“The Odyssey” by Homer Report (Assessment)

January 14, 2022 by Essay Writer

Homer’s captivating chef-d’oeuvre The Odyssey stands out as a must-read piece of literature that tables the interactions as well as the various interests existing between people and the so-called gods. Odysseus is the key character in the story that strategically develops the plot of the story that explains issues pertaining to kingdom, conflicts and love amongst others. For instance, Odysseus hides himself only to return after ten years to find the place invaded by suitor.

His forgotten wife reunites with him through trickery and afterwards they regain the kingship and embark to their normal life. This unification comes after Odysseus has undergone several hardships that end up earning him the name beggar. As the paper reveals, the choices that people like Odysseus make in life matches with the situation that they have at hand, otherwise symbolized by the ‘journeys’ in Homer’s The Odyssey.

During his journeys, Odysseus makes several choices. For instance, the journey of Odysseus back to Ithaca feature him as an important figure to Calypso therefore helping in building up the story as his return remains the center of all agony that begets the suitors and the happiness and regain of his former title in Ithaca.

On his journey, Odysseus encounters a command to throw ‘Ino’ in water in order to secure protection from the storm send by Poseidon who seems unhappy with the decision made by other gods to release Odysseus. The first choice Odysseus is required to make is whether between leaving his love Calypso and head back to Ithaca to his former palace and the reverse of the case. Calypso who has held him hostage for a very long period loves him dearly leading to his losing of hope even in his own son and wife Penelope.

Secondly, on his journey, Odysseus has to make a choice on whether fall in love with Nausicca when he meets her swimming in the river or not, a decision that he has to think of during his journey. When Odysseus reaches the palace, Phaecian, the Alcinous the king, welcomes Odysseus well and offers her daughter hand for marriage. He further provides a ship to carry Odysseus to his homeland. The Odysseus journey, which finds him in the sea results from a wind send my Zeus to drug their ship.

Upon reaching the main land, Odysseus is advised to enter a cave to take some cheese, milk and sheep for the other crewmembers. However, unfortunately due to his delays, the inhabitant Polyphenus, a son of Poseidon and the owners of the foods, who at first shows them hospitality, catches up with them devouring two members imprisoning Odysseus and the others for the next day meals. Based on these expositions, there stand some similarities between the journey and the choices that Odysseus makes.

When captured by Poseidon on his journey, Odysseus conceals his identity, a case that appears similar to the choice he makes when he meets Nausicca, her love pretending that he was going to marry her. This similarity is therefore in terms of falsehood that he employs on his journey and his choice to marry.

Another similarity is the decision he makes on his journey of whether to remain with Calypso or go back to Ithaca. Both the choice and the journey prove difficult since Calypso loves him while on the other hand going back to Ithaca seems to pose a threat as Suitors occupy the palace.

Every person has an episode or an event that one way or another happened to him and one that remains an experience or rather a ‘journey’ in his/her life. These events, heavy-laden with lessons, happen in life remaining in our minds to the level of affecting its mental capacity. They can come to us through illusions, dreams and imaginations. Odysseus’s journey is full of temptations and bad experiences, which resemble my experience in my life.

Odysseus seems held captive suffering imprisonment by the gods of the sea together with his six members, an episode that looks unreal. Just like Odysseus, I experienced an awful event through a dream, which actually continues to affect me mentally day-by-day. I had watched a horror movie in which vampires devoured people mercilessly. People went through agony trying their level best to escape the wrath of these vampires but their cries and escape could not help them.

Facing the devourers cowardly without resistance stood as the only option. I was coming from my school, it was a bit late and on reaching by last corner heading to my place, I was ambushed by three people covered in bloods and covered their faces with goats masks, they were energetic and extremely big in size. I fainted and fell down aimlessly without knowing what to do. I later gained my conscious though unable to tell where I was. It seemed a very deep home surrounded by many bloody covered creatures, which I could not identify.

They were to feed on me. Before they could dissect me, I found myself surrounded by my father and mother inquiring why I was shouting and shading tears. I then realized that I was just dreaming. I told them the story and they were all astonished. It is an experience that I have ever remembered and wish no recurrence of the same.

Homer’s gods provide an insight of how the Greek people should behave. They believe in Zeus, the father of all gods to provide the background of how Greek’s culture should be practiced. For instance, hospitality and respect among the Greeks seems important as exhibited through the way the two kings welcome Telemachu despite his being unfamiliar to them.

Calypso, a god who has fallen in love with Odysseus feels betrayed after the other gods led by Zeus decide to release Odysseus back to Ithaca. She feels that her feelings and her intimate relationship with Odysseus is not given any priority.

Through Calypso’s hypocritical thinking that Homer tries to bring out, she complains of how the male gods make choices without regarding the fact that she also has a say in the issues. Instead, they overlook her feelings and just make up judgments without consciously thinking about her. On the other hand, suitors engage in relationship with Penelope, which to her seems unfair.

Therefore, one can deduce that Homers gods behave and think in the perspectives of how people or human beings ought to interact and socialize. Their thinking provides insight in how the human race needs to appear culturally and socially by observing or conforming to the rules and regulations, which prove worth abiding by and further distancing themselves to such activities or relationship that might lead them astray.

It seems clear how Homer presents these gods in relation to human affairs. He has also managed to highlight some social aspects and family issues that the society goes through revealing how one can reach the various decisions whether constructive or destructive.

Human beings believe in these gods in their daily lives. There is a perception of humans that the gods help them in providing security, information as well as protecting them against evil occurrences in their day-to-day lives. For instance, when the solicitor learns about the plan of Odyssey’s son Telemachus, of regaining back the throne and the place of his father, the herd medon, the gods hear the plan reporting later to his mother Penelope.

In this regard, Athena, a god does some activities by sending a phantom inform of Penelope sister’s image to assure her that she should not worry as protection will be provided. These gods also play a function of making important decisions pertaining to the welfare of the humans. For instance, when Athena suggests the release of Odysseus, the other gods agree therefore leading to his release from Calypso, his lover.

Human beings also have a responsibility towards these gods since they take them as their source of reference in whatever decisions they make. For instance, there exists the god of the seas, rain, storm, peace and so forth. This therefore implies a certain role that the gods play for instance in providing them with a decision or direction they should take. On the other hand, they have the responsibility of adhering to what they say lest they succumb to the negative or atrocities associated with negligence.

In conclusion, Homer’s masterwork provides an interesting and humorous perspectives and beliefs of the Greeks. The plot, as developed by Odysseus provides a better insight on the relationship between gods and human beings showing how the relationships help in building and destroying their values.

Therefore, the book proves worth reading as it explores the social lives of people shading light on their formation as well as their destruction. It therefore helps people in general to understand the vicissitudes of life: that life encompasses all sorts of issues done by people for their survival purposes for instance relying on god’s interventions.

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