Importance Of Egypt In The Odyssey

1015 Words3 Pages

When thinking about the Odyssey, one might think of a boat crossing the sea, a one-eyed monster, or getting revenge on someone trying to hook up with your significant other. Egypt is not something that is generally associated with Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey. That is why it is so surprising to then find that Egypt does come up in the Odyssey. While it is not something that comes up frequently, it is in the poem.
In the Odyssey, Egypt is brought up when Telemachus, son of Odysseus, visits Menelaus, a great King, to inquire about his absent father. Menelaus then tells Telemachus of the hardships that he, his wife Helen, and his men endured while striving to return home from the Trojan War. On his journey, Menelaus and his companions ended up …show more content…

If you are just looking at the plot, Egypt has no role in the Odyssey. In most abridged versions, the talk of Egypt is cut out of poem. However, there are some elements that Egypt and the stories of Egypt add to the poem.
It nice to hear a story about a tragic hero who suffers greatly, has many wrongs done to him, then overcomes his suffering, and those who have wronged him to reach a happy ending. This is a fairly common form of a story. The addition of astonishing scenes and worlds will make any story more intriguing to the audience. It is obvious with the scale and scope of the Iliad and Odyssey that Homer was holding nothing back in the telling of his epics. The stories are really meant to move the audience in a divine way.
“Only look at the gleaming of the bronze all through these echoing mansions, and the gleaming of gold and amber, of silver and ivory. The court of Zeus on Olympus must be like this on the inside” Book IV lines …show more content…

A hero who makes his fame through his cunning, should have no trouble finding his way home. His job was done, he just needed to retrace his path home. He should be back free. If it had been just Odysseus who struggled to get home, there would have been a serious blow to his credibility as a great hero. If it was just Odysseus, he would be known as the fool who got lost. The story would be a comedy, not an Epic. Menelaus getting blown off course and ending up in Egypt adds some credibility to Odysseus poor luck. There is a lot of open water between Greece and Egypt, and even more between Troy and Egypt. Menelaus getting stuck in Egypt makes Odysseus getting blown off course more

Show More
Related

  • Reciprocity In Homer's The Odyssey

    66 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Odyssey is an epic home it was written by homer in the classical Greek. The story is about the main character Odysseus a Trojan war hero and his journey to return home to Ithaca conflict and obstacles are throughout the story and affect different characters many of the characters experience some form of reciprocity by the end of the epic and get what they

    Read More

  • Free Essays on Homer's Odyssey: Scylla and Charybdis

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Odyssey is no exception to this trick or technique. In the episode Scylla and Charybdis the plot is filled with intense confrontations, a heroic leader, and more. Some of this can be easily identified, for example, when Homer writes. & nbsp; scarcely had that island. faded in the blue air than I saw smoke  and white water with waves in tumult- a sound the men heard, and it terrified them. Oars flew from their hands; the blades went.

    Read More

  • Athena, and the Role of Women in the Odyssey

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Impact of Ancient Religion on Homer’s Odyssey

    1398 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...se value to the Odyssey as a voice from an antique time aimed at future generations. During the Roman Empire, both the Odyssey and its companion, the Iliad, were considered as foundational texts in education. Small wonder; history, poetry, parable, hymn-such a literary work is its own small cosmos. It deserves to be approached and interacted with as a living entity that still matters in Western civilization. That is possible only if we view such works in the context of the societies that produced them. Religion was a huge component of such a society. Although we now possess technological marvels that might give a Greek deity apoplexy from shame, the ancient Greeks are still Us. Men and women will always feel the need to see the world through fresher eyes than their own.

    Read More

  • Comparing Gilgamesh and Odysseus

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Odyssey was also very popular in it’s time. It was set in ancient Greece where in its culture; mythology was the heart of everyday life. The Greek Culture turned to mythology to explain different phenomena for which they had no scientific explanation and this was prominent in the epic the Odyssey.

    Read More

  • Themes of the Odyssey

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    To start with the most common one, the role of the gods, one can see many such allusions thrown all over the odyssey. The epic poem starts in Mt.Olympus where the gods are discussing what will happen to Odysseus , Master mariner and warrior of Ithaka. As it so happens he is on the island of Kalypso, one of the lesser gods. Also, as Odysseus travels, one learns about the role of the gods in not only his travels but other peoples ones too. Agisthos, the man who stole Agamemnon's wife and killed him, was sent a message from Zeus by Hermes, giving him the information of what will happen if he kills him. Also, Menelaus, the red haired king of war, had to wrestle with a sea-god in order to gain acceptance and sail all the way back to his homeland of Sparta, and find news about the rest of his companions. He would not find out about his brothers demise until he got home.

    Read More

  • The Character Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey

    1048 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Odyssey" is an epic story that has been a significant piece of literature since it was first composed and will remain so for ages to come. One of the reasons it has been so is because of the hero, Odysseus.

