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The Odyssey Summary and Analysis

Home » Literature Explained – Literary Synopses and Book Summaries » The Odyssey » The Odyssey Summary and Analysis

The Odyssey Summary – Introduction

The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the celebrated Greek poet in approximately 700 B.C. The companion poem to The Odyssey is The Iliad which was published around 750 B.C. This work follows the brave and famed hero, Odysseus, who is trapped far away from his family with the nymph Calypso.

Held hostage out of obsessive love, Odysseus is unable to return home to his family in Ithaca. In his absence, a team of suitors take up residence at his palace and attempt to court his wife and murder his son, usurping Odysseus’s rulership. However, the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus intervene on his behalf and after a series of trials and grand adventures, he is able to return home and restore order.

Literary Elements

Type of Work: Poem

Genres: Epic  

Published Date: Unknown, but estimated to be written around the year 700 B.C.  

Setting: Greece during what is known as the Bronze Age, twelfth/thirteenth century B.C.  

Main Characters: Odysseus, Telemachus, Athena, Penelope

Protagonist/Hero: Odysseus

Antagonist: Many monsters and evil forces threaten Odysseus’s journey back home. A mob of evil suitors waits for him at home, pillaging his palace and trying to court his wife and murder his son.  

Major Thematic Elements: The power of the mind over physical strengths; the dangers of temptation; the dangers of isolation; how maturity comes from trials and triumphs  

Motifs: Characters in disguise; storytelling traditions; temptress characters

Exposition: It has been 10 years since the fall of Troy and the people of Ithaca are still awaiting the return of their hero, Odysseus. A mob of suitors have overrun his palace and are courting his wife, Penelope. However, she does everything she can to remain faithful to her husband, believing he will return, despite their plots to take control of Odysseus’s kingdom by any means necessary.

Conflict: Odysseus has to get home to get rid of the suitors who are trying to win over his wife and take control of his kingdom. His son, Telemachus, is faced with the need to mature early to protect his family’s honor and to secure his place as ruler of Ithaca should his father not return home.

Plot: Chronological, jumping between Odysseus’s current location and his home in Ithaca

Major Symbols: Food and feasts; Odysseus’s bow; characterizations of temptation

Climax: The beggar in the palace reveals his identity as Odysseus in Book 22.

Literary Significance of The Odyssey

Furthermore, audiences of all ages throughout the millennia have enjoyed stories in which brave heroes face insurmountable challenges and then preserve. The thematic elements of The Odyssey speak to the triumph of good over evil and that even a human man can withstand temptations and persevere until he is reunited with what is important to him. This speaks to the boldness of the human spirit, which is always a winning idea in literature. Historically speaking, the poem also conveys a nice peak at the values that were important to ancient Greeks.

Homer’s Odyssey Summary

However, Odysseus is still alive and is being kept from returning home by the nymph Calypso. She has fallen into an obsessive love for the brave hero and is keeping him captive on her island, Ogygia. Although he wants to return home to his family, he has no way to take on the journey, being utterly alone and without a crew to help him sail.

While Odysseus is held captive, the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus are debating his fate. His strongest supporter in Mount Olympus is the goddess Athena. She decides she will take the charge to protect his son, Telemachus. She arrives to Odysseus’s palace disguised as a friend of Telemachus’ grandfather, Laertes. She convinces Telemachus to call an assembly during which he will condemn the mob of suitors. Afterwards, he is convinced to embark on a journey to appeal to some powerful friends of Odysseus, the kings Pylos and Menelaus, of Pylos and Sparta. Through his travels, he learns that Odysseus is alive and well, but trapped on Ogygia. While Telemachus returns home, Antinous and the other suitors are preparing to ambush and kill him as he returns to port in Ithaca.

He spends the night telling them of his travels and all the interesting creatures and foes he met along the way. When he finishes, they make good on their promise and deliver him safely home. For safety, Athena has disguised him as a lowly beggar upon his arrival. His old friend Eumaeus receives him warmly, unaware of his true identity. Before long, he encounters his son and reveals his true identity to him. Telemachus was able to survive the ambush of the suitors and the two work together to plan a massacre of the suitors and regain control of the palace.

