In his epic poems, Homer often chooses commonplace objects to symbolically encompass many themes of the story. In The Iliad, a golden nail-studded scepter embodies the major themes of the epic, and the marriage bed of Odysseus and Penelope serves the same role in The...
Homer’s Odyssey is a testament to how Homer believes people should conduct themselves in society. His characters are rewarded when they conduct themselves ideally and they are punished when they fail to abide by certain behavioral codes. One of the social gestures that Homer addresses...
The characteristics of Homeric epic are many and varied, but the key elements of the Odyssey and the Iliad can be narrowed down to two main things: a focus on one hero (Achilles and Odysseus, respectively) and the need for that hero to attain kleos,...
The oral tradition is the oldest and most archaic manner of human discourse. The Odyssey of Homer is an example of a literary work that emphasizes the importance of such oral tradition. In it, the hero, Odysseus, is faced with the tasks of detailing, through...
The character of Nausikaa is somewhat of an anomaly within The Odyssey. Among women, she is a wholly developed character. Though such depth initially engages Odysseus, it becomes the force that propels him to his ultimate homecoming. Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it...
The foreboding dark mist in the gloom of the night (141) shadowing Odysseus arrival to the island of the Cyclopes suggests a sinister and frightening site. Recounting the unnaturalness of the occupants and the horror of the ensuing events, Odysseus narration seemingly confirms this interpretation....
Prompt Examples for “The Odyssey” Essay Violence as a Catalyst for Conflict: Analyze how acts of violence serve as catalysts for conflict and tension in both “The Odyssey” and “Antigone,” and discuss the consequences of these conflicts on the characters and plot. Moral and Ethical...
Readers of the Odyssey could certainly find frustration in crafting a judgment of Odysseus’ decision to depart from life alongside the goddess Kalypso. Some might point to a yearning for his day of homecoming. Others might argue precisely the opposite – that “godlike Odysseus” simply...
Tales of women as sorceresses and magic-wielders abound in the literature and mythology of cultures that promote the gendered binary of culture over nature, activity over passivity, and reason over superstition. In these patriarchal societies, women are marginalized from society and have no agency of...
Mortals: The Playthings of Zeus Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences + experts online Get my essay Odysseus escapes the island of Cyclops unharmed. He manages to avoid death at the face of...
Virgil’s The Aeneid and Homer’s the Odyssey share several structures such as the Epic Exordium and Homeric Epithets, yet the movement and organization of time tie them together by grounding the stories in the real world as much as possible. This use of time allows...
In Act IV, Scene II of William Shakespeare’s King Richard II, King Richard II states, “my grief lies all within; / And these external manners of laments / Are merely shadows to the unseen grief / That swells with silence in the tortured soul; /...
Homer’s epic The Odyssey is superimposed on the backdrop of a typical ancient Greek society. As the main character, Odysseus, and his companions travel from place to place on their way to their hometown of Ithaka, various people welcome them in a show of hospitality...
Homer’s The Odyssey is the epic tale of Odysseus and his travels home from the Trojan War, facing monsters, mutiny, and other countless setbacks. Throughout the story, Odysseus is stuck maneuvering between two gods, Poseidon and Athena. Their actions provide an interesting look into the...
Which scenes of the Odyssey between Odysseus’ return to Ithaca and his slaughter of the Suitors show Homer at his best as a story teller.’ (Books 14-24) Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences...
‘What could be finer than listening to a singer of tales?’ Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences + experts online Get my essay Book 9 opens with what might be termed an apologia...
Near the beginning of Book 23 in The Odyssey, the reader is struck with a scene so subtle in its beauty that it seems unreal, especially following the brutal slaughter of the suitors and serving women. In the complex and tender passage describing the reunion...
The nature of a civilized society or person, rather than an uncivilized one, depends on perspective. Mores that one culture holds dear potentially offend others. Wise travelers remain aware of location before flashing a casual thumbs up or blowing their noses in public–although commonplace in...
Generalizations and associations seem to permeate the culture of every human society. If this were not the case, there would be no need for the sociological study of ethnocentricity. The Odyssey of Homer strongly exhibits this quality of judging cultures and other peoples based on...