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.
My life has many obstacles and challenges, just like the Odyssey. The Scylla is like major obstacles in my life, in that it can take away my motivation and hope, just like how it took Odysseus’s men. In my life, what would represent the Scylla
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is the Standard Abilities test. This is something that I must pass successfully to continue my journey. Once I had made it through, it will be all over and my hope will be restored. The bag of winds, given to Odysseus by Aeolus, was a tool that backfired on Odysseus and brought him back to the land of Aeolia, a major setback to Odysseus’s journey to Ithaca. This is like a large setback and put-down in my journey to happiness, such as an unexpected death, financial debt, or divorce. My life has and will have many obstacles and setbacks, just like in the Odyssey. Life is full of temptation and many possible pitfalls, just like in the Odyssey.
For instance, in the Odyssey, the Lotus Eaters are a temptation some of Odysseus’s men fall for. This represents a temptation that will appear at some point in my life - especially procrastination. Odysseus’s men would rather keep eating the intoxicating food then go home, just how I would rather goof off than do my work. My character should avoid such temptations to continue with life, because if I get stuck, I may never find happiness, just as if Odysseus succumed to the temptation, he would have never found Ithaca. Another thing that odysseus had to bypass is the Charybdis. How interpret the Charybdis is a whirlpool of bad things - bad habits in my life that can bring me to my ultimate downfall. Alcohol abuse, drugs, and other bad decisions can take me to the whirlpool of addiction, a place where I don’t want to be. Life is full of temptations and pitfalls, and must be avoided using good judgement and knowledge, just like how Odysseus …show more content…
did. The Odyssey is a long journey Odysseus embarks on to find Ithaca, just as I have embarked on the journey of life to find happiness.
In the Odyssey, there is a lot of adventures and roadblocks, just like my life. As a venture the maze of life, there will be many things in my way that will provide an adventure. One being the test of 12 years of knowledge, the Standard Abilities Test. The next, my trial of passionate and deeper knowledge, four to eight years in a university. Then, the rite of passage, the college graduation, and the opening of the many paths in the maze of life. After that, the decisions on which turns I take are mine to make. I could take a wrong turn and go into a never ending, frightening labyrinth of confusion and worry. I could take the turn into the complex, challenging, and magical path of harboring a family. I could also take the clean-cut path through a peaceful and fun life of wealth and joy. Nevertheless, all the right turns all lead to one place - the place of satisfaction, accomplishment, and happiness -
Ithaca. In the Odyssey, Odysseus faces many obstacles and temptations - but always in search for one, ultimate goal. Ithaca. The Odyssey is a metaphor for my life - a series of adventures and challenges, all in a search for one, ultimate goal. Happiness and Satisfaction. Is the Odyssey a metaphor for your own life?
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
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.
In the Hero’s journey, The Odyssey, the main protagonist, Odysseus, changes in a way which helps him gain self-knowledge. Odysseus ' experiences transformed his personality from how he was in the beginning to the end, by leading him through a heroic journey, also known as a quest. The real reason for a quest never involves the stated reason, and this is no different with Odysseus. As the story developed, many of Odysseus’ sides were exposed through the challenges he faced. Out of the countless dangers and obstacles every step back home, him and his crew have only acquired minimal character changes. Even though they are minimal, they are those which take many decades to achieve.
The epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, is about the events that happen after The Iliad. It tells the story of Odysseus and his journey home from the Trojan War. Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, encounters forces that are external and internal. These forces prevent him from returning to his homeland and achieving nostos. Although many different forces impact Odysseus’ journey home, internal forces such as recklessness and temptations hinder Odysseus and his crew from their homecoming far more greatly than external forces.
“Our life’s journey of self-discovery is not a straight-line rise from one level of consciousness to another. Instead, it is a series of steep climbs, and flat plateaus, then further climbs. Even though we all approach the journey from different directions, certain of the journey’s characteristics are common for all of us.” Author Stuart Wilde’s impression of journeys and their shared commonalities supports the claim that all journeys have a motive and an outcome. In the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus sets off to defeat Troy, leaving his wife and child behind. After accomplishing his goal, Odysseus faces many problems while trying to return him and his crew back home to Ithaca. Similar to Odysseus’s physical journey, the goal in
Similar to an elaborate dish, a literary genre consists of multiple necessary “ingredients,” called epic conventions, which classify a text into a particular category. Homer follows an impeccable recipe in his magnificent work. Labeled as an epic, The Odyssey by Homer portrays the Greek hero Odysseus years after his victory in the Trojan War and his awaited journey back to Ithaca. As the plot develops it is evident it is no effortless feat for our hero to return home. The godly Odysseus encounters adversities in the forms of Cyclops, sea monsters, alluring flowers and formidable Greek gods with varying conceptions of him. These characteristics distinguish the Odyssey and its episodes as an epic and bestow Odysseus with the title of an epic
Homer’s The Odyssey, a magnificent story of lust, deceit, greed, and heroism, still fascinates scholars and casual readers alike today in the same way it fascinated its audience at the time it was written. The Odyssey, a journey of determination, patience, and virtue, tells the tail of Odysseus, the main character, on his voyage home to Ithaka after the end of the Trojan War. Odysseus goes through many unforeseen trials and tribulations, which exemplify his character. During these different happenings, Odysseus makes decisions that do not correspond to his character.
