The Gods And Mortals In Homer's The Odyssey

Zeus’s Influence in Mythology Zeus is an incredibly important character in Greek Mythology, and plays a role in almost every myth. Some believe his actions are for good, while others oppose by saying he is mostly a negative god. Evidence that proves Zeus’s personality is in the Myths: Kronos and Zeus, proving he is a good god, Prometheus, proving he is a negative god, and Demeter, which is most enjoyable to me. In the end, Zeus has proven to make some unfavorable decisions, but also many admirable ones. The myth Kronos and Zeus, illustrates some acts of Zeus that are in a positive light.

In The Odyssey, Homer portrays the Greek gods in many different ways. While some desire to be feared by humans (Poseidon), others prefer to help guide mortals that they find worthy on their own journeys(Athena and Calypso). They each have their own set of characteristics like other people in the story, but usually show some sort of majesty over the vast majority. Poseidon especially seems to show that conceited and overpowering nature that we tend to associate with “higher beings”. He acts more like a power hungry god than Athena who basically acts as Odysseus’

Despite the seemingly contradictory nature of this statement, both can be true considering that the times when he needs a god’s help are when another god created the problem in the first place. On the other hand, Odysseus is capable of saving himself when higher powers are not involved in creating the problem. Odysseus is constantly praised by others in the story, yet rarely seems to live up to these expectations. Odysseus is praised by Zeus, the single most powerful god, calling him “Great Odysseus, who excels all men in wisdom” (1.78-9). Odysseus is also praised by mortals, such as Menelaus, a king.

Who are the Angels and the Devils? In The Odyssey, Homer employs a variety of characteristics to differentiate those who are good and those who are evil. Since The Odyssey takes place in Greek times, the Greek gods must be respected and feared by the mortals and those who disobey their rules are evil and are punished. In addition, The Odyssey is written by the victors, thus depicting Odysseus as the hero who follows the conventions of a traditional hero as good and survives to pass down tradition.

The line between self-confidence and arrogance is a fine line to walk, especially for those fortunate enough to be skilled and praised widely for it. The interactions between humans and gods make up a significant portion of classical mythology as we know it. One of the most common themes that is explored in a multitude of Greco-Roman myths is hubris, which Dr. Arnold Mitchell defines as “insolence stemming from excessive pride [. . . ] It is a pride which challenges the gods, that is, defies the nature of reality, and destroys a man.”

In the epic poem The Odyssey, Homer portrays Greek gods and goddesses as possessing human qualities and faults. Through their actions and emotions, Homer emphasizes the detrimental effects of lust, envy, wrath, and greed in ancient Grecian society. He also never fails to remind readers of the importance of respect for holy figures because of their powerful abilities to create chaos and wonder". Homer wants to prove that gods and humans share a variety of traits, and the only difference is that god don’t allow these flaws negatively to impact their society. To help further his argument, we can compare Greek gods and goddesses to that of Christianity.

The Flaws of Homeric Xenia The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Robert Fagles, presented ancient Greece as a world filled with monsters, gods, and temptresses, all along side the mortal man. As a mortal man, Odysseus’ venture featured tremendous plight stemming from both immortals and mortals; however, Odysseus was able to overcome his extenuating circumstances aided by both Athena, and the concept of Xenia. As consequence, Xenia had an unequivocally positive impact on Odysseus as he ultimately would not have succeeded in his journey back home without the hospitality of strangers. Nonetheless, this essay will argue that while Xenia solidifies relationships between mortal men, it ultimately can be used as a tool of segregation between man and the mythical, as well as dehumanizing those of different cultures and religions. Xenia is the Homeric Greek concept of hospitality.

The Odyssey, you encounter multiple gods and goddesses. However, two play a largely important role in the epic. They are Athena, whom is wise and tactful, and Poseidon, who is cruel and violent, whom are represented as alter egos to the hero Odysseus. The traits of both deities are portrayed through Odysseus in varying situations, and Odysseus’s journey would not have been the same without those aforementioned traits, or direct intervention from the gods. Athena is a calm goddess who does not fight without just reason, so the anti-Trump.

Gilgamesh is an epic hero because, he part divine, interacts with gods and his story has a series of adventures and superhuman victories. Gilgamesh is a king that shows off his power and enviably shows his weak side in most altercations. Most scholars see him as a historical figure, but I myself think he is definitely an epic hero. He oppresses people who call out to the gods, this is not very heroic, but his other actions will show the truth. Gilgamesh IS an epic hero.

Given Homer’s “distinguished, inclusive, and elastic” vision of the gods, Scholar Roy Hack proposes that Homer was a personal polytheist, signified further by his envisioned world being “effectively governed (throughout) by divine power.” Contrary to this, the actions of the Gods in the Iliad are often antithetical to the grandiose descriptions of their reputations and abilities found in other Greek literature. The Gods frequently defy the western conception of divinity as omnipotent and morally righteous, displaying dishonesty, ineptitude, and prejudice. As such, I argue that Homer’s depiction of the gods as specifically emotionally infantile and lacking in agency serves as the framework for later criticisms of the famed deities in classical literature, thus encouraging secular methods of thinking by illuminating the many deficiencies found in

These instances show that tricksters might be the creators of chaos, but when it favors to their agenda then they can quickly remedy the problem. This backs up the claim that the trickster is not the villain in mythology stories. This is what I feel is the most significant about the tricksters, and also the reason why I feel drawn to these three particular figures. The gods also recognize how the trickster can remedy problems, albeit the fact that the problems might not even be caused by them. This is seen in how Zeus calls Hermes for help in his personal matters, and how Loki played bridesmaid to Thor’s bride in order to obtain Mjolnir from a giant (Hyde 166).

Socrates was an influential philosopher who would impact the party of philosophy forever. In addition, it is also said that

Most societies, both past and present, worship one or multiple deities. The powers and characteristics of these gods vary among cultures, and the personalities of one society’s deities directly influence the culture and beliefs of its people. The discrepancies between the religions of different civilizations can be observed through the literary works of their religion and mythology. The Judeo-Christian God, who is shown in the Bible to be absolute both in power and in judgment, is antithetical to the Greek gods, who are depicted as having human traits and flaws. In Homer’s Odyssey, many gods are shown to act on their own self-interest, keeping favorites among the mortals and conspiring against other gods.

Marina Gorbenko HRS 119-Classical Mythology M. Pinkerton 16 May 2016 Bonus Reading Response: Homer’s Odyssey In Homer’s Odyssey, the hero, Odysseus, is introduced as a classic hero. However, through his odyssey, the audience finds Odysseus to be much more than an everyday hero. While other heroes relied on their strength and ability in battle, Odysseus, while also having the skill of all of the other warriors, relies heavily on his cunning when faced with obstacles.

In The Odyssey, the character Odysseus can be considered a hero because he demonstrates many characteristics that are attributable to most heroes. After the battle at Troy, Odysseus strives to sail back to his homeland (Ithaca); however, he encounters some issues along the way and Poseidon attempts to make it impossible for Odysseus to return home. At the beginning of this journey, Odysseus wants to make it back to Ithaca with all of his crew alive. This selfless goal displays Odysseus acting for the greater good because he knows that these men have families that depend on them and would like for them to come home. Along the journey home, Odysseus and his crew come across a cyclops and become trapped in the cyclops’ cave.