In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer displays vulnerability and human mortality during Odysseus’ journey back home to Ithica. Figurative language is used to do so in the story, among other reasons such as using visualization and helping the audience understand the key points of the story. In The Odyssey, Homer used figurative language to show the audience that humans are vulnerable and completely mortal.
In the scene of Polythemus and his cave, figurative language is used to help the audience understand that Odysseus and his men are mortal and vulnerable to the immense cyclopes. This is displayed with a simile. “Neither reply nor pity came from him, [Polythemus] but in one stride he clutched at my companions and caught in two hands, like squirming puppies, to beat their brains
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To save themselves, Odysseus and his men had to use their brains over their brawn. The depiction of mortality of humans and their vulnerability was used with figurative language, and another example of this can be found in the scene of Scylla. The scene is set, and Scylla is stirring up the water to threaten Odysseus and his men. “All the sea was like a cauldron,” (II. 110-112) This is used to show the audience that the ocean was so dangerous, and how if the men fell in, they would die right away. We have all seen a boiling pot of water, and just hovering your hand over the water feels like a threat. We are still faced with the statistics of death by water to this day, so this is relatable to the audience even now. The use of Homer’s figurative language shows how dangerous the products of the gods are to the humans. The final example of this is found in part 4 of the story. “Think if a catch that fishermen haul in to a halfmoon bay in a fine-meshed net from the whitecaps of the sea: how all are poured out on to the sand, in throes for the salt sea, twitching their cold lives away in Helios’ fiery air: so lay the suitors heaped on one another.” (IV.
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Show MoreLiving a life of lies and betrayal has a not so good outcome. The Odyssey wouldn’t be nearly as recognized as it is today without figurative language. I feel it is much more understandable with the figurative language. It helps us have an idea of what going on in the story and we can visualize what the characters are going through. This story has withstood the test of time because it still includes many valuable lessons that we can apply to our daily lives.
Odysseus was not very happy and takes up action against these men. After defeating all the men, Odysseus was able to get his wife back, and take back control over his kingdom. In some ways one could say The Odyssey is a metaphor for life. It could be a metaphor because both life and Odysseus journey are long, and both are filled with good and bad times.
As a direct result, many men died from drinking the seawater. The men who did drink the water would get saltwater poisoning and would lose their mind. They would hallucinate and would see things like islands of girls with ice cold drinks in their hands, or even Japanese enemies that were in fact their own crew mates. The water would eventually kill all the sailors who fell victim to its false promises of relief.
1. Homer’s hearty descriptions fill the tale with so much beauty and imagination. His tale becomes real before your eyes, and grows with every place that is visited. Every land is a new adventure drawing the reader in. His words flow with glorious succession in detail that paints a picture in the imagination of the most uninventive minds.
Homer’s The Odyssey is one of the oldest works of Western literature, second only to Homer’s Iliad. It’s influence on Western culture ranges from the characters and story, to his innovative writing style, characterized by his use of literary devices. Though Homer uses many literary devices in his telling of The Odyssey, epic similes are one of the most vital part of the storytelling. They allow the reader to envision the scene in a different way, comparing it to descriptions that can be vividly imagined in the head.
The Odyssey, Homer, takes the reader on a man's journey back home after being faced with many struggles for 15 years. Throughout the epic poem, The Odyssey, several examples of epic concepts are shown, such as; epithets, epic similes, and archetypes. Epithets are most commonly seen throughout this epic poem. This is evident because there are many examples of epithets in each book of The Odyssey. For example when the gods and goddesses were discussing Odysseus' fate they used a epithet.
Heroism, tends to be difficult to define and remarkably ambiguous in literary works. In the Odyssey, however, Homer clearly defines a hero as a humble, determined, and loyal individual; thus, according to Homer, it is not enough to claim to be a hero, but it is also important to exhibit those qualities that Homer values as heroism. Odysseus, despite claiming heroism, upholds these traits inconsistently, as seen in his taunting of Polyphemus. In contrast, Telemachus, Odysseus’ overlooked son, dramatically grows up over the course of the epic and ultimately reveals his truly heroic qualities by the end of the poem. Thus, because Odysseus claims to be a hero, but fails to remain humble, determined, and loyal throughout the epic, he is not a hero.
The Odyssey would be less memorable without Homer’s masterful use of figurative language. This poem can only stand the test of time when the figurative language is used to help readers relate to the text no matter what time period they come from. Figurative language in the text has made the story as a whole more interesting and has made countless readers engaged by this tale of, in Homer’s own words, “that man skilled in all ways of contending.” (p. 813,
We can depict this conclusion through the quote found in Chapter 9 ”Now, by the gods, as I drove my big hand spike deep in the embers, charring it again, and cheered my men along with battle talk to keep their courage up: no quitting now.” Odysseus and his men were very adamant about escaping and strategically injuring the cyclops, instead of crying aloud and yelling to the gods, courage rained down on them. The encouraging words that Homer uses instantly lifts the mood to triumphant environs. In retrospect, Homer uses diction and imagery to display distinct shifts in tone stimulating the reader's senses and evoking strong emotion in the reader. In this excerpt from “The Odyssey,” Homer’s brilliant diction shows the reader a valuable lesson, that things do not always go as you planned them to, making unintellegent assumptions will often hurt you in situations, but you can always turn a negative situation around by stabbing a cyclops in the eye
In the book called The Odyssey by Homer, it mainly follows the story of a king of a village called Ithaca, hundreds of years ago-This man, is named Odysseus. Odysseus goes through many adventures after the victory of the Trojan War. However, this is where Odysseus, is not being as strong as a great war hero and a king as he should be. Although Odysseus was seen as a very strong person, physically and mentally, he lacks the appreciation and the care of his crew throughout the trials and didn’t think through many of his actions thoroughly and how they would affect not only his crew but people around him.
Finally, he develops the character our hero of this epic, Odysseus. Homer illustrates using character, symbolism and irony to reiterate that legerdemain or trickery isn’t always used for bad. The Odyssey illustrates the necessity to use deception to get out of life threatening situations. Polyphemus, is eating Odysseus’s companions. Odysseus quickly devises a trick, to escape Polyphemus.
Logos Speech Examples 1. “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love?... These are the implements of war and subjugation” Henry is saying that Great Britain is not trying to peacefully restore relations with the colonies, but instead trying to regain control over them by force.
In the epic story the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus is returning from the Trojan war, and on his way home he finds many obstacles ahead of him. Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and he is trying to return home to his land. Many creatures try and stop him from achieving his goal of returning home, but he and his crew have to push through and get home. Odysseus portrays bravery and courage leading his crew through these tough challenges. Odysseus heroically leads his crew and himself through dangerous obstacles, but also foolishly endangers them during the journey home.
Odysseus is an epic hero because of his bravery and confidence during every obstacle throughout his journey In Part 1 whie Odysseus is about to come across cyclops cave, he says “I brought along and victuals in a bag, for in my bones I knew some towering brute would be upon so soon- all outward power, a wild man, ignorant of civility. “ Odysseus is showing his bravery of not being petrified of what he might come across, like the cyclops. Odysseus has no intention of harming them, but he is not sure what their intention is. This example is important because not only does it show confidence in himself, he also shows confidence in his men. In Part 2 Odysseus also shows his confidence in his men in part 2 where Eurylochus says, “Are you flesh and blood, Odysseus, to endure more than a man can?
“‘I’d rather die at sea, with on deep gulp of death, than die by inches on this desolate island here’’ (Odyssey 12. 377-378). Not only was this irony but a foreshadow of what was to come. The description of Odysseus’ ship being destroyed by Zeus is an epic simile and an epithet.