Cyclops Polyphemus And Odysseus Comparison

Cyclops Polyphemus

According to Homer’s Odyssey, the Cyclops Polyphemus refers to a huge giant who was the son of renowned Poseidon and Thoosa. The story behind the Cyclops Polyphemus has been widely described in the Odyssey and the Theocritus' poem. The poems are quite instrumental in the comparison of the giant and the nature of existence in the ancient times. The two points of view will be explored in order to draw the nature of the giant before making comparisons and contrast.

The Homer’s Odyssey (EH 298-314)

Firstly, it is important to know that Odyssey was a son of Anticlea and Laertes and king of the Ithaca. Cyclops Polyphemus appears in the book of Odyssey as a huge giant that feed on human flesh. In his poems he described the return of the Cyclops Polyphemus for the Trojan War and on reaching the entrance of the cave he decides to block the entrance before embarking on his usual habit of eating men. In this case,

he feast on two men and enters the cave with the enthusiasm of getting much to feast on. From the story, it is evident that when satisfied, Cyclops Polyphemus could get out and graze his sheep without eating them unlike when he sees humans (Sacks & Murray, 1995). The men and Odysseus in the cave decide to tie themselves to the bellies of the sheep during the morning hours as they went out to be grazed. The escape plan succeeds, and Polyphemus decided to revenge using a huge stone directed to the ship. His roar might have helped in bringing fear, but the men had managed to escape into the sea.

The Hellenistic poet - Theocritus' poem
The poet paints the nature of Cyclops Polyphemus as a shepherd who is a concern with the sheep and does it diligently. In essence, the story is recast to bring out the pastoralist aspect of the ancient society. He could find solace in song with more passions and love for the sea-nymph. The description by the poet indicates that he had some secret admirer from girls who could find it easy and attracted to this giant. In Idyll XI and other fragments, it is easy to deduce that at one time Polyphemus decides to declare his love for Galatea. The giant is known to be the son of Poseidon (Sacks & Murray, 1995).
Ovid's Metamorphoses – the narrative by Ovid implies that the aspect of love was quickly becoming elaborate between the Polyphemus and the women. Polyphemus happens to sees that Galatea and Acis are developing some relationship. He ensures that he get Acis killed in order to win the heart of the heartbroken Galatea.

Comparisons and Contrast: Differences
Odyssey – He describes the giant as having one eye and a loud voice that brings fear, the poem asserts that the giant only ate men but could not feed on his sheep. The story by Odyssey is not in clear order since there is a mix-up in the flow of the idea. However, Homer helps in giving the chronological order to the happenings. The approach by the Greek brings out the nature of Polyphemus as a greedy and harmful giant who is willing to kill enemies in order to avoid competitions and attack in his territory (Sacks & Murray, 1995). The theme of enmity arises between the two characters (Odyssey and Polyphemus) where Polyphemus wants to kill the men that served odyssey. Furthermore, he wants to destroy the voyage, which is home to the men who escaped with Odyssey.
Theocritus' poem and Ovid's Metamorphoses – The approach of the giant depicts a loving creature that is willing to accept letter and love from young women.

Hellenistic age allowed the use of the Polyphemus to refer to the ability of the sea nymph to be used to woo young women into love. The era managed to turn the huge, ugly and savage creature into a typical romance hero was an achievement of the Hellenistic era.

Comparisons and contrast: similarities

The Ovid tries to bring out the aspect of the creature in various ways. Firstly, all the narratives acknowledge that the Polyphemus was a huge being. Secondly, Polyphemus was known as a son to one of the humans but happens to have grown huge due to his ways of living that include eating human and heavy meals (Sacks & Murray, 1995). Thirdly, the nature of Polyphemus was dynamic and presented a revolutionary way of presenting the nature of the giant. The themes of love, hate, fear, murder, wit and war is developed through the transformation of the nature and character of the Polyphemus.

Conclusion
Ovid’s Metamorphoses paraphrases extensively the two idylls as the final passage shows how Polyphemus uses espionage on Galatea and Acis and out of jealousy crushes the latter with a rock. Galatea from his native land returned and changed her dead lover into the civilian river Acis, the account that had greatest impact in the later ages. Deductively, the Theocritus' poem and Ovid's Metamorphoses have a common approach to the Polyphemus while that of Odyssey implies a bad being. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the generational difference that brings out the variation in the way Polyphemus is perceived.