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Odyssey literary analysis
Critical analysis of the odyssey
Critical analysis of the odyssey
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A dynamic character in literature is a person that under goes an important inner change of perspective. In many literary works, authors use these types of characters to teach a lesson that people can change, and learn to respect the lessons that they learn on their journeys. In Homer's Odyssey, the character Odysseus undergoes many different trials that teach him to be a better person. Homer's The Odyssey still teaches readers many lessons today, including the values of hospitality, modesty, and determination that Odysseus learns as a dynamic character.
We as people living on this earth need to protect and take care of each other. The Greeks may have had a more selfish reason to have such good hospitality, but they still would help out complete strangers. The Greeks were firm believers in xenia, or hospitality, and there is so much proof of that in the Odyssey. In Homer’s The Odyssey Nausicaa
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says, "But now, seeing you've reached our city and our land, you'll never lack clothing or any other gift… I'll show you our town, tell you our people's name.
Phaeacians we are,” The princess of Phaeacia didn’t know Odysseus, and didn’t have any sort of protection against him, but she invited him into her home and told him that he would be treated as a king. The Greeks knew that if they refused to invite a stranger into their home, then there would be some sort of punishment from their gods, "Antinous wheeled on him, lashing out at him: 'Your highness, swineherd- why drag this to town? Haven't we got our share of vagabonds to deal with, disgusting beggars to lick the feasters' plates… must you invite this rascal in the bargain?" (Homer 366) This quote is an example of awful xenia. Antinous was a guest in Penelope’s home, and a beggar came to him asking for food, and Antinous refused to give it to him. He even insulted him and threw a chair at the beggar. The suitors got their punishment for this terrible behavior when Odysseus later murdered them all. When the suitors first arrived at Ithaca, Penelope
welcomed them, but then they started showing awful behavior, “How obscenely they lounge and swagger here, look, gorging in your house,” (Homer 85) Athena was trying to get Telemachus to stand up for himself against the suitors who were being extremely rude. The suitors were awful guests to Penelope, but she still let the stay in her house and eat her food. She did this because she knew that being a good host would reward her later on. The values of hospitality were strong in Greece because they knew that if they weren’t hospitable, there would be consequences.
In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus must face many obstacles on his journey. He is only able to conquer them because of his wonderful qualities. He meets, a Cyclopes, Sirens, a six-headed monster, a regurgitating whirlpool, and a group of greedy, lovesick men. Some Odysseus's more important qualities are, determination, cunning, and protecting.
Over a lifetime, people grow into smart people with different personalities and different interests. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus does something just like that. Faced with many hardships and rough decisions to make, Odysseus has to either become different for the better or stay the same forever. The definition of change is to make or become different. Over time in the epic, Odysseus changes for the better of his future. Before Odysseus returned home, he didn’t care and simply nothing mattered. When he returned home, he was a completely different person. His change to himself got him home to his wife and son as a more mature person.
Hospitality: Greek philoxenia; literally “love of strangers.” Homer might have had such a definition in mind when he introduced the theme of hospitality to his epic poem the Odyssey. A multitude of reasons for the prominent position this theme plays, both in the Odyssey and perhaps in Homer’s own society, are hinted at in the introductory books, often referred to as the Telemachy. Just two of these, namely the hunger for news and the belief in divinity, are illustrated by the words and actions of the hosts Telemakhos and Nestor.
...o all guests saved Odysseus and helped him return home to his wife, son, and kingdom. Even though people from many different kingdoms and islands took Odysseus in their home and showed him great kindness on his return home, the individual who helped him most was the goddess Athena. In many occasions Athena assisted Odysseus. One such example is when Odysseus was fighting of the suitors and they threw spears at him. "Re-forming, the suitors threw again with all their strength, but Athena turned their shots, or all but two (p 566)." Another instance which Athena aided Odysseus was when she disguised him as a beggar on his arrival to his homeland. "Would even you have guessed that I am Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, I that am always with you in times of trial, a shield to you in battle (p 444)." "Your goddess-guardian to the end in all your trials (p 539)."
