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 story raises questions for both the readers of The Odyssey and the characters it’s story contains. In Zimmerman’s work viewers experience a simplified interpretation of Homer’s grand and verbacious text. As viewers experience 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. In Book I the metaphorical stage is …show more content…
Zimmerman’s script of The Odyssey informs actors’ as she interprets her stage direction and dialog from Homer in a way he could not. In many ways, The Odyssey is about Telemachus’s homecoming as much as Odysseus, especially in Book I. As throughout Book I, the demeanor towards “young Telemachus” who is the “prince of the house” as his “god-like” father is assumed dead all while the suitors continue to take advantage of his required hospitality. Zimmerman’s dialog attempts to mimic Homer’s original characters’ dialog that is dense with imagery and epithets such as “thoughtful Telemachus” (Homer) are lost in translation. When Telemachus is tasked with interacting with the suitors in Zimerman’s play his awkward and naivete is highlighted as the suitors demean him. Even when Telemachus is in the presence of a God (Athena) according to stage direction, “the Suitors make a disturbance”, repeatedly. Then when Telemachus is talking to Athena he lives up to Homer’s epithet of “thoughtful” as he is the only character to hesitate in his dialog written by Zimmerman as well as having the humility to state “I don’t know”. Seeing an actor interpret Zimmerman’s dialog could possibly be superior to Homer, but as a reader, the emotion and artistic liberties are …show more content…
In Book V of Homer’s The Odyssey, Kalypso is immediately described as having a “sweet voice”. In compilation with Homer’s use of words like “flourishing” and “golden”, undoubtedly influenced Zimmerman’s play and the way the characters act in the stage directions. In both stories, Calypso (or Kalypso), is a dominating goddess who holds Odysseus captive for seven years in hopes of marrying him. Her introduction in Zimmerman’s play is a scene where Hermes, as a messenger for Zeus, demands she release Odysseus. With statements towards Calypso to “show more grace in your obedience” and stage direction where Calypso must “tag along”, Zimmerman’s rendition illustrates a woman, even a god, is placed below others. In Homer’s original text Kalypso has the epithet of “shining goddess” in the same passage where Zeus a more powerful and revered god is described with imagery of a “shining lightning bolt”. The contradiction between Kalypso’s godliness and her stature among other gods is a contradiction both works contain
Before Athena appearing as a Mentor, Homer shows Telémakhos as a shy boy who is having difficulties to live up to his father’s legendary reputation. He is shown as detached, lost and confused. Rather than taking an action, Telémakhos kept on complaining about the suitors’ manipulation of Xenia. In order to reach manhood, Athena calls him to action through making him undergo a journey. This journey, through Homer’s words, is not only meant to pave the way for him to mature by the time Odysseus is back, but also to save him from the suitor’s plot to kill him.
Telemachus Growing into a Strong Mature Man Samuel Ullman, an American businessman and poet, once said, “Maturity is the ability to think, speak, and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity.” Samuel’s words hold true in Homer 's The Odyssey. In this extraordinary poem, Telemachus, the Son of Penelope, queen of Ithaca, and Odysseus, king of Ithaca. While Odysseus is at war fighting, Telemachus losing fait about his father coming home. He soon starts to question that he could be dead or alive.
In Homer’s Poem, The Odyssey, Penelope is the exceptionally patient and clever spouse of the infamous hero, Odysseus, and the mother of Telemachus. One poignant factor of Penelope’s character is her patience and devotion which is displayed throughout the poem. With her husband absent for a great majority of her life for the later of twenty years and his location unknown, Penelope stays, patiently awaiting Odysseus’ return, all whilst preserving their estate and raising her son by herself. Throughout this time, she had many persistent suitors in pursuit of her, abusing her husband’s absence.
“Greed is a bottomless pit which exhausts the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.” -Erich Fromm ‘The Odyssey’ by Homer, follows the story of Odysseus, a great Greek hero. It tells of his venture to Troy, to lead his army in the Trojan War, and his separation from loved ones and his kingdom for twenty years. However, the novel mainly focuses on the story of his homecoming and all he, and many others, had to endure while he was returning from abroad.
