Free Will of the Gods in "The Odyssey"

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In life, human nature is the only thing that never changes, even as humans progress and evolve. Humans all have the same wants and needs. We need love, compassion, and we want to be happy. In Homer's the Odyssey, the characters have strong opinions and act out of their own free will, but at the same time, the will of the gods keeps coming up as a force that directs events. Although the gods have power against the mortal's, free will is a force much greater then any other power known to mortals and even the gods.

In the Odyssey, the gods and the mortals defiantly had major issues with each other. The gods and goddesses know they have extreme power and feel the need to prove it as many times as possible. I believe it's a whole power trip. However, the little mortals still stay as feisty as they can. As the Odyssey begins, Poseidon has already begun to show his power by intentionally delaying Odysseus's homecoming.

"For his sake Poseidon, shaker of the earth, although he does not

kill Odysseus, yet drives him back from the land of his fathers.

But come, let all of us who are here work out his homecoming

and see to it that he returns. Poseidon shall put away

his anger; for all alone and against the will of the other

immortal gods united he can accomplish nothing."

(Homer, Bk. 1, 74-79). The god of the sea Poseidon wants to seek revenge for blinding his cyclops son Polyphemus. Poseidon could very easily just kill Odysseus but is asked not to by Athena. Athena has pity for Odysseus. I feel that even though Odysseus' life is spared he is still punished in a worse way. Odysseus has been set back for ten years in his voyage home. Athena assures Poseidon that Odysseus will struggle and he should be...

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Between the two of us only, but they are secret from others."

(Homer, Bk. XXIII, ll. 105-110) Penelope is in a state of shock at this moment. Penelope has not seen Odysseus for many years she wants to be able to recognize her husband the way only a wife would know. I absolutely love this passage from the Odyssey because I think it is romantic. They often say love is blind but the heart can see. Odysseus loved Penelope as she was and as she still is. It is the same for Penelope still loves her husband maybe even more then before.

Love can exceed no limitation except for the ones we set for ourselves. No force can break the love and commitment unless it's against our will. It is said you don't realize how important something or someone is to you until you don't have it anymore. In this case, fate and destiny were with Odysseus and his wife Penelope all along.

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