The Poet makes clear Odysseus’s life is about returning home from adventures of war and long treacherous battles, how they are a way of life for him, and he conquerors his enemies and occasionally loses comrades the same. However, this adventure has never been so painful. Odysseus and Penelope battle 20 years of returning home together. Even for this mighty warrior, no preparation could prepare him for the task at hand. He has been a great teacher though; she too is ready for battle. Home has been the greatest fight thus far and the poet takes us through their struggle to get back home.
Book V, illustrates Odysseus longing for home with the encounter of Calypso. “He was sitting out beside the sea weeping, as had been his habit for so
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All while enduring Poseidon’s wrath, he fights his greatest battle ever. Likewise, Odysseus expresses his longing of home in conversations with Alcinous, “All this to ask about the cares that make me groan, and now sorrow will make me groan still more” I can’t imagine a sweeter sight than one’s own land. Calypso, a goddess among goddesses, kept me confined, wanting me to be her husband. Circe, did the same thing holding me back in her halls because she wanted me to be her husband. But they could never prevail over the heart within my breast. It’s so true: nothing can ever surpass the sweetness of one’s native land and parents” (pg. 108 13, …show more content…
Home was the peace they have of reach other. As the poet takes you through each encounter of survival and turmoil, we finally recognize the true meaning of home. Penelope even puts her husband through a final test before she succumbs to him, the wait has been long and treacherous, she has to be sure it truly is Odysseus. This matter of fact attitude and stubbornness enrages Odysseus, for the journey home has been one of great challenge and mental abuse, he cannot wait her to embrace him. The poet does a fair job of capturing us with the reality of never returning to what you consider
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 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.
What are the key points you will want to emphasize in your online profile for Character 1 (3-4 sentences)?
The first part of the simile is when Odysseus is talking about the wonders on his home. He seems to love his home. He is also very found of his home. During the second part of the simile he is comparing his love for his home to a when a swimmer is swimming and how they want to be back on the ground. He is saying that even when a swimmer is swimming he wants to be back on land, where he thinks he belongs. This part was at line 1616, “sun warmed earth is longed for by a swimmer” (Homer 824). In this part of the simile the reader can see how much he truly loves his homeland. With this simile the reader can see how much Odysseys truly loves his
While Odysseus is trapped on Calypso’s Island, he learns that people should have hope even in their most depressing days. Calypso holds Odysseus captive for seven years and he has been eager to get home. When Zeus commands her to release him, Calypso tells Odysseus, “Here you need not grieve no more; you need not feel your life consumed here; I have pondered it, and I shall help you go” (Homer 1.91-93). Odysseus keeps hope and prays that his captivity comes to an end. Although he fears he would be there the rest of his life, he never loses the hope of getting back home and being emancipated. Another example is when Odysseus reveals himself to his wife Penelope when he finally makes it home,but she does not believe it is Odysseus standing before her. When he proves himself to her, “ her knees grew tremulous and her weak, her heart had failed her. With eyes brimming with tears she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, and she kissed him” (Homer 3.501-504). He learns not to lose faith from this when he notices his wife has lost her faith in his return. Penelope is willing to marry again before she realizes Odysseus is back. He learns to keep faith because he is disheartened when his wife has when she denies his presence in the manor. Calypso and Penelope both teach him the lesson of keeping faith in something.
In the Odyssey the people of Ithaca are accustomed to hospitality. In Odysseus’s lengthy journey home he learns to maintain modesty. Odysseus’s family never give up on him throughout his entire 20 year journey, and they kept Ithaca for him when he came back. The Greek values of hospitality, humility, and loyalty are conveyed in The Odyssey.
In this assignment, I will be analyzing the characteristics of Odysseus and Penelope based on Homer and Ovid’s accounts. By exploring this element, we can compare and contrast how Odysseus and Penelope behave in certain situations. Although they have many similarities, they are both different as well, in which each displays a series of their own wisdoms in their encounters.
