Analysis Of The Odyssey - 3033 Words

Vivian Tse Brother Pearce FDCA 206 5 November 2014 The Odyssey The Odyssey is one of the earliest epics that exists but is still a highly revered and relevant piece of literature in modern culture. This classic survives because the entire tale of Odysseus’ adventure is symbolic of our human lives and experiences—it is life mythologized. Not only does The Odyssey highlight the heroic and triumphant side of the characters, but it also emphasizes the struggle between heroes’ ethos and their human failings. In essence then, the epic resembles closely our human existence and is therefore easily applicable to us despite the test of time. The book is considered superior art because first, it employs superior craftsmanship. It uses elevated language and is composed of poems in dactylic hexameter, which gives the epic a sophisticated and artistic style. Along with that, it employs various literary devices. An example of epic simile appears when Odysseus and his men blind the Cyclops: â€Å"as a blacksmith plunges a glowing ax or adze/ in an ice-cold bath and the metal screeches steam/ and its temper hardens— that s the iron s strength—/ so the eye of the Cyclops sizzled round that stake!† (Homer, p.223). Second, The Odyssey explores complex truths about human experience. Through the twists and turns of Odysseus’ way back home, it raises awareness to both our human failings and superb qualities, which are proved to yield very different results. As a result, it touches ground on humanShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1368 Words   |  6 PagesHolmes English H, period 3 11 November 2014 Hospitality: An analysis of xenia in The Odyssey William Shakespeare, in Timon Of Athens Act III Scene line 39 writes : I charge thee, invite them all: let in the tide of knaves once more; my cook and I ll provide† Shakespeare is explaining to his readers that he will invite everyone in and he will cook for them meaning that he will provide everything to his guests. Similarly, in The Odyssey Odysseus without knowing it is providing for all the suitorsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 974 Words   |  4 PagesPrabakar Mrs. Kravchak Honors Humanities 1; Period 1 September 10, 2014 The Odyssey Joseph Campbell stated that â€Å"A hero is someone that has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.† He also believed that on the journey to being a hero, one must physically or mentally leave home, decide on a quest, encounter â€Å"dragons†, experience an all out struggle, be wounded, and finally obtain wisdom. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus embarks on a journey to try to get back home to his kingdomRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1011 Words   |  5 PagesName Tutor Course Date Close Reading Essay In Book X of the Odyssey, Odysseus gives a tale of his adventure in Circe’s Island. He also tells of his encounter with Circe, (X. 380 - 419). Circe’s equivocation, â€Å"Why, Odysseus, dost thou sit thus like one that is dumb, eating thy heart, and dost not touch food or drink? / Dost thou haply forbode some other guile?† (X. 380 - 381), portrays Odysseus sadness and worry for his men. Earlier in this book, he had narrated of how Circe had put a portion inRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1689 Words   |  7 PagesThe Odyssey begins by describing Odysseus, a â€Å"man of twists and turns† (Homer 1996: 1) showing that this book is focused on the men, rather than the women. Shortly after, the first description of any womanly figure is â€Å"bewitching† (Homer 1996: 2), which shows that as the epic progresses, the description of most female adversaries would be negative. In Hippolytus, Aphrodite begins by saying that she â€Å"treats well who rever e her power† but â€Å"trips up those who are proud (averse) to her† (Euripides 2001:Read MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1130 Words   |  5 PagesName: Instructor: Course: Date: The Odyssey is a remarkable piece of the ancient writing that provides a great insight into numerous matters in regard to the past as well as to the present. This poem is greatly appreciated for being a rich source of knowledge about the ancient Greek mundane life: the customs, the hierarchy, the polytheistic religious traditions and rituals. Nevertheless, it would be a great mistake to underestimate the Odyssey in respect to the study of the worldview of the ancientRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Odyssey 1251 Words   |  6 PagesMimi Wang Mrs. Kottke Honors 10 English 3/24/16 The Power of Women in The Odyssey Throughout literary history, women are portrayed as mere property or tools of men; however, women can also be shown as people who hold power in Homer’s The Odyssey. Women hold a significant amount of authoritative power over men in both their lives and mindsets, and this can be seen through Circe s powers that are able to manipulate Odysseus and his men, Penelope s tactics to stall marriage and her caution towardRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1311 Words   |  6 PagesWilliams Ninth Honors Literature 6 October 2015 PsychOdyssey Tolkien once said, â€Å"Living by faith includes the call to something greater than cowardly self-preservation†. In this quote he captures the very essence of heroism. Homer’s epic poem â€Å"The Odyssey† follows one man, Odysseus on his hero’s journaey home from the Trojan War. There is no question as to whether or not his quest follows the steps of the hero’s journey monomyth. The hero’s journey monomyth is the universal link in all tales of adventureRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 864 Words   |  4 Pageswithout facing some kind of temptation. Temptation can be our biggest weakness, and I think that in Odysseus’s case it was his. In The Odyssey, Homer uses the siren scene to symbolize temptation in different ways. It represents how temptation can come in many different ways; and it can control us no matter how much we know that it is wrong to give in. In The Odyssey, temptation came to Odysseus and his crew from the sirens. This scene displays how temptation looks, sounds, and how it makes you actRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1313 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"establish peace, gentleness, and justice† (Narayan 1972: 63) in the world. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus has an uncontrollable â€Å"fighting spirit† (Homer 1996: 227) that too often ends in misfortune. Despite these great differences, these two characters have one thing in common: they are widely regarded as heroes in their religion. This is just one of many distinctions between the two epics. In The Odyssey, the afterlife consists of â€Å"the shambling, shiftless dead† (Homer 1996: 251) while in TheRead MoreAnalysis Of The Odyssey 1971 Words   |  8 PagesShane Nordquist English I Honors per. 4 1/22/16 response 1: The Odyssey, being an epic poem is likely to include several typical examples of personalities we are used to seeing. As epic poems often do, the Odyssey describes the Greek view of many of these core archetypes. Odysseus being demonstrated as the hero shows us the Greek value of heroism through his wonderful feats, and his downfalls, his sheer prowess, but also his flaws. In the Greek society, as in any, it is clearly evident that the