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Analysis of the character of iliad and odyssey
Analysis of the character of iliad and odyssey
The Trojan War a review
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This scene is significantly important as it is the first time the audience is introduced to a new perspective in the Trojan war, Hecuba’s perspective. Hecuba by far has lost the most in the war, and her grief is evident in every word and action she takes. Because of this, characters that were previously perceived to be heroes, like Odysseus, are now considered the villains. This dynamic between a lamenting mother and an uncaring hero is explicitly stated in this scene, making it one of the most important in the play. First, let’s look to the setting and costumes that will be present in the scene. For the backdrop, in order to provide a shocking contrast to the grief Hecuba feels the scene will be set in a brightly lit and clean room. With
...lts of the insolent suitors in his own home. The anger of Odysseus is only matched by Telemachus whose restraint is forcefully elevated in order to hamper his new mature instinct of defending his father. Meanwhile, Odysseus is forced to couple this with control over holding his love, Penelope, in his arms. Yet, both characters are able to avoid the impediments and at last battle side by side against their foes.
The great epic, Homer's Odyssey, is a tale of an adventure; a journey through the mind body and soul. Odysseus was strong throughout his voyage and was able to conquer his obstacles thanks to the help from the Goddess Athena. Athena provided physical and emotional support for this man, to get him on his way home to Ithaka. She also provided this same support for Odysseus' son, Telemakhos. Without her involvement, "The Odyssey" would not have turned out the way it did; because she plays such a crucial role in the story. It is understood that Odysseus is the primary character in this epic; concerning his fears and eventually returning to his home, Ithaka. The only reason this was possible is because he had the help of the clever and intelligent Goddess, Athena.
Throughout the epic poem of The Odyssey readers are exposed to the man that captures the interest of many, Odysseus. Odysseus is portrayed as a ‘godlike’ man as well being deemed a warrior of his own class, beyond all men in mind and in comparison, the Hugh Heffner of his time. He is everything men aspire to be in many ways as well as being profoundly in touch with his emotions when it comes to women. Odysseus shows this in many different ways from tears for his wife Penelope to the heartbreak for his long-dead mother, Antikleia.
Odysseus is a hero because he acts courageously while facing the many challenges he encounters. Odysseus’s shows great bravery when he engages in physical challenges. Odysseus daringly fights against the suitors, while significantly outnumbered: “For I must tell you this is no affair / of ten or even twice ten men, but scores, throngs of them” (XVI, 291 – 293). Even though Odysseus is facing hundreds of men, his bravery keeps him confident that he can win the battle. Odysseus must use his physical strength when Poseidon punishes him with turbulent waves: “Odysseus’s knees grew slack, his heart / sickened, and he said within himself / Rag of man that I am, is this the end of me?” (V, 307 – 309). Odysseus is exhausted from the torrential sea, yet refuses to give up because of enormous courage and his unwillingness to surrender. Odysseus must also cope with emotional challenges throughout his journey. His emotions are tested when he ventures to the underworld, Hades, and must confront his greatest fear, death: “From every side they came and sought the pit / with rustling cries; and I grew sick with fear. / But presently I gave command to my officers” (XI, 45 -47). Although Odysseus is deeply fearful when he comes face to face with the dead, his mental f...
... Odysseus' experience with Calypso reflects his strength and diligence, though he cries all day everyday. It is quite ironic. Calypso seems to represent womanly jealousy. She knows he has a wife waiting in Ithaca for him, yet she continues to retain him for her own selfish happiness. She seems to be a little unsure if she is greater in beauty than Penelope when she assures Odysseus that she exceeds Penelope by far in that area. It seems that she knew what his reply would be and merely wanted to hear it from his mouth.
...ow Greek civilization was founded by women; they were the ones who gave birth to the heroes. Similarly, The Odyssey is a story created by women. The plot revolves around the actions of women. Athena orchestrates all the events. The seductresses, such as Circe, the sirens, and Calypso, attempt to stop Odysseus from reaching home. The helpmeets, such as Nausicaa, Arete, and Athena, aid Odysseus in his homecoming. The wise and virtuous Penelope is the object of Odysseus’ quest. Unlike Helen who forsakes her husband, Penelope remains faithful. Unlike Clytemnestra who assassinates her husband, Penelope patiently waits for Odysseus. She becomes a model of female patience and of female intelligence. Her craftiness is the only one which can match up to Odysseus’. The Odyssey presents a wide array of women and demonstrates the influence that women have in the life of a hero.
The Odyssey is a tale that has changed literature and storytelling. In this tale Odysseus is a Soldier from the battle of Troy trying to get home to his island of Ithaca, where he is king. His wife and son must wait ten years while he is trying to make his way home. In Odysseus’s absence wooer’s, or better known as suitors, learn of his absence and travel to Ithaca to win his wife’s hand in marriage. These men come every day feasting on Odysseus’s food and wine, and give his servant’s orders. His son Telemachus, does his best to keep the suitors from ruining his fathers house but he is only a boy, and doesn’t receive the respect of an adult. Telemachus then has a visit from the god Athena, whom Odysseus is friends with, who advises him to travel to find out about his father. In his travels he hears that Odysseus may still be alive. Meanwhile Odysseus goes through a series of adventures and hardships that prove his wisdom. It is interesting in contrast of the Iliad, even though Achilles was much stronger and a better warrior, Odysseus was portrayed as a greater hero due to his wisdom. He uses this wisdom to escape from the Cyclops.