However, his journey isn’t over yet. This last leg of Odysseus’s journey is perhaps the most important and crucial. Odysseus’s nurse and maidservant, Eurycleia is the first woman in Ithaca to know that Odysseus is back after she recognizes the scar on his leg while she is washing him. Eurycleia vows to keep his identity a secret. Odysseus’s wife, Penelope has stayed faithful to Odysseus for all the years that he was gone. Penelope was consistently unweaving her web to the delay the suitors. The reader even grows sympathetic for Penelope as “we see her struggle to make the virtuous choice about her marriage, despite pressures from her suitors, her son’s endangered situation, and her own uncertainty about Odysseus’s survival” (Foley ). Finally, Odysseus reveals his identity and Penelope is bewildered, but quickly embraces her husband after he tells her the secret of their immovable bed. It is the faithfulness of Penelope and nurse Eurycleia that insures Odysseus’s survival to the very end.
Odysseus has been away from home for nearly two decades and is being held captive by the Nymph Calypso. Calypso is holding Odysseus on her island for her sensational desires. Odysseus yearns to get home, it deeply saddens him that he has been away for his kingdom, home, and family. Odysseus says “Yet, it is true, each day I long for home, long for the sight of home.” (X 228-229). By this he means that he never stops thinking about home and his wife, Penelope. Ithaka is constantly on his mind. He will do anything to see his home or to touch foot on its soil. An epithet showing Odysseus’ determination is “much-enduring” (VII 107) . By Homer calling Odysseus to much-enduring he is saying Odysseus can handle anything and everything, which goes to make him extremely determined. To endure is to continue through tough times, determination is the trait that posses endurance. This endurance and yearning for home makes Odysseus
...lts of the insolent suitors in his own home. The anger of Odysseus is only matched by Telemachus whose restraint is forcefully elevated in order to hamper his new mature instinct of defending his father. Meanwhile, Odysseus is forced to couple this with control over holding his love, Penelope, in his arms. Yet, both characters are able to avoid the impediments and at last battle side by side against their foes.
“The Odyssey” is an epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus and the story of his many travels and adventures. The Odyssey tells the main character’s tale of his journey home to the island of Ithaca after spending ten years fighting in the Trojan War, and his adventures when he returns home and he is reunited with his family and close friends. This literary analysis will examine the story and its characters, relationships, major events, symbols and motifs, and literary devices.
Throughout the book every time and after he conquers the new challenges Odysseus answers the question, which is repeated throughout, with a different answer. Each time he conquers a challenge on his journey home he learns a new lesson towards humility and answers with a new perspective. “‘I am no god,’ said the patient, good Odysseus. ‘Why do you take me for an immortal? But I am your father, on whose account you have endured so much sorrow and trouble and suffered persecution at men’s hand.’”(P 214 L 186-189) Although he is viewed by many people as very god-like Odysseus realizes that he is an ordinary man and is not a god. Odysseus’ desire to return home is another example that makes him an everyman. In this epic tale the word home had a double meaning for the hero. Home was where his family was and where he wanted to be. The physical element of being home and with his family was a huge deal for him. The other meaning of home was being safe and secure. His aspiration to return home and to return to his safety in sometimes shows that he is also a rather weak man. It is a human instinct to want to go home and stay safe instead of always being brave and
Often times in life we search for a companion, someone to share our love and life with. Odysseus and Penelope's lasting relationship is an obvious representation of love in the Odyssey. Although Odysseus is gone for twenty years he never forgets his faithful wife in Ithaca. This love helps him persevere through the many hardships that he encounters on his journey home. Penelope also exemplifies this same kind of love for Odysseus. At home in Ithaca, she stays loyal to Odysseus by unraveling his shroud and delaying her marriage to the suitors that are courting her. She always keeps the hope that her love, Odysseus, will return. Odysseus and Penelope's marriage clearly illustrates the theme of love.
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.
Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek story that follows the journey of its primary character, Odysseus, back to his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus encounters many challenges in his journey home, from encounters with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the witch Circe and even the ghosts of dead Greeks. Meanwhile, his household in Ithaca is being threatened by suitors of his wife, Penelope, all wanting to inherit Odysseus’ possessions in the belief that he was already dead. Like many epic heroes, Odysseus possesses many admirable qualities. Three good characteristics of Odysseus are—cleverness, bravery and strength—here are some supporting instances from the epic that demonstrates Odysseus possession of such characteristics.