Theurgy In The Odyssey

“He had come like a thief in the night. And one by one dropped the revellers in the blood-bedewed halls of their revel, and died each in the despairing posture of his fall” (Poe). Edgar Allan Poe was an American author and poet during the 1800’s (anb). He is known for his gothic style of writing, and tragic tales. Poe has written famous pieces such as The Raven (1845), The Black Cat (1843), and The Tell Tale Heart(1843). But one of Poe’s stories, The Masque of the Red Death (1842), relies heavily on themes of death, pestilence, human nature, and religion. Through these themes and symbolism, Poe explores the darker side of humanity and the meaning behind life.

“Survival can be summed up in three words - never give up. That's the heart of it really. Just keep trying.”(B.Grylls) The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer, about a man, Odysseus, who went to serve in the Trojan war, but undergoes a very arduous travel back home to his island, Ithaca. The Most Dangerous Game is a short story on Rainsford who swam up on shore of a island, and is hunted in return to go home. Both of these men endured many dangerous situations, in which they had to pick the best decision for their survival. Odysseus endures many situations where his decisions provided many different obstacles that thwarted his travel and put him in life threatening situations. Rainsford underwent a life threatening situation also. Rainsford

are both similar because they include a father and son relationship between the characters. Frankenstein from the text “Frankenstein” and Prospero from “The Tempest” represent neglectful fathers, while the creature and Caliban represent the abandoned orphans. In spite of their similarities, the characters from both of the texts also have differences between each other. The creature is portrayed as an abandoned son who is superior to Frankenstein, unlike Caliban who is not superior to Prospero. This shows how both “Frankenstein” and “The Tempest” present similar themes to their audience in different ways.

In The Odyssey, the twenty years Odysseus was away from his family, Ithaca, and people took a greater toll on him than anyone else. Even though others had struggled, he had the worst time during the twenty years he was away.

Descriptive scenery or imagery is used throughout literature for a variety of purposes. It can be used to paint a mental picture of the setting, to portray symbols, or even to relay themes. The authors Ambrose Bierce and Edgar Allan Poe exemplify the use of the same technique, descriptive scenery, to deliver different purposes. In An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce and The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe both use imagery in order to characterize characters and foreshadow events. However, one also used this same strategy as a way to deviate from reality, while the other used it as a way to face reality.

The Odyssey is often cited as an epitome of the hero’s journey and the monomyth. The hero of the story, Odysseus is on a 10 year battle homeward from the Trojan War to see his wife and son again. With the help divine intervention, Odysseus is able to return home and save his wife from the evil suitors who have continuously tried to win her. One could easily argued that Odysseus is an exemplar of the hero, but there is another story: Odysseus is the opposite of a hero and is not worthy to be called such. He is the villain where the gods are the hero. Odysseus is cruel and quick to anger, arrogant, and does not truly win in the end.

Natural phenomenons is a science, but centuries ago the Greeks believed a deity was responsible for the natural causes that were created. In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus was separated from his wife and son to fight in the Trojan war for 10 years. In addition, spends 11 more years struggling to get back to his family due to these supernaturals caused by the gods. The Greeks portray the gods to be powerful and merciful. They played a huge role in Odysseus’s heroic journey as a savior and tormentor. The Odyssey interprets the science behind natural phenomenons and portrays it as an act from the gods.

The values and attitudes that the protagonists carry with them into new worlds can influence their perception of their discoveries and its significance, giving the protagonist a growing depth of understanding and discernment. Discoveries, driven by wonder or necessity, can be challenging and confronting, compelling individuals to leave their comfort zone. Consequently, they are prepared to sacrifice the old to embrace the new, transforming and gaining new insights of themselves and the world around them. “The Tempest, a pastoral romance by William Shakespeare, portrays individuals who were faced with confronting experiences that assess their values, and who rediscover the necessity for compassion instead of abuse of power, leading them to re-evaluate their relations with other characters. In comparison, Ang Lee’s film, “The Life of Pi” is primarily focused on the process of self-discovery through isolation. Lee makes it clear that discoveries can shape our identity by either challenging or affirming our beliefs about ourselves and our world.

The play The Tempest, by Shakespeare, explores the values of vengeance and forgiveness through the story of Prospero. The main conflict of the story is Prospero's lack of forgiveness for his brother Antonio, who stole his throne. This causes him to seek vengeance on Antonio and all his allies. Through the events of the story, it is evident that there is more value in virtue compared to vengeance. The action of vengeance does not resolve the original issue and in fact, creates internal struggles, while forgiveness allows for a greater sense of happiness.

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 Tempest can be seen as a play about reconciliation, forgiveness, and mercy. However, while it is clear that the theme of forgiveness is at the heart of the drama, it is unclear to what extent mercy is given. An examination of Caliban and Ariel and their representations of Prospero’s struggle illustrates that there is little, if any, true forgiveness and reconciliation in The Tempest.

Through The Tempest, the author tells the story of Prospero’s revenge on the men who took his dukedom away and left him and his daughter to die. Throughout the book Prospero tortures and manipulates them until he has complete control over them. In Act 5, Prospero’s chooses to forgive them and in the meantime abandons his art which can be a sign of change in character. However, through triumph, not change, the author uses Prospero’s choices to reveal that his desires are for power and superiority.

The Tempest is a captivating play that follows the afternoon of a wizard and his revenge plot against diplomats that banished him to a deserted island with his daughter. The themes nature and nurture are compared and contrasted in order to explain the various behaviors presented by each character. According to the theme of nature in The Tempest, people and things are categorized as either naturally good or bad. It is believed that bad nature should be controlled. Nurture is also predominantly displayed in the play through Caliban and Prospero. The theme of nature shows the differences between Miranda and Caliban. My production will continue to explore the relationship between nature and nurture in the development of the characters Miranda, Caliban, and Prospero. This raises the question whether people are naturally good or bad, or a product of one’s environment. In my production I would emphasize the complex relationship between nature and nurture. I chose nature verses nurture because it is slightly unconventional compared to the more prominent themes in the play and it has modern connections since the debate between nature and nurture continues today.

What makes Miranda a central character in the play? What process must she undergo? What virtues does she possess that make success likely?

Shakespeare’s The Tempest is often considered fiction and finds content in expressing characteristics of both the main character, Prospero and differences in the power dynamics affecting his characters. Shakespeare often uses groups of characters to emphasize the complexity of their surroundings and effects on their behavior. The overall repetition of complications faced or caused in relation to Prospero and play an enormous role in the plot, helping to develop both the his feelings and the emotional ties of others regarding him. Shakespeare also varies the diction to place emphasis on the power dynamic and relationships observed between thespians.