When it comes to hospitality, Greeks stand atop the list of all cultures for their generosity and politeness towards strangers. “Philoxenia” is the Greek word for “the love of strangers”. Philoxenia is demonstrated in several different cases in Homer’s The Odyssey. According to Greek customs, hospitality is respected by the immortal gods. If the Greek code of hospitality is not performed correctly, or not performed at all, the consequences may be very severe, gods may unleash their wrath to whoever does not follow this tradition of thoughtfulness. Homer suggests both positive and negative commentary on his own world through the examples of hospitalities that provide The Odyssey.
A dynamic character is defined as a character who undergoes an important change in their personality or attitude. The great protagonists in literature often go through an intense internal conflict, resulting in the character being perplexed as to which path is the right one to follow. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury follows a protagonist, Guy Montag, as he struggles with the choice between carrying on living in a brainwashed society or developing his own perspective on life, thus contributing to the theme of knowledge overpowering ignorance.
... As stated before, the women were able to get away with wrongdoings. The Cyclops were able to get away with eating Odysseus's men and even managed to get Odysseus in trouble with the gods. Odysseus didn't display the best hospitality at moments, such as when he skewered the Cyclops's eye and then taunted him about it, but even he ended up being punished when he had acts of bad hospitality. Despite being the most hospitable group, the Phaeacians ended up being punished more than most.
Throughout the tale, Telemachus continually grows into the role of a confident, clever and wise young man, striving to live up to his reputation as Odysseus’ son and Prince of Ithaca. His mother, and Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, is a symbol of marital fidelity, having waited for her husband’s return for twenty long years and refusing to succumb to the Suitors demands that she marry one of them, and instead employing trickery and subterfuge to evade their pressing stipulations. In stark contrast, the Suitors are very static characters, neither growing nor changing in character development throughout the tale. Both Telemachus and Penelope are dynamic characters because their characters grow, develop and change. Through the reading of this epic poem of Odysseus’ ten-year journey, we also gain a keen insight into ancient Greek society, and the social expectations one might encounter. The Greeks were very hospitable and very welcoming, even to foreign outsiders. There is also a great presence of both aristocracy and patriarchy in action appearing in this tale, both key aspects of ancient Greek
Homer is a well-known author who is recognized for shaping Greek culture. While Homer wrote, he would call upon the muse which would help him spread knowledge throughout his works. These muses were known for their source of inspiration which would guide writers such as, Homer into writing great works. Two of his famous pieces are poems called The Iliad and The Odyssey that in respect are referred to as some of the greatest ancient Greek epics ever written. These literary works have influenced Greek culture greatly and have presented themes that people can relate to today. In The Odyssey, a Greek hero, Odysseus, journeys back home after the Trojan War. Throughout this long voyage, Odysseus meets many people who take him in out of their own courtesy and hospitality. Within this text, the re-occurring theme of hospitality has had much significance and has also made a presence in today’s society. Xenia was common in the Greek culture; however, changes throughout society have made this form of hospitality a smaller occurrence today.
A person’s character is developed and influenced by the experiences they undergo during their lifetime. For instance, someone who was isolated during adolescents will likely have difficulty communicating with others just like an abuse victim will be more inclined to have trust issues. All throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus goes through major misfortunes that continued to develop his character even after his return home. The decisions and judgments that he makes determine the evolvement in his character. Odysseus’ character was altered throughout the chorus of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, progressing from reckless to cautious, impulsive to patient, and egotistical to relatively humble.
