Manipulation is the skillful management of another being to completely guide its intended direction to what the controller wants it or others to see or do. The thrilling rush of authority, power, and complete control of an object can be inundating for some, but for others it is pure amusement and elation. Throughout the epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey, by Homer, it is apparent that the issue of defining the differences of manipulation and assistance is frequently discussed through the incessant appearance of the Greek Gods, who constantly invade and manipulate the human beings that they have created for, essentially, amusement. The Gods’ interaction with the humans emulates manipulation; constant guidance and directions are given to interfere …show more content…
with the mortals’ lives, in order for the Gods to be able to play with their creations, Humans.
To illustrate, the Gods’, in both epics, show steady occurrence when mortals are on the verge of making an important decision or action, but are swayed due to the Gods’ input. For example, in the Iliad, Lines __-__, the Hero, Achilles, amid his decision to either attack Agamemnon, for his destructive and selfish decisions and commands, or leave Agamemnon to his destructive path receives a visit from the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. “You mustn’t because think of his given powers, and what may happen to the order of what has been created by the Gods” (Homer ____). Achilles, who was about to make his decision based of the needs of the people, gives into the God, Athena’s, persuasive speech and decides to not end the King Agamemnon’s reign and life. Yet, Achilles’ intended action, before “guidance,” would most likely settle the disputes between the two warring nations and beings. However, the Gods are attentively watching and commentarying the dispute, so they are trying what they can do to prolong it so their attentions will be satisfied. In …show more content…
addition, in The Odyssey, lines 368-374, Athena, again, and another mortal Telémakhos are in the middle of, once again another decision. “’Do not delay me […] you shall have a choice gift in exchange’ […] as she went she put a new spirit in him, a new dream [a new decision] Then godlike in his turn he joined the suitors” (Homer 11). This excerpt clearly depicts the overbearing input that a God figure has on a mortal’s decisions and outlooks on certain matters. However, as noted before this interaction, Telémakhos did not feel the same way about his father as Athena did. But, after Athena’s eloquent and cogent for her reasons elegy, Telémakhos was quickly put into the same view as Athena. Throughout both epics, the Gods’ interference is apparent and dominating towards the mortal’s decisions, and resembles a force more powerful than mere assistance. To begin with, manipulation is the overpowering influence that intends to impede upon another’s original course to shift to a wanted or meant path, like a puppeteer directly controlling a puppet’s every move, thought, and speech.
Every decision or action the puppet makes is entirely influenced or generated by the puppeteer or controller, with little no regard for what the puppet’s internal opinions are. On the other hand, assistance or guidance is the act of helping another to complete her/his intended goal or decision, like a pacer encouraging a marathon runner to finish in the last two-tenths of a mile. The runner’s goal or opinion to finish is still existence and is only being aided with the help of the pace runner. These two words have entirely disparate meanings and connotations. Yet, the defining “line” between these two words is very ambiguous on the surface, but can easily be determined through the close examination of events. For
example
You are permitted on settle on your choices yet you need support not permitted to lift those results" that quote recognizes for a few pieces in the odyssey. The subject "Through Also through flexibility is An all the all the more persuading move over destiny" may be for a few encounters in the odyssey: those secured proprietor, eating up Hyperions dairy creatures, Moreover The minute that odysseus returns home.
Throughout the Odyssey, there are many relationships that represent love between two people. These relationships show loyalty, compassion, and the wanting to be near one another. Two of these kinds of relationships are between Odysseus and Telemakhos, and Odysseus and Penelope.
The relationship between the gods and humanity in The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey are the same. In each saga, the gods seem to live nearby and are always present. Both epic poems portray humans as simply at the mercy of the gods. The gods feel that it is their duty to intervene if they feel that man is traveling off course from his destiny. However, the gods are not all powerful.
Have you ever thought what would be like if the gods get involve in our life? What would be of us if they do? In the story of Homer 's Iliad, we see how the gods gets involve in people life quite often, and what effect it have on the person when they do. In this paper I will be arguing the differences and the similarities of books 3 and 22 from Homer 's Iliad. I will be talking about the issue of human free will vs. the role of gods in our life. In particular, in book 3 we see how our free will can have the gods get involve in our life’s, where in book 22 we see how free will can decide our destiny without any help from the gods.
Before one can understand the interactions between the Gods and mortals, one first has to understand the nature of the Gods. In Homer, the Olympian Gods are anthropomorphic; that is to say they have human characteristics. The Gods have both a human shape as well as human emotions and needs. It is very evident that the Gods behave much like the mortals they lord over. Another facet to the Olympians Gods is that they represent a facet of nature, such as fire, water, death, weather, love, anger, nature, and death. The duel nature of the Gods creates a paradox in which the Gods are both anthropomorphic, as well as abstract representations of nature. In Homer, the Gods alternate between each of these parts, and on occasion become one. It can be best said that while the Gods are anthropomorphic, they are also a personification of nature. There are numerous examples of this in both the Iliad and the Odyssey. In book 21 of the Iliad Achilles has to fight the river god Xanthus, but he is saved by the fire god Hephaestus. Hephaestus is portrayed both a fire God as well as the fire itself. Xanthus, who na...
In the Odyssey there is a distinct relationship that is shared between the mortals and the Gods. In the link with Christian faith, the Gods in the Odyssey are physically present. The Gods help, lend assistance, support and mentor the mortals. They can be ‘compared to that of a guardian angel’ (FORP). In comparison, the gods have their favourites which my result in the negativity towards a mortal from a particular God. As so the mortals are at the mercy of Gods. Majority of the time the mortals benefit greatly from the Gods and can be seen to transform for the better.
