The Odyssey Critical Lens Essay

Whether we realize it or not, we all relentlessly pursue perfection. In our lives, we strive to be something better or at least to...seem that way. To live a life without faults, without the flaws that make everyone else so imperfect, but always seem to fall too far from that ideal. Perfection remains an objective that can never be reached, something that is unattainable and in stark contrast with reality. In Homer’s “The Odyssey” the traces and nuances of this pursuit can be found in the very structure and hierarchy of Ancient Greece. Through his storytelling, Homer paints a vivid picture of adventure and wonder, but even while Homer tries to deliver an

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,

The Odyssey by Homer is a book that involves the Journey of Odysseus and his men and the Obstacles they come across. The Odyssey portrays many themes including vengeance, hospitality, courage, bravery and more. Odysseus experiences some good and bad during his journey. He comes across people who help him, but also comes across creatures who hold him back. Odysseus is an Epic hero because of his quick thinking skills, bravery, and confidence for himself and his men.

There are many themes in both O Brother where Art Thou and the Odyssey which seem to be strongly similar. Many similarities between the characters and their actions surface through their actions. In my essay I will not only compare and contrast the most important elements of the mentioned works, but will also discuss the importance of heroic figures and the less favored themes, such as revenge and foolish fearlessness.

The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to The Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The epic raises questions about what an odyssey is for Odysseus and secondary characters who mimic Odysseus's progress throughout the story. In Zimmerman’s play viewers experience a simplified interpretation of Homer’s grand and verbacious text. As viewers experience secondary characters like Agamemnon, Telemachus and Calypso exhibit emotion through actors in Zimmerman’s stage direction. Homer is able to use epithets and figurative imagery. Homer’s story placed an emphasis on the descriptive language that made Zimmerman’s actors successful, as his character development is there as her stage directions.

The Odyssey by Homer revolves around the character, Odysseus, and his ten-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. As the epic’s idol, he displays the combination of a clever, handsome, and courageous man popular among the mortals as well as the gods. Essentially, he embodies the ideals of the ancient Greek culture, being adorned with many favored characteristics of the era. However, an intriguing aspect of Odysseus lies in his personality. As the protagonist, he does not manifest the entirety of a stereotypical hero because Odysseus has a fatal flaw—his arrogance. Fortunately, his wisdom progresses over his journey, showing his growth as a character. This change can be referred to as “Eagle Wings,” composes books IX, XII, XVII that highlight contrasting sides of Odysseus's self-restraint, and especially his development throughout the epic.

Homer demonstrates Athena's divine intervention through her providence towards Odysseus. Athena aids Odysseus multiple times throughout The Odyssey, an example of this is when she disguises Odysseus as a beggar in book 17 of The Odyssey to protect him from the suitors. Another time she helped Odysseus was when she protected him from the suitors' arrows. Without the providence of Athena Odysseus wouldn't have survived the events of The Odyssey. In book 1 of The Odyssey it says how "The story of Odysseus begins with the goddess Athena appealing to Zeus to help Odysseus, who has been wandering for ten years on the seas, to find his way home to

In Book 5, when all of the gods, except for Poseidon, discuss the fate of Odysseus, Athena fights for Odysseus to get her father, Zeus, to intervene and give aid to Odysseus. Athena says to Zeus, “Not one of the people whom he ruled remembers Odysseus nom that godlike man…Now he’s left to pine on an island, racked with grief” (5.12-14). Athena’s use of words such as “he’s left to pine on an island, racked with grief” shows the use of Flattery towards Zeus to feel pity for Odysseus. By getting Zeus to feel pity, this strategy encourages him to favor Odysseus because of Odysseus’ situation. The reader also sees this in Book 7 as Odysseus calls out to Athena through a prayer. Odysseus says, “Athena! Hear my prayers at last, for you have never heard me then, when I was shattered…Grant that here among the Phaecian people I many find some mercy and some love!” (7.356-357, 359-360). Here, Odysseus tells Athena that she is all he has left and through her immortal powers, she is the only god still on his side who can help him in his time of need. Therefore, through Athena’s encouraging words, she is able to make Odysseus feel uplifted and more useful, especially as Odysseus is, at this point, very hopeless and miserably

The Odyssey is just an example of the many stories which use archetypes to establish a character's physical and mental traits that we see and notice. If archetypes were lost, literature would not equal the equivalence that literature reaches in modern day. With literature, we mentally escape our reality to enter another, which depends on whom or what the story is based or talking

In The Odyssey, by Homer, Telemachus, Odysseus’ only son, has grown up his whole life without seeing his father - except when he was a baby. Telemachus is a coward who dreams about being admired. But with a little help from Athena, “clear-headed” Telemachus grows up to be respected and a mighty replica of his potent father. (1; 322). With the help of Athena, and his father, Telemachus is able to flourish. Through the rigorous actions and strong words of growing Telemachus, The Odyssey is portrayed as not only a story of Odysseus’ journey but also as a coming-of-age story for Telemachus.

The consistent appeal of The Odyssey can be accounted for by archetypal characters. When using representations of common personas in literature, life can be mimicked through

Every freshman at The Ohio State University should be required to read The Odyssey over other classical pieces of literature like the Theogony, Works and Days, and the Symposium. The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It takes Odysseus ten years to reach Ithaca after the ten-year Trojan War. In his absence, it is assumed he has died, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must deal with a group of unruly suitors, who compete for Penelope's hand in marriage. This essay will show examples from works of literature why The Odyssey should be a required reading for Ohio State students.

Although different cultures vary from each other in their cultural concepts, one sees that the concepts exemplified in The Odyssey are such that many today may find bizarre. However, these ideals were firmly followed in ancient Greece. Homer successfully illustrates the important cultural concepts of xenia, mêtis and piety in his book through the characters’ dialogue, actions, and behaviors.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” Throughout the two pieces the Odyssey and The Journey, individuals chose to take journeys to look for change. In the poem The journey by mary oliver use metaphors the portray the idea that people undertake journeys to reconcile with their past mistakes which are holding them back from being the best version of themselves.In the Cyclops in the odyssey, Odysseus’s curiosity holds him back from reaching his destination. As they embark upon these journeys, they learn how to change their outlook on life and become content with themselves.

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. In Homer’s The Odyssey, good is depicted by Odysseus who is victorious by following the conventions of traditional heroism and respecting the gods meanwhile, evil struggles to meet this criteria.