The Epic Of The Odyssey - 1694 Words

The Odyssey is a epic Greek poem written by the poet Homer. The poem takes place after the ten year Trojan war, and the main hero of the poem is the war hero Odyssey, King of Ithaca, and his long, perilous journey home to his wife and son. The poem takes place ten years after the Trojan war, and Odysseus hasn’t returned home from the war where he had successfully fought. Odysseus son Telemachus is a bright, brave, 20 years old who is living in his father s house on the island of Ithaca with his mother Penelope and a crowd of 108 young men, the Suitors, whose goal is to persuade Penelope to marry one of them. A main character in the poem is the goddess Athena, who plays the role of Odysseus’s guide and protector. She requests to†¦show more content†¦Penelope overhears their plot and worries for her son s life. The second part of the poem tells the story of Odysseus. After he has spent seven years in captivity on Ogygia, the island of Calypso, she falls in love with him, even though he has spurned her advances. Calypso is finally convinced to release him by Odysseus great-grandfather, the messenger god Hermes, who has been sent by Zeus in response to Athena s plea. Odysseus crafts a raft and is given provisions by Calypso. When Poseidon learns that Odysseus has escaped, he wrecks the ship, but, aided by a veil given to him by a sea nymph, Odysseus swims to shore to the island of the Phaeacians. Tired and exhausted, he hides and falls asleep. The next morning, awakened by the laughter of girls, he sees Nausicaa, who has gone with her maids to wash clothes after Athena told her in a dream to do so. He asks her for help. She tells him to seek the hospitality of her parents, Arete and Alcinous. Odysseus is welcomed and is not asked his name. He remains for several days, takes part in a pentathlon, and hears the singer Demodocus recite two poems. The first is an incident of the Trojan War, called the Quarrel of Odysseus and Achilles; the other poem is a tale of a love affair between two gods, Ares and Aphrodite. Finally, Odysseus asks Demodocus to return to theShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of The Odyssey Essay942 Words   |  4 Pageswith adversity in order to get there. However, compared to Odysseus in The Odyssey, who is strong, but untrusting, we will soon see that Sunjata is not only a man but a hero. In both texts we see each man adored by many and even compar ed to Gods like Odysseus in The Odyssey. However, when we break down the words of each epic we are faced to confront the truths of what a hero really is. This claim explains why The Odyssey expresses a false sense of heroism whereas Sunjata gives the audience and exampleRead MoreThe Epic Of The Odyssey1192 Words   |  5 Pagescrisis; I personally wait and panic around 5:30 in the evening. Nonetheless, the question in figuring out one’s own identity has plagued humanity from the beginning of time and continues to affect even the culture of today. Found in the Greek epic The Odyssey, the title character’s son Telemachus confronts a multitude of outside difficulties, which in turn progresses his journey to find himself. In extension, more recent works including â€Å"Living with Integrity†, an essay by Bob Barret, encapsulatesRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Odyssey1636 Words   |  7 PagesThe Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odysseus both are poems that have si nce early times been viewed as stories that teach the reader valuable life lessons, almost like a self-help book in today’s society. They both teach a lot of the same general lessons but there are some key similarities and differences throughout both works. 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A tragic plot is a perfect plot that is connectedRead MoreThe Epic Poem The Odyssey 1459 Words   |  6 PagesHospitality has been around and important to cultures for almost forever. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, there are many themes, but the theme of hospitality reoccurs throughout the entire epic. This epic takes place in Ancient Greece after the Trojan War. The main character, Odysseus, is on a journey back home to Ithaca after being away for ten years. Along the way, he must make stops and stays in the homes of the different people during his journey. The individuals that are hosting the stranger