The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald, is about the war hero Odysseus' ten year adventure to return home after the Trojan War. At one point in the epic poem, Odysseus is retelling his adventure at the land of the Kyklopês, in which he and his crew go to an island filled with these creatures. Through Odysseus, Homer uses contrasting connotation when speaking of the crew and the Kyklopês to convey that mankind is better than the Kyklopês using two different domains domains of society.
Throughout Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, gods are presented as remarkably human in almost every way. While it is assumed that gods are divine entities incapable of human transgression, they are portrayed with all the flaws of mortals in The Iliad. The gods are a manifestation of human emotions consequently helping to explain the behavior of the humans in The Iliad. The actions of the heroes are what determine their fate, not divine intervention. Ultimately, the humans in The Iliad have inherent characteristics that provide the driving force behind their actions: the gods simply act in concert with them, allowing the human beings to exercise free will of
The Odyssey details Odysseus’ arduous return to his homeland. Ten years have passed since the end of the Trojan war and Odysseus, the “most cursed man alive”, has been missing and presumed dead by many. (10.79). Throughout the novel, gods play a significant role in the fate of Odysseus and other characters. The extent of the gods’ role though is not unqualified, contrary to Telemachus’ suggestion that, “Zeus is to blame./He deals to each and every/ laborer on this earth whatever doom he pleases” (1.401-403). While Zeus does have this power, his description of how humans meet their fate is more accurately depicted throughout the novel. As he aptly points out, “from us alone, the say, come all their miseries, yes,/ but they themselves, with their own reckless ways,/ compound their pain beyond their proper share” (1.38-52). While the gods do doom certain mortals, many of these mortals exacerbate their ill fate by making rash decisions and ignoring the gods’ warnings. The gods are also not always disrupting mortals lives; they often aid mortals in need. In fact, mortals who effectively court the favor of the gods often benefit greatly. While the gods’ powers are unquestionable, no one god’s power is insurmountable. Gods can be outsmarted and their wrath escaped. The Odyssey, in congruence with Zeus’ statement, ultimately, portrays human freedom as existent, but limited.
The Odyssey’ places emphasis on cunning and guilefulness rather than strength as in the former epic; elucidated in Odysseus’ dealings with Poseidon’s son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Compelled Composed approximately in 700 B.C., Homer’s epic narrative, ‘The Odyssey’ depicts the homeward voyage of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus. The Epos, commonly known as “The Wanderings of Odysseus” are the protagonists’ recounting of his perilous misadventures to King Alcinous of the Phaecians; to date, the most celebrated and noted section of the great epic. Contrasting ‘The Iliad’, ‘The Odyssey’ places emphasis on cunning and guilefulness rather than strength as in the former epic; elucidated in Odysseus’ dealings with Poseidon’s son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Compelled by curiosity to explore the island, Odysseus opts to refrain from pillaging a discovered cave glutted with provisions, choosing to his crew’s dismay to linger and test the inhabitant’s hospitality rather than scuttling to the ships.
The Odyssey, written by Homer in ancient greek times, is an epic that portrays itself as a metaphor for life. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is confronted with challenges and obstacles and is nearly subdued by temptations and pitfalls. But through these challenges and temptations, he is searching for one place, Ithaca, a representation of the ultimate goal of happiness in life. Just like in the the Odyssey, my life is a series of challenges, obstacles, temptations, and pitfalls to find Ithaca, or happiness.
One of the most compelling topics The Iliad raises is that of the intricate affiliations between fate, man and the gods. Many events related by Homer in his epic poem exhibit how these three connections interweave and eventually determine the very lives of the men and women involved in the war. Homer leaves these complex relationships slightly unclear throughout the epic, never spelling out the exact bonds connecting men's fate to the gods and what can be considered the power of fate. The motivation for the ambiguousness present in The Iliad is not easily understood, but it is a question that enriches and helps weave an even greater significance of the results into Homer's masterpiece. I feel that the interaction between man, god, and fate can be shown to be one great fluidity that ultimately leaves life mysterious, giving much more depth and complexity to the bonds between the three.
...uring the 8th century BC and Herakles is the most present, dating at early 5th century BC. Observing these myths, it can be concluded that the gods’ involvement in these stories decrease and become less active as they near present times. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the furthest from present time, the divine intervention was evenly distributed, bringing up various gods, and found in the beginning, middle, and the end of the Sumerian epic. The Iliad, although the gods were active in the Book XX, didn’t have much previous activity throughout the Iliad because Zeus had banned divine interference (Lattimore 404). Herakles represented a very active Hera doing everything possible to hinder Herakles’ efforts, but it was mainly focused on her. Even though the gods and goddesses helped Herakles accomplish his labors, Hera’s role was the focal point of the divine intervention.
In these two classic, epic poems told by Homer, the roles of the gods are very important to the characters and their journey throughout the books. It is always a positive or negative effect but the gods’ interference on mortals’ lives makes this an epic journey that has been remembered for thousands of years. The Iliad and the Odyssey are very different from each other in that the Iliad has more gods that effect the war and its outcome whereas the Odyssey only has two major gods that effect two characters.
One view of the gods’ intervention in the mortal conflict was that they were just setting events back onto the course of fate. For example, when Patroclus was killed outside of Troy, Apollo felt no guilt for his actions. It had already been decided by fate that Patroclus would not defeat the Trojans. As a god, Apollo was just setting fate on a straight line again. After this event, Achilles blames Hector and the Trojans, not even considering Apollo, who was the one who was mostly responsible for the death. Apollo’s part in the matter was merely accepted as a natural disaster would be accepted today in our