The next day, Odysseus shows up at the palace, still disguised as the beggar. Although he is mocked and abused by most of the people present in the palace, his wife, Penelope, takes interest in him and suspects he may be more than what he seems. Picking up on the fact that this beggar may be her husband in disguise, she decides to organize an archery contest the following day. She promises to marry any man who is able to string Odysseus’s bow and accurately shoot an arrow through a row of twelve axes. During the contest, none of the suitors are able to make this happen. Odysseus takes up the task, still under disguise. He turns his bow on the suitors and Telemachus leaps into action and together they kill each suitor.

After this is accomplished, Odysseus reveals his identity to who is left at the palace. He is able to reunite with his wife, and then he visits his father, Laertes. The family members come to attack them, consumed with thoughts of vengeance. Laertes, however, is so overjoyed at his son’s return that he musters the energy to fend off the attackers. Once again, Athena arrives to restore peace after these long trials. Finally, Odysseus is able to control full power of his kingdom once more and to be peacefully reunited with his family.

Odysseus Adventures and Fate Essay

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Introduction

A brief summary of the odyssey, odysseus as the ruler of ithaca, works cited.

The main character of the epic poem Odyssey is Odysseus, the ruler of Ithaca and the brave warrior who is ready to do everything possible and impossible to return home to his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. Some gods do not seem to be very generous and prevent Odysseus’s returning home. The companions and friends that accompany the main hero on his way experience the same difficulties as Odysseus. Though he is courageous and fearless, he dislikes being deceived by gods that promised to leave him and let him go to his native land. The family of the main character consists of a wife Penelope and a son Telemachus who was only a month when Odysseus went to the Trojan War.

On his way home Odysseus faces dangers and difficulties, he is forced to fight with cruel creatures and to resist temptation of abandoning the thoughts of home. The main character of the Odyssey encounters a great number of problems and mean people and gods that tend to hinder him to turn back to his kingdom, however, he meets a lot of people that help him and provide him and his companions with water and food.

As the most important goal of the protagonist is to come back home and see his family, he acts in accordance with his principles and against the gods’ decisions and desires. The only goddess protecting Odysseus is Athena who recognized in Odysseus a male person identical to herself, so, she feels urgent to carry of him as of her own son. Odysseus was creative and capable of great endurance, and the gods paid heed to him, and it was due to his temper (Moore 1). However, it turned out that being gods’ favorite is not enough because the fate can change your position in society as well as can change the wind that was supposed to bring you home.

Odysseus is a brave warrior who finds himself at Trojan War, though he did not want to participate in that battle. After ten years of the war, Odysseus sets off in order to return home where a beloved wife Penelope and a son Telemachus are waiting for him, but he does not know that his adventures will last for ten more years; so, the whole journey of Odysseus took about twenty years. The kingdom of Ithaca is the native land of Odysseus who is the ruler of this land which “breeds brave men” (Homer and Mackail 68) and these men would not change their native land to any earthly blessings. Some actions of Odysseus at war were not valued by gods, so, he had to suffer from severe temper of Zeus and Poseidon who were doing everything in order to prevent him returning home. As Odysseus travels along the seas, he meets many people and various creatures. Some of people and creatures he encounters are kind and generous while others are cruel and mean because they try to either captivate Odysseus as Calypso did or kill and eat him and his friends as Cyclops tried to do.

Nevertheless, Odysseus happened to be under Athena’s protection and all his adventures where he could find himself in danger were not difficult because the great goddess helped him in his every task when it did not cross the pass of Zeus or Poseidon. The goddess’s favorite, Odysseus was lucky and brave, his temper and persistence on the way to his goal made him a courageous leader and a wise ruler. Moreover, when Odysseus finally returned home, he found his house full of his wife’s admirers that would not leave the treasures of that land; this was the reason they wanted to marry Penelope who did not want to believe that Odysseus would not come back from the war.

