. He wants to put a stop to this and comes to the conclusion that he must find his father, or at least some information
...ocial structure of a defunct culture that was just as complex, if not more complex, than our own. It defined and sustained Greek society for hundreds of years; much like the Bible once did in Christian nations. Yet, despite its archaic nature, The Odyssey remains fresh two and a half millennia after its conception. Homer's world has woven the fantastic together with the ordinary in such a way that it will never fall apart. In a significant sense, The Odyssey is immortal.
The Odyssey of Homer was written during Homer’s lifetime during the eighth century BC. The Odyssey is classified as an epic and without a doubt is because it focuses on the main concerns of the genre. The creative form I chose to discuss that is constantly engaged by the Greeks was imagery within tragedy and the epic they have demonstrated their mastery of the device. Imagery within tragedy adds a necessary and otherwise unattainable sub-story to the epic. In this essay, three examples of the imagery of this epic will be examined and contrasted between an online scholar video of the Odyssey retold.
Hu•bris /ˈ(h)yo͞obris/ noun: excessive pride or self-confidence. Hubris is believed to be the most serious of all seven deadly sins. Some say it was the original sin that led to all others. A word with such loathsome synonyms like arrogance, conceit, haughtiness, pomposity, and egotism was seen as one of the worst possible sins in Greek culture. They believed that no matter your social status those who exhibited it were destined to fall down into damnation. Yet some Grecian heroes seemed to ooze hubris in the form of confidence or cockiness. There was a fine line between the two that they should never cross. One hero in particular showed this sin on more than one account. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus, shows the sinful trait of hubris, in the form of cockiness when he talks to Polythemus, his crewmen, his wife, and his son.
In the article “Stories of the Trojan War,” it talks about how the gods are raged by the disobedience of the mortals which caused uproar during the time (Peabody). One of the gods that seemed to have a raging authority was Poseidon, god of the sea. He made the journey of Odysseus very hard. For instance, Poseidon would make the sea’s rage, blew Odysseus and his crew off track, and last he strikes them with thunder. That ultimately destroys the crew; except for Odysseus who is left stranded until found by Calypso (Puchner). The actual cause of Poseidon’s anger was due to the fact that Odysseus had killed Poseidon’s son, Polyphemus in a horrific manner. Also, because Odysseus was not appreciative of the fact that Poseidon helped keep his secret of his plot to invade with the
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.
... those phaeacians who have helped Odysseus to return home. And for Calypso, she tried to offer Odysseus the immortal life and promising him to be his eternal wife, but Odysseus’s love for his wife Penelope pushes him to fight for his return
There is a copious amount of major characters in the story. Some of them include Odysseus, the main character, who is a soldier and returns home after a twenty-year absence. Some of his family includes Laertes, his father, Penelope, his wife, and Telemachus, his son. There are many gods that Odysseus must battle on his journey home, including Zeus, who is said to be father of all gods, and Poseidon, the god of the ocean who punishes Odysseus and his crew by giving them a very difficult trip home after they blind his son, Polyphemus, or the Cyclops by blinding him after stabbing him in the eye. Another major character is Calypso, a sea goddess who is in love with Odysseus.