In Homer’s Odyssey Odysseus shows his yearning for adventure and that challenging himself brings him happiness through his actions not his thoughts. Even in the clutches of a raging cyclopes Odysseus’ accepts the challenge at hand and persevere through the loss of some of his men. “My name is Nohbdy,” he tells Polyphemus who is drunk from the liquor Odysseus had given him before. The giant “reeled and tumbled backward,”. He son fell asleep and the next stages of his plan fell into place. When the sharpened log was hot enough for his liking he and a few other men “bored that great eye socket,”(380). Instead of letting his men die while he cracked under the pressure Odysseus remained calm and allowed himself to think. Having achieved his goal of defeating the mighty cyclopes he rejoiced in his valiancy. Odysseus exuded happiness when most of his men got out alive. Odysseus’ habits of getting his men into seemingly inescapable predicaments continues on the island of Cersei. At the gate of the witch’s island his need for adventure takes the best of his judgement. Against the advice of Eurylochus Odysseus “rushes to save his men from the enchantress,” (387). Odysseus’ need for thrill and excitement draws him onto the island. He knows that he will suffer the same fate but makes a decision in the heat of the moment that could've made him unable to return home, but he wasn’t thinking of home, he purely wanted to get his men back. Throughout his journey Odysseus perfectly represents the bond between a man’s adventures and the challenges they bring to
The ancient Greeks have brought upon numerous ideas, inventions, and stories to the world. Greek mythology influences modern day literature and life. The Odyssey is an epic poem written by Homer, which tells the story of Odysseus's journey home after the Trojan War. Odysseus does not achieve his goal of reaching home so easily; monsters and gods come in his way and hinder him. The Odyssey expresses Greek values of hospitality from the customs of Ithaca, humility from Odysseus’s reform, and loyalty from Odysseus’s family.
In The Odyssey life is one's own responsibility; instead of leaving all things up to fate, the characters had a significant influence upon his or her own existence.
We all face obstacles in our life like Odysseus did. A common obstacle in life is a person that you clash and don’t get along with. A good analogy for this in Odysseus’ quest was when he had to evade the Cyclops. Also, people don’t always evade the people and problems that get in their way, but face them. One case of this is when Odysseus had to confront Antinous.
The Odyssey is filled with emotion and adventure. Homer’s ability to show and give the reader a visual of each and every scene gives the story its unbelievable significance. To all the people who read his work there is something to be captured within every sentence, each one different in its own, unique way. Through tales of courage and defeat, friendship and love this book tells of all the values within the life of a single, solitary man, and his journey to attain what is true and dear to him. And this journey is known to all of us as The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a test of human devotion and trust through the gods, the mortals, and the obstacles through which they venture. No matter where they go or what they do, humans are tested for certain characteristics everyday of their lives, whether they realize it or not; and The Odyssey is just one of those many miraculous tests.
The Odyssey has some dark themes and plots, from Odysseus stabbing the Cyclops in the eye to Scylla devouring six of the crew members. Therefore, it is crucial that the author
Homer’s The Odyssey teaches readers values of Ancient Greek culture that still exists in our modern age. Universal themes transcend time for we learn lessons from history and apply it to our own lives. One of the lessons that I choose to apply in my life is the simplicity of following directions because we often ignore the guidance and instructions of others who are more knowledgeable than us. In The Odyssey, Homer asserts the importance of following directions through demonstrations of imagery, symbolism, and catharsis.
“The Odyssey” is an epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus and the story of his many travels and adventures. The Odyssey tells the main character’s tale of his journey home to the island of Ithaca after spending ten years fighting in the Trojan War, and his adventures when he returns home and he is reunited with his family and close friends. This literary analysis will examine the story and its characters, relationships, major events, symbols and motifs, and literary devices.