Similarities Between Odysseus And The Great Gatsby

I compared the Robert Fitzgerald translation with the Stanley Lombardo translation of the invocation of the muse from Homer's Odyssey. Fitzgerald describes Odysseus by saying “he saw townlands and learned the minds of many distant men”. Lombardo's also describes Odysseus saying “of the cities he saw the minds the grasped”. They both explicitly say that someone is visiting many cities and learned minds of different men. The word learned implies that it took time to understand the minds, but the word grasp means that the understanding of the minds was taken quickly. The Fitzgerald text makes Odysseus seem like a patient person willing to take time and learn his surroundings. The Lombardo text makes Odysseus seem like a strong-willed person who does not give much thought into his

actions. The next text from Fitzgerald's describes Odysseus “while he fought only to save his life” and Lombardo description says “As he struggled to survive”. The word fought implies that someone wants to survive and is trying their best to do it. Struggled implies that someone is having a hard time trying to live and they can’t really help themselves.

Also the world only in Fitzgerald's says that their we're other things to fight for. I think the word struggled has negative connotation with it while fought gives a more positive feeling by making it seem like something was accomplished. Fitzgerald gives Odysseus a strong and tough appearance by using the word fought and Lombardo gives Odysseus more of a weak personality by using the word struggled. Next, Fitzgerald describes the journey of Odysseus and his men by saying “But not by will nor valor could he save them”. Fitzgerald describes the the leader Odysseus by saying “But could not save them hard as the tried.” Both lines Explicitly say Odysseus could not save his men. I feel like when Fitzgerald uses the word valor it implies that Odysseus faced great danger in his battle and lost his men with courage and dignity as the tried his best. When Lombardo uses “hard as he tried” I feel like their still be regret left and the could've tried harder to save his men in the end. Through this text Fitzgerald makes Odysseus seem like a brave man who was selfless and gave everything for his

men. Lombardo's text makes Odysseus seem like a average person who will help his men but not go above and beyond for them.