Essays on The Odyssey

The Odyssey is an epic ballad on a greek legend’s experiences. The significant subjects in this lyric additionally apply to life today as a result of the manner in which it helps an individual’s character by learning through the characters activities, emotions, victories, and errors. Despite...

Homer’s Odyssey was set 10 years after the Trojan war which would mean the stories taking place in the epic are dated sometime around 1170 BC. This is a time that is arguably unrecognisable by today’s standards in many parts of the world in terms...

An epic poem over 400 pages long. Yep a poem. The plot line details the return journey of Odysseus, a Greek warrior, and his encounters with civilizations and Greek Gods through his travels.Composed in 700BC, it is one of the earliest poems to ever exist....

The Odyssey by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald is a complex novel pertaining the main characters complicated journey home from Troy to his throne in Ithika. The Greek gods play a big part in his long 10-year journey back home. Are they to blame...

“Poor things, why did I give you to King Pêleus, a mortal, you who never age nor die, to let you ache with men in their hard lot? Of all creatures that breathe and move on the earth none is more to be pitied than...

In Homer’s The Odyssey, the Greek Gods interfere with the citizens from Ithaca on a daily basis, majorly affecting and changing their lives. Throughout The Odyssey, Greek Gods use their significant power to their advantage. The Greek Gods’ interventions are either rewarding or punishing to...

In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus faces a great deal of hardship as he tries to get home to Ithaca and his family. His desire to get back to his homeland gives him the ability to overcome the many obstacles thrown at him throughout his...

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...

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...

Odysseus’ disastrous encounter with the Laistrygones is a useful reference point for analyzing the nature of guest-host relationships in The Odyssey. When it is compared with his arrivals at the lands of the Phaiakians and the hands of the Cyclopes, a fuller picture of Odysseus...

In her debut novel Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi explores the concept of a home as a function of both family and community: if specific characters are to truly establish a sense of belonging within a region, they must have not only the support of a powerful...

A leader is one who shows courage, nobility, confidence, cleverness, has a keen intellect and motivates those around them. Odysseus, the protagonist, is portrayed as an epic hero who uses his courage and wit as he goes on a journey to reclaim his life. Odysseus’...

The expectations a hero must meet are ever-changing. Historically, a hero was a strong man, one who acted as a protector and warrior on the battlefield capable of fantastic feats. Today, many associate the word with popular fictional characters possessing supernatural abilities and acting as...

Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, is often analyzed and discussed for his leadership qualities. Many scholars debate whether he is a good or bad leader, and this has been a topic of discussion for years. Some argue that his arrogance and...

Many debate over the definition of a hero. While the ancient Greeks defined a hero as a male, usually of royal or godly descent, my definition is quite different. A hero is someone who completes some significant heroic act with some difficulty or hardship, not...

As long as history has been recorded, a woman’s role in society was dictated by man, for a long time women accepted this patriarchy. This arrangement can be seen in different societies and cultures throughout history; after all, the great literature that is studied in...

Being an epic hero isn’t always about putting others before you. It takes great responsibility and patience to prove you’re worthy of such a prestigious title. In Homer’s epic poetry The Odyssey, Odysseus, king of Ithaca, is attempting to return home after battling for ten...

In the 21st century, I would consider a hero a person who commits acts of courageousness and kindness. Many people would recognize this individual as a true hero if they did these acts for the sake of helping others. After fighting in the Trojan War,...

Many modern and old stories are being analyzed and categorized as a Hero’s Journey story if they follow a set template for what it means for there to be a hero’s journey. Both stories, The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain and The Odyssey...

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; /...

Of all the things highlighted in these ancient texts in our first unit of Culture and Expression, the concept that stood out to me the most is that of xenia. Xenia, or “guest friendship”, is the Greek practice of hospitality in which it is expected...

Throughout western history, enormous gender differences have been evident in both monotheistic and polytheistic cultures. Indeed, the patriarchal hierarchies in both social systems have emphasized the superiority of the male sex; however, greater stress is placed on the worthlessness of women in a monotheistic society....

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...

What is a hero? Is it someone who acts as a fool, at times, or is it someone who is courageous and intelligent? In Homer’s The Odyssey, the epic hero Odysseus faces several impediments during his 20 year journey from home. He first had to...

The portrayal of women in classical Greek literature is varied but points towards underlying attitudes regarding their status. Within The Odyssey there are countless representations of women with different motives and personalities, but these female characters are always subverted by men. Perhaps the most vivid...

Death is commonly reflected in Greek mythology. Many epics, myths, and short stories include death in their plot or theme. For instance, the short story of Pyramus and Thisbe conveys the idea that when one dies, it does not mean the other should too. However,...

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...

Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus crosses countless borders, from the literal borders of kingdoms like Phaeacia and Ithaca, to the borders of life and death in Hades. However, there’s one border Odysseus seems to be unable, and perhaps even unwilling, to cross: The border between soldier...

The Odyssey is an ancient tale that has been entertaining readers with its sense of thrill, tension and adventure since the 8th century BC. In Homer’s epic, we follow the story of a war hero named Odysseus and his journey back to his hometown of...

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...