Human Themes Of Homer s The Odyssey - 1261 Words

Human themes that dominate Homer’s The Odyssey is hubris. During his adventure with the Cyclops, Odysseus cleverly blinded the beast with a stake in his eye. He even went as far as saying that his name was Nobody so when the Cyclops would scream in pain and try to get help, nobody would help him for he would say â€Å"Nobody is hurting me†. However, Odysseus went to far when he escaped by not only yelling out his actual name but saying exactly who he is and where he can be located. I find this quite funny for Odysseus was not obligated to say anything to the beast and if he did, just saying his name ‘Odysseus’ is enough. But our hero proclaims; â€Å"Cyclops! If anyone asks you who put your eye out...tell [them] that is was Odysseus, Sacker of Cities, son of Laertes, who lives in Ithaca!† If P.O Boxes existed I’m sure Odysseus would have yelled it out also. Odysseus is a clever hero which I believe to be the source of his victories in battles and in obstacles. For most this would suffice to be labeled as a Hero. However, arrogance, and pride disqualify any man or woman to be honored as a Hero. Humility is so much more heroic and admirable. Even if strength was not evident, true heroism comes with being humble at all times. Especially when victorious. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they act when they lose and even more when they win. It is not easy having sympathy towards the Cyclops, he did lose his only eye in a painful and brutal manner of course. His attackerShow MoreRelatedComparison Between The Odyssey And The Iliad1068 Words   |  5 Pages In the novel The Odyssey, the author Homer describes an outcry against death; whereas in the Iliad death is portrayed as an accomplishment., Both were in the times that is also known as Before Common Era, or BCE. It is known that Iliad begins 10 years before the great Seige of Troy and eventually the odyssey had begun a couple years after that(Classical Lit). When Homer had written these novels it is clear that they have numerous lines, and Homer had written both. In the novel The IliadRead MoreHistory, Symbolism, and Characters in Homer’s The Odyssey 1118 Words   |  5 Pages In The Odyssey, it takes Odysseus twenty years to make it home from the Trojan War. On his journey home, he runs into many obstacles and creatures that he must overcome. He encounters the sirens, the Cyclops, and others. Each event in this epic poem has a symbolic meaning behind it. Homer writes about the history, symbolism, and the characters in The Odyssey. The Odyssey is about the Greek gods and heroes and their adventures (Makman). Odysseus is the main character, and he is going on a questRead MoreEssay about The Odyssey - Gender Roles893 Words   |  4 PagesThe Odyssey is the product of a society in which the dominant role was played by men. In ancient Greece, just as in the whole of the ancient world, and in America and Western Europe until the last century, women occupied a subservient position. Society was organized and directed by men, and all of the most important enterprises were those which men arranged and implemented. Women were valued, but they participated in the affairs of the world only when they had the tacit or open approval and permissionRead MoreO Brother Where Art Thou Character Analysis1694 Words   |  7 Pagesfilm, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, is loosely based on Homer’s famous Greek epic, The Odyssey, in that certain features in the film resemble those found in Homer’s epic, but the film still re veals its own sense of originality by making it more relatable to the modern world. While The Odyssey is set in Ancient Greece and O Brother, Where Art Thou? is set in the southern part of the United States during the 1930’s, the works are similar in following a protagonist who encounters setbacks on his journeyRead MoreComparing The Underworld Of Homer And Virgil1744 Words   |  7 PagesThe Differing Views of the Underworld of Homer and Virgil In both Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid, the heroes make the dauntless adventure into the underworld. Both of theses visits occur around the middle of the stories, and they bring information about the lives of heroes loved ones. The heroes also get very important information from these loved ones; information that they require to continue on their journeys. However these are not the only things that are similar about the heroes visitsRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer, An Epic Of Odysseus948 Words   |  4 Pagescommit. Homer represents this in The Odyssey when Odysseus repeatedly engages in unfaithful acts towards Penelope, in an attempt to mimic Zeus, the king of the gods. The Odyssey, by Homer, an epic of Odysseus 10 year journey to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. While Odysseus combats mythical creatures and has to face the unsupporting gods, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus have to fend off suitors, attempting to take Penelope s hand in marriage, and Ithaca s throne longRead MoreComparing The Iliad And The Odyssey905 Words   |  4 Pagesessay will identify five traditional epic characteristics that are evident in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. The first epic characteristic evident in both epics is catalogs and genealogies. For instance, Book VIII of the Odyssey features a list of participants in the game (115-125) and the Iliad Book II features a catalog of ships (484-759). Secondly, both epics start in media res. The Odyssey starts ten years after the Trojan War and the Illiad starts nine years after the start of the war. ThirdlyRead MoreEric Moore. Mr. Howell. World Literature Final Draft .1742 Words   |  7 PagesMoore Mr. Howell World Literature Final Draft 30 March 2017 Themes and Symbolism in The Odyssey In each story, the themes and symbols in them can bring a diverse look on the way the story is interpreted and told. The Odyssey was written by the poet Homer dating all the back to the 8th century. In the Greek epic poem, Homer tells the story of the main character Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War. Many themes relating to the human condition are prevalent in the various adventures faced byRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Odyssey1636 Words   |  7 Pagesdeath are both lessons that are taught in each poem but they are presented to the reader through different interpretations. In the Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey there are two main characters both viewed as heroic figures in which the develop a greater knowledge of human mankind and immorality. Both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Odyssey teach valuable lessons such as the pitfalls of temptation. Throughout both of these poems Odysseus and Gilgamesh are faced with overwhelming temptations. OdysseusRead MoreThe Analysis and Comparison of the Themes of Beowulf, The Odyssey and Other Related Epics2553 Words   |  11 Pagesand The Odyssey are perfect examples of this definition; they are each centered on the deeds and triumphs of their heroes, Beowulf and Odysseus. All epics are similar in a way that they are made up of elements. One major element of the epic is its themes. In all epics, the themes are what make and mold these narrative poems, they descriptively outline the story. Most epics, like Beowulf and The Odyssey, have themes like battles, homecoming, identity, recognition etc. Through themes like these