Exploring The Theme Of Foolishness In Homer's Odyssey

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Your actions always have a way of coming back to you. This is shown from the stories called ‘Greek Myths’. They populated around 3000-1100 BCE. A myth is a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a person or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events. In these stories, there was typically a God who had a purpose. To do or say something. But most of the time, a theme of foolishness comes about. To be foolish means to show a lack of sense, or ill-considered. As a result of their foolish actions, in most myths, the character or God who has acted in such a way is punished, usually cursed by another God of higher power. For example, some curses take away the ability …show more content…

Foolish acts come with very harsh punishments. There are many examples of this, so let me tell you 3 of them. Orpheus, known as ‘The Great Musician,’ was a mortal who could make such heavenly songs. Trees would gather around him to give shade, and other creatures stayed along to hear him sing. Many were in love with him, but he had eyes only for Eurydice the Nymph. One day, tragically, Eurydice was bitten by a vicious snake, and died in spite of all the attempts to save her. Orpheus mourned his wife so much that he grabbed his lyre and went down into the underworld. He asks Hades to give back his wife. Hades grants this wish, but shortly …show more content…

A narcissistic man is what he is. A young girl named Echo had been a fool and fell in love with him. Though her voice was taken away, she was not allowed to speak unless someone spoke before, and even then she could only repeat what they said in an echo. During a hike one day, Narcissus encounters Echo, as she confesses her love for him, he insults her. “Never will I let you kiss me” or “I would die before I would have you touch me.” Due to these words, Echo begs to be killed. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is kind to the nymph and kills her. Though, because of him insulting Echo’s love, he is insulting the one and only Aphrodite. “He shall not go unpunished for this cruelty” she says. And those words stuck in my mind. Narcissus is forced to fall in love with his reflection, causing him to die a sorrowful death, just as Echo once did. Narcissus was a self-centered man, only caring for himself and his wishes. This causes him to be killed. Had he been less full of himself, and did not insult the love of Echo, he would have lived on. But, due to his actions, he was cursed by Aphrodite and died a slow, painful, heartbreaking death. The Earth grew flowers along his body as the whispers of him and Echo lived on. Prometheus was born to the Titan Lapetus and the nymph Clymene. He was known to be the supreme trickster. Even though being allied with the Titans, he helped Zeus gain victory in the War of the Titans. This caused Zeus to

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