As “[b]ook 9 of the Odyssey contains the first flashback in the western literature” (Matthews and Platt 46), it is necessary to take into account the story narrated by Odysseus about his adventures in the cave of the goddess Calypso and on the island of Cyclopes. Though Odysseus was a wise ruler of the kingdom of Ithaca and a brave warrior, he could do nothing with mighty gods that tried to kill him and destroy his fleet. The main character was brave enough to struggle his whole life but he was not sure that his kingdom, his people, and his family would manage to cope without him. Thus, Odysseus decided to participate in the unequal battle between his temper and brevity and mighty Olympic gods that were considered to be the strongest ones in order to achieve his goal and return to Ithaca. However, he did not know that gods had prepared a great number of ordeals that the main hero had to undergo.

So, the first adventure led Odysseus to the island where a beautiful goddess ruled because she was ordered by Zeus to release Odysseus after seven years of captivity. Calypso was admirable and charming, though she was not going to simply help the main hero because she wanted to make him stay on her island and forget his native Ithaca, his friends, and family. Calypso tried to captivate Odysseus and force him to marry her. However, her plan turned out to be a failure for the Ithacan ruler would not agree to change his family and country for a “splendid (a) home he may have in a foreign country” (Homer and Mackail 68). Although Calypso was a goddess, she did not manage either to force him marry her and live with her on the island in her cave or to capture and make him stay against his will. As we all know, a woman’s desire can cause a great number of troubles and she becomes furious when not having what she wants the most.

The next journey which was a real ordeal for Odysseus on his way to native Ithaca was the island of Cyclopes. These creatures were created as separate ones and they lived in harmony and did not have to work as the land was fertile and rich in harvests. On this island travelers wanted to have some rest and met a Cyclops who wanted to eat them instead. However, it is necessary to take pity on the Cyclops who had found strangers in his cave that ate his provisions and tried to steal everything that he was accumulating.

In this case, Odysseus and his friends were acting like genuine thieves and they deserved for being punished. The work should be appreciated regardless whether this work is performed by human beings or other creatures, though Odysseus and his companions decided to use the ‘hospitality’ of Polyphemus. It turned out that Odysseus and his crew did not realize the appearance and nature of the genuine owner of the cave. Nevertheless, they should not have entered the dwelling of a stranger in the absence of the owner, it was wrong to think that the creature whose cave was enormous and stocks of food were as large as were enough to feed the whole crew would let miserable people escape with his provisions. Odysseus let Polyphemus the wine from his ship and blinded him with a heated spear in order to escape from the cave of the Cyclops and not to be eaten by the Cyclops.

As you can see, journeys of the Ithacan ruler were successful and unsuccessful, though every time he found a way from the difficult situation he found himself in. Different creatures, gods, and goddesses were trying to prevent his returning to Ithaca, though their attempts failed because of his temper and brevity. Odysseus saw a lot of strange things which can be considered common for ancient mythology and he turned out to be a wise leader and a fearless friend.

Gods and goddesses are an integral part of the ancient mythology; they are embodiment of people’s hopes, fears, desires, and beliefs. Gods play an important role in the development of Odysseus’s character as their tasks and problems set for the main hero make him stronger both mentally and spiritually. Some gods are likely to help Ithacan ruler, while others do everything to destroy him and make him suffer because of deaths of his friends and people he appreciate. Thus, Odysseus’s crew was doomed to experience the same difficulties as their leader because they were together with him.

Zeus was obsessed to destroy Odysseus’s fleet and make him struggle for the right to return home to his family because Odysseus did not admit that he would not win the Trojan War without the help of gods. Though Odysseus did not want to participate in the Trojan War, he had to do this because he was a brave man and all brave men fought on that war. The reason of the Trojan War was a woman who was taken away from her home. This fact was outrageous and courageous warriors from all parts of the world had come to fight for the beautiful woman and the genuine rights of a wife.

Poseidon had his reasons for taking vengeance on Odysseus because the latter had blinded his son Polyphemus, the Cyclops. Though Odysseus was favored by the goddess of wisdom, Athena could not help him with such mighty gods as Zeus and Poseidon. Athena was trying to make the Ithacan ruler take appropriate decisions in certain situations as well as influenced his son and son’s decisions. Athena is Odysseus’ companion, his deity-counterpart. She is able of taking any appearance, “to take on strategic disguises in order to slip out of the traps set for him along the way”; ability of being in disguise appears to be a powerful weapon of the hero. Finally the main character turns to Ithaca; only disguise helped him to take the matters into his hands (Hawhee 51).