    Read More

  • The Hierarchical Relationship Between The Gods And Society In Homer's Odyssey

    1175 Words  | 3 Pages

    Society in The Odyssey is based on hierarchical structure. The world of the epic seems very bias, as it primarily focuses on the upper class or the kings in The Odyssey. We can see this in both worlds – the world of the gods, and the world of mortals. Despite also focusing on slaves, primarily at the beginning of the poem in Odysseus’ house, we mostly see the lives of Odysseus and that of other royal families. On the other hand,

    Read More

  • Destiny, Fate and Free Will in Homer's Odyssey

    1370 Words  | 3 Pages

    When we look at Greek Mythology we often run into the gods of that era. Sometimes they are merely backdrops to the human element of the story but in stories such as The Odyssey the gods play a prominent if not vital role to the central themes of the story.

    Read More

  • What Is The Similarities Between The Odyssey And The Epic Of Gilgamesh

    1574 Words  | 4 Pages

    Instead, I would suggest that prefiguration is at play. As discussed in the Return of Ulysses by Edith Hall, prefiguration is similar to foreshadowing. According to Hall, “ . . . an element in an ancient text (e.g. Odysseus ' wanderings) can in a mysterious but profound manner prefigure things that happen later (Columbus 's voyages of exploration)” (Hall 6). Although, there may be no empirical evidence of Homer taking ideas from The Epic of Gilgamesh to formulate The Odyssey, the similarities between both epics go without notice. Enkidu and Gilgamesh go through a long and perilous journey, fight for their mortality, contend with the sexual advances of Goddesses, sail across deadly waters, and are offered immortality. Moreover, both Enkidu and Gilgamesh are at peace and become humble men at the end of their

    Read More

  • Odysseus Archetype Analysis

    1038 Words  | 3 Pages

    The epic The Odyssey is about a hero named Odysseus that must go through many life threatening situations in order to return to his loving family. Odysseus undergoes many trials and obstacles in the form of mythological beasts that stand in the way of arriving home. All of the archetypes that show up in Ancient Greek culture are very similar to the ones that appear in modern times. The Odyssey takes place in the twelfth century B.C where its plot setting stretches from the Aegean and surrounding seas to his birthplace of Ithaca. This epic is an example in which its main story is covered by what writers base their characters off of today:archetypes. Homer wrote The Odyssey to get readers excited to learn about the archetypes that relate to the

    Read More

  • The Role of the Gods in the Odyssey

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    middle of paper ... ... In Homer’s Odyssey, both Odysseus and his son Telemachus embark on long, difficult journeys; Odysseus trying to return from Troy to his home in Ithaca, escaping Calypso and the island of Ogygia, and Telemachus from Ithaca to Pylos and Sparta in search of his lost father. While The Odyssey tells of the courage both men demonstrate during their respective travels, their quests are the results of the intentions and desires of gods. Odysseus is trapped in exile on Ogygia by the will of Poseidon, whose anger Odysseus attracts when he blinds the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon, and by the love of Calypso, who wishes to make Odysseus her husband.

    Read More

  • Homer's Epic, The Odyssey

    1542 Words  | 4 Pages

    Homer’s epic, the Odyssey, is a heroic narrative that follows the adventures of Odysseus, the powerful King of Ithaca. The main story involves Odysseus’s return journey to his homeland after the Trojan War. However, Homer skips around in the action periodically to give the reader a better understanding and interest in what is going on in the epic. Homer takes his audience from the present action involving Telemakhos’ search for news of his father’s return, to the past where Odysseus tells the Phaiakians of his tragic journey home after the war. The events in Homer’s epic are not in order but still prove more effective at guiding the reader through the narrative. Although the events in the Odyssey are not in chronological order, the story line is enriched by Homer’s use of the in media res method because it introduces characters that were not involved in Odysseus’ adventure, because it shows the urgency of Odysseus’ return to his kingdom, and because it allows the reader to become more interested in the opening chapters without having to wait for a climax in the action.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Character Development Essay

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homer’s literature served as a moral messenger to the people of ancient Greece. The Odyssey by Homer demonstrates the character development of Odysseus, the epic hero, and his journey of self-discovery. Odysseus was a great, wise, noble, and well respected war hero to his people. Odysseus had one tragic flaw that was demonstrated by his actions throughout the book. The author Homer continued to strip Odysseus of his arrogance throughout the story, by throwing challenges his way, making him pay for his mistakes, and allowing him to continue to overcome obstacles. The main purpose of Odysseus journey also to reach his home a more humble man. Reading Odysseus’ journey also served as a way to look at morals. The

    Read More

  • The Classical Mythology

    1184 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homer is credited for writing epics that generate source materials for the modern world. The Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer are captivating stories with fascinating heroic characters. The Homer stories share with classical mythology typical recurrent motifs. The two Homer epic poems focus on the Trojan War, and its result. The epic poems contain the Greek mythology featuring the Greek gods, goddesses, mythological creatures, and the Greek heroes, and heroines. In addition, the principal motifs typical of classical mythological hero stories are; the dominance of fate, evil fighting against the gods, and death. In both the classic mythology, and he modern fiction hero stories, the heroes always have a helper in their expedition, but ultimately, they have to stand alone, face the darkness, and conquer it in order to become victorious.

    Read More

More about Importance Of Egypt In The Odyssey

Open Document