Homer compares the crying Odysseus to a woman who weeps for her husband who died in battle. The weeping woman is described in a very dramatic scene in order to reflect the intensity of the sorrow that Odysseus is experiencing. The “woman weeps, flinging herself across the fallen body of her dear husband.” As she is “clinging to him, [she] wails,” and then “the enemies behind her strike her back and shoulders, then they carry her away to slavery and trials and misery.” The woman goes through a great deal of hardship, which explains why “her cheeks are wasted with pain.” Not only does her husband die, but the enemies strike her with their spears and take her away to suffer more. By comparing Odysseus’s crying to the woman weeping in this intense scene of misery, Homer is able to show the reader the degree of sorrow that Odysseus is feeling.
Compared to the modern world, women in Ancient Greece had very few rights compared to men, and generally had dreary lifestyles. The Iliad reflects this, as many of the women seen in the epic have insignificant and seemingly useless roles. Most notable is the role of women as “prize women” from wars, including women such as Briseis and Chryseis. Both women were “prizes” from the Trojan War given to Achilles and Agamemnon. Evidently, the concept of prize women in Greek societies was pivotal due to the concept of τιμη, or “honor and esteem”, as noted by Achilles’ dramatic reaction to Briseis being taken away from him by Agamemnon, demonstrated in Book 1 of The Iliad, “‘I [Agamemnon] shall come to your tent and take your own prize Briseis …’ The son of Peleus [Achilles] was furious, and his heart within his shaggy breast was divided whether to draw his sword, push the others aside, and kill [Agamemnon], or to restrain himself and check his anger.” Obviously, not all women are prizes. The reader can see women fulfilling basic roles as wives or mothers. The simplest example is Helen, who was the husband of Menelaus before and after the Trojan War, and the wife, as promised by Aphrodite, of Paris during the war. While some may argue that Helen played a pivotal role in causing the war, which is true, her otherwise main role as a character was nothing beyond the wife of a given man and a spectator of the war. Similarly, Hecuba and Thetis are both women with overall insignificant roles. Both women were mothers who were concerned about their children. Thetis arrives when Achilles is seen crying, as the text stated, “As he [Achilles] spoke he wept aloud, and his mother heard him where she was sitting in the depths of the sea hard by the old man her father. Forthwith she rose as it were a grey mist out of the waves, sat down before him as he stood weeping, caressed him with her hand,
Desdemona is one of the protagonists of the play contributes to the play and also fleshes out certain aspects of characterisation mainly where Othello and Iago are concerned. Thus her relevance is highlighted consistently throughout Othello, since without her ppresence, Iago would not have succeeded in manipulating Othello, and Othello's drastic transformation would not have been made evident.
The first time Hecuba speaks it is about a prophetic dream she had the previous night. In this dream, “Achilles’ phantom came above the high crest of the tomb. He was demanding as a prize some one of the many-troubled Trojan women” (83). Although she suspects that the victim will be her daughter, she prays to the gods for intervention instead of
Tragic events can happen as a result of accidents, misunderstandings, or specific situations, hence, they relate little to others. However, tragedy is rooted in the order of our universe because it reveals hypothetical situations that can occur at any time or place. This feeling of uncertainty arouses feelings of pity and fear because we can imagine ourselves having to face tragedy. In Aristotle's Poetics, Aristotle defines tragedy as, “a representation of an action of serious stature and complete, having magnitude, in language made pleasing in distinct forms in its separate parts, imitating people acting and not using narration, accomplishing by means of pity and fear the cleansing of these states of feeling” (Aristotle, 26). A dramatic composition that captures the true essence of suffering and awakens our senses is one that Aristotle would call a tragedy worthy of our praise. He notes, “It is clear first that decent men ought not to be shown changing from good to bad fortune (since this is neither frightening nor pitiable but repellent) and people of bad character ought not to be shown changing from bad to good fortune (since this is the most untragic thing of all, for it has none of the things a tragedy needs, since it neither arouses love for humanity nor is it pitiable or frightening)” (Aristotle, 36).
The time period of Greek theater’s popularity was a very influential time in our world’s history. Without knowing what Greek theater was all about, how can someone expect to truly understand a tragic play and the history it comes with? The history behind the character of Oedipus, in the play Oedipus the King, is very complicated. His intricate past dealing with prophecies, family members, and murder is the main focus of the story. There are many characteristics that complete Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero; these being the presence of hamartia and peripeteia, a sense of self-awareness, the audience’s pity for the character, and the hero is of noble birth.
Some of the major relationships in the story are the relationship between Odysseus and his men, because they view as a hero and are willing to do anything for him. Odysseus also has a very close bond with Telemachus, his son, and his loyalty to his father can be seen when he travels to Sparta to look for his father when he has been absent for so long and near the end when he helps his father defeat the suitors. An important negative relationship that Odysseus has is his relationship with the suitor Antinous. When Odysseus returns, Antinous and his men are trying to take over his house, ...
Hecuba was the Queen of Troy before the Greeks attacked her kingdom. Her and her family, were living peacefully, but then they were diminished. Her husband died, along with most of her children. Her son, Polydorous was sent to an island far away from Troy to be with a trusted friend. He was brought there to be kept safe until he was able to build Troy back up. Hecuba and her daughter were both slaves for the Greeks. Hecuba had lost all her trust and dignity when she lost Troy and her children. She was beaten and on top of that she witnessed her daughter’s, Polyxena, death. She also had the sight of discovering her son’s dead body. She had lost faith in humanity and trust because their trusted old friend turned back on them for treasure.