Gods and goddesses play an important role in the fate of the main character; their interventions prevent him from reaching his goal or help him in achieving it. So, throughout the story Odysseus demonstrates that gods control the lives of mortals and regardless of their brevity and temper; mortals should esteem gods and their benevolence. Athena treats Odysseus as her counterpart in the male body. She does everything possible in order to help the Ithacan ruler to come home and embrace his wife and a son. Telemachus is the son of Odysseus; he experiences the help of a wise goddess as well as his father because Athena found his strength and brevity similar to those possessed by Odysseus.

The next phase described in the book by homer is the process of returning home. Though this process took the whole book to describe all adventures and events faced by the main character, it is necessary to emphasize the moment when the hero came back home and found it full of uninvited guests. These people appeared to be the admirers of Penelope’s beauty and Odysseus’s kingdom’s richness. Telemachus was too young to make them leave their home, though led by Athena’s prompts he found strength in himself and set off to search for his father.

Penelope is the wife of Odysseus; she is beautiful and she is the mistress of the great kingdom. As all people believe that Odysseus would never return home, she became a nice bit of goods for those who wanted to get the kingdom of Ithaca. Penelope was influenced by the great goddess when she decided to introduce an examination of the most appropriate applicant to be her husband in the form of a contest. The task was to twang the bow of Odysseus and aim a target through twelve axes. As the bow was tight, no one managed to perform at least a half of the task, though a bagger came and fulfilled the requirements of the contest.

As only Athena knew that this bagger was Odysseus, people in the yard did not recognize him. When everything was over, Penelope made out a trick in order to check whether the strange really was her husband. She made an attempt to deceive him and told her nurse to “take his bed outside the bed chamber that he himself built. Bring the bed outside this room, and put bedding upon it with fleeces, good coverlets, and blankets” (Homer and Mackail 189). These words made Odysseus angry and he told everything about this house and the bed chamber. When Penelope had heard what he told her, she realized that this man was her husband. I believe that such feelings can be based only on pure love and mutual trust. If you can trust your significant other, you can be considered Odysseus and Penelope of the modern time.

Gods and goddesses can influence the lives of mortals, though they did not manage to defeat the brave temper of Odysseus. All attempts to make Odysseus abandon his idea to return home were not successful as his desire to embrace his family was stronger that the power of gods. Though Odysseus is an ancient hero, we can take into account his mistakes and not underestimate the power of fate.

Hawhee, Debra. Bodily Arts: Rhetoric and Athletics in Ancient Greece . University of Texas Press, 2004

Homer, and John William Mackail. The Odyssey . Plain Label Books, 1932

Matthews, Roy T., and DeWitt Platt. Readings in the Western Humanities. Sixth Edition. Volume One. New York: McGraw-Hill 2007

Moore, Rees John. “Voyaging with Odysseus: The Wile and Resilience of Virtue”. Humanitas 13(1), 2000

• Short Summary
• Summary & Analysis
• Literary Devices and Symbols
• Questions & Answers
• Homer: Biography
• The Concept of Myths in Cultures
• Myths: Daphne and Ahalya. Greek and Indian Culture Mythology
• Odysseus' Personal Qualities and the Epic Hero Image
• Odysseus and Athena Comparison as Liars
• Gods and Humans in "The Odyssey" by Homer
• The Mythical Villains: Gilgamesh, Ravana and Oedipus
• “Medea” by Euripides: Tragedy Outlook
• Ovid’s Metamorphoses Analysis
• Athena’s Help to Odysseus by Means of Disguises
• Modern Myth: Seneca Indians Creation Myths
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Bibliography

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Odysseus - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s Odyssey, is a complex character whose cunning, loyalty, and enduring spirit have been extensively explored in literature and arts. Essays might delve into Odysseus’s character traits, his interactions with other characters, and his journey’s symbolic implications. Additionally, discussions could explore the varied interpretations and representations of Odysseus across different cultures and historical periods. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to Odysseus you can find in Papersowl database. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Is Odysseus a True Hero?

