Exploring The Theme Of Wisdom In Homer's Odyssey

Aristotle, in his Poetics, states that the creation of art stems in part from the innate desire of man to imitate what he finds to be true:

Poetry in general can be seen to owe its existence to two causes, and these are rooted in nature. First, there is man’s natural propensity, from childhood onwards, to engage in mimetic activity (and this distinguishes man from other creatures, that he is thoroughly mimetic and through mimesis takes his first steps in understanding). Second, there is the pleasure which all men take in mimetic objects.

[...] It is for this reason that men enjoy looking at images, because what happens is that, as they contemplate them, they apply their understanding and reasoning to each element (identifying this as an image

In Agamemnon the chorus sings to “Zeus who put men on the way to wisdom/by making it a valid law/that by suffering they shall learn.” It is important to note the context of this hymn: the chorus is praising Zeus for the defeat of the Trojans. The chorus is not acclaiming Zeus for teaching their own people, the Greeks, wisdom through suffering, but rather for showing the Trojans the folly of their hubris by permitting them to be defeated. The punishment that Zeus inflicts upon the Trojans is equated with teaching: “There drips before the heart instead of sleep/pain that reminds them of their wounds;/and against their will there comes discretion.” Wisdom, in the form of fear of the gods, comes to the Trojans through suffering because suffering forces wisdom upon those who will not accept it any other

Through his suffering, Odysseus is better equipped to reclaim his kingship, which he demonstrates when he swallows his anger towards a suitor, hearkening back to his experience with Polyphemus to remind himself not to reveal his identity before the proper time. Telemachus’ suffering requires him to become worthy of his father’s name, as the audacity of the suitors drives him to seek and accept Athena’s help in learning his heritage and becoming worthy of it. Penelope’s suffering also strengthens her, as is shown in her final test of Odysseus’ identity, when she claims that their marriage-bed has been moved. Again, as these are traditionally heroic characters in an epic, the theme of suffering making one wise is less obvious and less strongly developed, but it is still