At the end of the story, it is evident that, the character of Telemachus is fully developed. He is no longer the young powerless and weak boy who his mother’s suitors took advantage of in his father’s absence. At the end of the text, he depicts a character with great change after leaving Ithaca and in his own odyssey; he was able to prove his worth. Telemachus is a character who undergoes constant transformation and development throughout The Odyssey. His expedition was an initiation into the heroic world of his father, and a voyage that managed to endow him with the familiarity and essential virtues needed to become a future monarch.
Homer, by presenting multiple heroes in aristéia, demonstrates nature as both inferior and superior to culture, with the
In the novel, The Odyssey translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Telemachus gives a speech to Ithaca. He argues to the suitors about disrespecting his father Odysseus’ home even though they think Odysseus is dead and will never come home. Courageously, from the heart, Telemachus goes up against the suitors to state control over the key social practices of marriage hospitality. Telemachus’ speech was effective because it showed pathos, logos, and ethos. Telemachus looks and acts the part of his father, astonishing those who presumably knew him as a boy.
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. It is important to note that both works are taken place during hard times. Odysseus’ journey is dated around 1200 BCE, or the ‘Dark Age’.
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.
The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the blind, illiterate poet Homer. It takes place in ancient Greece and tells of a man’s journey home from war. The topic, intervention of the gods, is seen throughout the book numerous times as the gods who are in favor of Odysseus lend a helping hand. It is well-known that the gods are very important to the Greeks. In this epic poem, The Odyssey, Homer demonstrates the importance of the positive and encouraging intervention of the gods in Greek culture; the brave actions, encouraging words, and cunning strategies of Athena as she assists and guides Odysseus on his journey back home.
Diction and imagery are very important components to a story. It is the way that the author displays their feelings through the character. Homer uses very vivid shifts in tone, sometimes creating room for the reader to learn a lesson. In one of Homer’s famous books, “The Odyssey,” he uses diction, imagery, and tone to show that everything does not always go as planned. Wishing to escape the cyclops’ bondage, Odysseus tries to get out of trouble and assumes that he and his men are safe by lying to the Cyclops.
As Athena assists him, he listens attentively and becomes driven in his actions. Telemachus first visits King Nestor. The first stop did not give Telemachus the answer he was looking for, but being the new eager and strived person Telemachus has become, he continues his journey by going to see Menelaus. Telemachus insists Menelaus to be truthful and exclaims, “Spare me no part of kindness’ sake; be harsh; but put the scene before me as you saw it” (Homer IV. 351-352).
Parent-child relationships are very prevalent in works of literature especially in the pieces written in Ancient Greece and Rome. Some examples of these are the works we have read in class such as the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Electra plays, and Aristophanes’ the Clouds. Although mother-daughter relationships are important throughout each of these works; father-son relationships are even more so. The father-son relationship is one of the most important aspects of these societies especially in the Odyssey written by Homer. The significance of all of the father-son relationships depicted in the Odyssey itself is for the purpose of exploiting its themes of family, xenia and tradition.
In spite of the fact that Homer’s Odyssey is an epic story of a man’s gallant journey, women play a huge part throughout. Their unique yet controversial personalities, intentions, and relationships are vital to the development of this epic and adventurous journey of Odysseus. The poem by Homer was written at a time when women had an inferior position in society, yet that didn’t stop them from being any less influential. All of the women throughout the Odyssey possess different qualities, but all of them help to define the role of the ideal woman.
In the first chapter of Erich Auerbach’s novel Mimesis titled Odysseus’ Scar, the stylistic properties of the Old Testament and Homer’s The Odyssey are contrasted to show the two foundational styles for ancient epic literature. Auerbach starts the chapter with an analysis of Homer’s use of digression with in book 19 of The Odyssey, when Odysseus’s true identity is discovered by Euryclea, to alleviate suspense within the book. He goes on to discuss how the comparison of the Homeric style with the “equally ancient and equally epic style” (7) of the tale of the sacrifice of Isaac in the old testament demonstrates “the genius of the Homeric style” (7). Auerbach then goes on to discuss how the Bible and Homeric representation of Gods differ in that