Odysseus was a true hero, he showed this through courage and determination and in many other ways. In book one Odysseus shows a great amount of bravery. Combining with his extreme strength, bravery, and high level of intelligence shows how he has supernatural abilities. His bravery comes in to play extremely in book 1 because he fought very well in the trojan war. His troops left him in the middle of the war and he stayed and fought and ended […]

Odysseus Leadership

In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is faced with many daunting obstacles. With each obstacle, Odysseus evolves and reveals strong leadership qualities. The abundance of leadership protects Odysseus and his crew and allows Odysseus to return to Ithaca; therefore, Odysseus represents an ideal leader because he conveys an immense amount of compassion, cunning intelligence, and extensive bravery. To begin, Odysseus shows endless consideration for all of his men which makes him a strong leader. He always looks out for his […]

Greek Values in the Odyssey

Many Greek rhapsodes have been telling the world about the story of The Odyssey, by Homer. This story was written and peaked in a time of believing in many gods and Greek values. These values in one way or another have crept into The Odyssey. Odysseus has set the example of a Hero's Journey during the poem, but not only is he going through the Journey, but teaches Greek values such as Xenia, Nostos,don't defy the gods, and Kleos, through […]

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Examples of Odysseus being a Good Leader

DO's Of Being a Good Leader DO USE INGENUITY WHEN FIGHTING YOUR ENEMIES: Odysseus showed good leadership when he saved the remaining men from his crew from the cyclops. In order to do this, he hid his men in cattle to escape from the cyclops. In the Odyssey, Odysseus states, I tied them [rams] silently together then slung a man under each middle one to ride there safely, shielded left and right. This shows how Odysseus came up with a […]

Odysseus in Book 9

In book 9 of the Odyssey, Odysseus uses trickery to escape the cave of the Cyclops, and once he escapes, reveals himself. He always portrays himself as self-absorbed because of his knowledge, experience, and actions. Odysseus tricked a wine drunk and blind Cyclops, humiliated him by killing his goat, then taunted him from the safety of his ship. I believe Odysseus' actions came from strictly fear and flaunt. He can be viewed as being self involved, so it would only […]

The Role of Women in the Odyssey

In Homer's The Odyssey, there are a number of women presented in the storyline from goddesses, lower-class women, to upper-class women. Throughout his journey, Odysseus interacts with a number of female figures that reveal the nature of women in Ancient Greece. The characters of The Odyssey show the respect of mortal women that women were respected and regarded in their society. The text shows examples of how women were treated as second-class citizens but also foreshadows the changes in gender […]

Is Odysseus a Hero?

A hero, by definition, is a person who is is admired or idealized for having noble qualities. Anyone, no matter shape or size, can be a hero as long as they are selfless, noble, smart, and can think through situations to make the best possible decision. Though many people view Odysseus, main character of the Odyssey, as a hero, he is anything but. Odysseus is not a hero due to his two traits of arrogance and selfishness. During the entire […]

Is Odysseus a Good Leader

“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others,” said Douglas MacArthur. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus shows these traits and many more during his journey home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War. Odysseus must brave monsters, Cyclopes, giants and more, but he is devoted to returning home to his wife and son. Though only Odysseus makes it home in the […]

The Penelopiad and the Odyssey

Have you ever heard of the saying, There are two sides to every story? All throughout reading The Penelopiad, I had to keep this saying in mind, in recognizition of Homer's, The Odyssey. Homer and his wonderful storytelling skill absolutely glorified Odysseus' heroism, yet I found that there wasn't enough proper insight into the victims of his venegence. What Margaret Atwood set out to do through her The Penelopiad was to offer an alternate perspective of the events in Ithaca […]

Events Experienced by Odysseus

The Odyssey is a well-known poem written by a Greek writer Homer and is considered as one of the most ancient masterpieces of literature. The story of the poem takes place when Odysseus, the brave and strategic warrior fought in the Trojan War in Troy for ten years in Ancient Greece. While away, Odysseus faced many challenges at sea. He went through a lot including being held captive for many years by the gods, especially by Calypso, a charming goddess […]