The Greek value of hospitality is exhibited in The Odyssey by Odysseus and Penelope. Odysseus and his hungry men entered an unfamiliar cave, which was home to the Cyclops. Once the Cyclops saw the men he asked why they are there, and in Odysseus's explanation he mentions “It was our luck to come here; here we stand beholden for your help, or any gifts you give-as custom is it to honor strangers” (line 194). Odysseus is tried to convince the cyclops to let him and his men live by using the Greek value of hospitality. He wants the Cyclops to view him as a guest, not food. To Odysseus it was second nature to help out a guest or person in need. While Penelope was speaking to the suitors she noted “Here is a poor man come, a wanderer, driven by want to beg his bread, and everyone in hall gave bits, to cram his bag” (line 1116). She shamed Antinous for not helping the man, because in Ithaca its is accustomed to provide the hungry and poor with food. The fact that Antinous “threw a stool” at Odysseus, and “banged his shoulder” appalled Penelope. The thought of doing such a thing was unheard of to Penelope since hospitality is a part of her way of life along with all other Greeks. The people of Ithaca from The Odyssey a...
Homer (fl. 850 B.C.). The Odyssey. The Harvard Classics. 1909-14). "In disguise as an old friend of Odysseus', Athena travels to his manor in Ithaka, now overrun with noisy, lustful suitor's intent on marrying Odysseus' wife, Penelope. Odysseus' son, Telemakhos, unhappy among the suitors, greets Athena warmly as a stranger and invites her to their feast. As the suitors devour Odysseus' oxen, Telemakhos says he believes his father - whom he does not know at all - is dead."(gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/odyssey/summ1.html). "He is so unsure of his own identity that he refuses to affirm without qualification his relationship to Odysseus. Athena introduces herself as Odysseus' old friend Mentes and predicts that he will be home soon. Telemakhos matures from a callow, helpless youth into a stronger, more confident man" (Approaches to Teaching Homer's Iliad and Odyssey ). "Just as Odysseus' story is about returning home to his old identity, Telemakhos' is about forging a new one; as Athena tells him, "You are a child no longer"."(gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/odyssey/summ1.html). As Telemakhos' develops from youth to man inspired by Athena, especially her favorable comparisons between him and his father; he stands up against the suitors in his assembly. "Failing in an attempt to get the Ithacans to help him to assert his rights, Telemakhos sets out for Pylus under the guidance of the goddess Athena, who is disguised as Mentes, a friendly chief.
Hospitality today is nothing like it was in Ancient Greece. Today, good hospitality is being friendly and respectful to a guest. In Ancient Greece, hospitality was something people had to do, or face the wrath of Zeus. Zeus’s law of hospitality is that any stranger that comes to your home, the host must be willing to feed, entertain, and maybe offer them a bath and anything else they might be in need of without question until those things had been given, and also give them a parting gift. The guest, in turn, would not be a burden in any way. In The Odyssey, most people follow the rules of hospitality, but there are others who do not. The Greek concept of xenia shows the serious priority the Greeks place on the laws of the gods.
Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus exemplified the key traits needed to be an epic hero. The poem depicts Odysseus as an extremely strong man; at one point, he even defeats the towering cyclops Polyphemus. His ingenuity in creating the trojan horse unearths his slightly latent intelligence. Along with strength and cunning, Odysseus a strong sense of selflessness. He bared a trepid ten year journey and longed for his child and wife. Unfortunately, all of Odysseus’s traits are tarnished by his infidelity, ruthless behavior, and the massacre of men. Though he was, without a doubt, heroic, his lovely wife is the true, unsung heroine of the Odyssey.
Odysseus is one of the very many prominent characters in Homer’s Epic poems, The Illiad, and The Odyssey. Odysseus has been famed one of the more relatable characters from Homer’s writing, as well as one of the Greatest Greek Mythology Heroes. Homer’s Epic poems highlight many periods of shame and honor for Odysseus. The character analysis of Odysseus through the poem’s timeline shows vast developments and heroic features appear to take form in him. The Illiad portrayed Odysseus as more of a secondary figure behind Agamemnon and Achilles. In contrast, The Odyssey portrayed Odysseus as a hero in the form of an average human.