Odysseus: the Complex Hero of Homer’s Odyssey

As I read Homer's Odyssey the main character, Odysseus is the person that only tries to please himself. Even though Odysseus obtains the trust of his men, he fails his risk of the journey home. Multiple times in the epic Odysseus handles others, perpetrate in immoral acts and brimful of hubris. He was the kind of person tries to take accelerated way because of that men were murdered and his boats demolished. Odysseus was the man that would only satisfy […]

The Odyssey Books Summary

Book 1 10 years after the Trojan War, Odysseus still has not returned home. By this time, his son Telemachus has grown up and his wife, Penelope has gained many suitors that want his family’s wealth. The suitors dishonor Odysseus and his family by eating all of the family’s livestock. Odysseus has been missing for a long time, so people try to take advantage of his absence by winning over Penelope. They think Odysseus is probably dead. Athena likes Odysseus […]

About Odysseus’ Qualities

The Odyssey reveals six dominant traits of Odysseus that either exemplify his heroism or cause him many problems. Through his long, adventurous and ultimately successful quest back home, Odysseus’ traits of determination, righteousness, and cleverness exemplify his heroism. First, his determination: He always did whatever it took to get back home and no matter how difficult the circumstances. He showed amazing strength and never gave up. While this was demonstrated in several ways, one of the strongest instances was on […]

Comparison of Modern Hero Thor and Odysseus

History tells us how one becomes a hero and how unique their journey is. This essay emphasis on comparing the journeys of two well-known heroes, a modern hero Thor and Odysseus a great hero from Greek Mythology. Odysseus is also named “a man of many turns” and Thor is known for "god of thunder” both are endured for a long, tough journey to find wisdom. Thor is a hammer using god who associates with lightning, thunder, and storm with a […]

The Story of Odysseus Moral Lessons

"The story of Odysseus is a long, perilous, and meaningful tale depicting journeys only the most courageous would partake in. I guess that's the point right? Odysseus is a marvelous Greek hero. Odysseus has many traits that are sought after and praised in Greek culture. The reason he is wanted so, is because he doesn't just use his strengths for himself, but instead he helps better the lives of those around him. During, ""The Odyssey"", through dangerous trials and harrowing […]

Odysseus’ Journey in Homer’s the Odyssey

As said by Arthur Ashe, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome”. People tend to think the goal is everything, but the goal or the destination could not exist without the journey there. Journeys teach things that cannot be learned after reaching a destination. It is what occurs during traveling that is important for the outcome. Odysseus’ journey shaped him into the man he was when arriving back home, he could […]

Loyalty in the Odyssey

In the novel The Odyssey by Homer, characters in the book are found to have an abundance of loyalty. For a few examples penelope to odysseus, telemachus odysseus and a few more. Homer develops this message by putting the characters through situations where loyalty will be important. There are also examples of disloyalty in the book and there are certain consequences also. Penelope shows many signs of loyalty towards Odysseus. For many years Odysseus is away from home and during […]

Odysseus is an Epic Hero and Example of being a Leader

An epic hero is an example of being a leader, sacrificing yourself for someone else, and having courage. In The Odyssey, Odysseus achieved all of his demands to be a hero throughout his journey. Odysseus is an example of an epic hero due to being a leader and being brave. Odysseus journey adds to the meaning of the work as a whole because it demonstrates that Odysseus is a hero. Odysseus being a hero proves the significance of his culture. […]

Odysseus as an Epic Hero

The Odyssey is a heroic story about Odysseus and his crew trying to get home from Troy to Ithaca but end up taking longer than expected as they face many obstacles in their way. In The Odyssey, Odysseus shows many traits that show that he is an epic hero. During the time Odysseus lived, the traits of being a hero included being a great warrior, having hubris, and having great intelligence. Odysseus shows all of these traits throughout the story. […]

Why Odysseus is a Good Hero

There is no question that heroes are flawed humans and this includes Odysseus. In the poem The Odyssey, written by Homer, Odysseus and his crew are trying to return to Ithaca but face many obstacles such as, tricking the cyclops, lotus eaters, land of the dead, the sirens and more. that reveal Odysseus’ true character. For example, his determination and cleverness is obvious but, he also reveals a major flaw. Odysseus has excessive amounts of pride that lead him into […]

Strengths and Weaknesses of Odysseus in Homer’s Poem

What qualifies men to be heroes? If a man who uses his wits to trick, not only women, but other men into doing exactly what he wants, is this man not a player? Heroes are presumed to overcome a great evil for the better of everyone and not just himself/herself. Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey believes that he is almost untouchable and unbeatable. Odysseus is a selfish man who failed his men, cheated on his wife and still managed to […]

Examining the Roles of Women in Homer’s the Odyssey

Throughout Homer's epic tale of fantastical beasts and heroic ideals, Odysseus encounters several women and goddesses on his arduous journey fraught with peril at every step. The Odyssey is a collection of 24 stories that tell of Odysseus' journey back to his homeland, Ithaca, after the conclusion of the fabled Trojan War. Although goddesses such as Athena and Calypso hold absolute strength and divine power over mortal women, even they are powerless in some aspects. In The Odyssey, women play […]

The Hero’s Journey of Odysseus

He is renowned as a legendary hero for his involvement in the Trojan War and his rigorous journey back home. An epic leader who is known to be courageous, cunning, and strong. A true warrior who surpassed countless adversities and challenges along his journey. His name is Odysseus, and not only did he exhibit meritorious qualities, but he also had his imperfect flaws. At the end of his journey, Odysseus transforms into a mature and humble hero as he had […]

“You’re a Hard Man, Odysseus”

"You're a hard man, Odysseus. Your fighting spirit's stronger than ours, your stamina never fails. You must be made of iron head to foot." -Eurylochus (The Odyssey). Odysseus and Tony Stark, (or Ironman), exemplify many of the same qualities and values throughout their own stories. They share similar strengths and traits, challenges and obstacles, and personal values. Though there are many parallels between heroes, Odysseus and Tony Stark seem to have the most relevant similarities and interrelation. Both heroes are […]

Odysseus Blames on Everyone in “The Odyssey”

Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus has the tendency to blame other gods for various types of acts, some of which Odysseus should not be the one blaming. An example of this is when Odssesus is telling his life story and he states "Calypso the lustrous goddess tried to hold me back, deep in her arching caverns, craving me for a husband. So did Circe, holding me just as warmly in her halls, the bewitching queen of Aeaea keen to have me […]

"The term hero is quite subjective. While one person may be seen as a hero to many, to others he may very well be the villain. Albeit Odysseus is considered to be a great hero in Greek mythology, is he still a hero by today’s standards? A basic definition of a hero would be a person who acts selflessly and at personal risk, and expects nothing in return. In myths and stories especially, heroes overcome great adversities and are able […]

Pan’s Labyrinth Greek Mythology

Pan's Labyrinth is a 2006 surreal fairytale film in which an 11-year-old girl named Ofelia deals with the reality of her bleak life on a military compound in 1944's fascist Spain with her sickly pregnant mother and her violent stepfather by seamlessly blending fantastical elements with reality. Ofelia in Pan's Labyrinth undergoes labors to reach an ultimate "happy" ending and the film draws from Greek myth, blending ancient narratives with modern culture and politics. Pan's Labyrinth, following the typical hero's […]

Is Odysseus Really a Hero?

A hero, by definition, is a person who is admired or idealized for having noble qualities. Anyone, no matter shape or size, can be a hero as long as they are selfless, noble, and smart. They must have a moral compass and be able to make the best of a situation. Heroes are not only limited to fictional works; they are all around us. They appear in real life, in comics, in books, and more. Though many people view Odysseus, […]

Odysseus as a Heroic Individual

Every culture around the world had their heroes, and he is the embodiment of the most admired values and ideals of the people, is someone who has courage and has risked or sacrificed his life for others. A hero was a leader who had not only physical strength, but mental strength as well. He was usually someone that got themselves into danger, and in cases where the average man would suffer, the hero would have enough stamina to survive. Odysseus, […]

Achilles and Odysseus

"Even the other characters realize it and point it out. For example Menelaos says ""no one of the Achaians labored as much as Odysseus labored and achieved"" (4.106). His men definitely may feel overworked but he always does what he says he’s going to do and beyond. So they can’t complain because he’s doing what they’re doing and more. His strength is unmatched which causes amazement by everyone. Due to Achilles being born a Demigod, he acquired many skills. He […]

Additional Example Essays

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