Underworld In The Odyssey

761 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Odysseus compared to aeneas

Before this quarter begins, I spent about a week in reading The Aeneid as the preparation for this class because it was mentioned in the course description. Even though we are not going to read it this quarter, but I think it is a great supplement for the story after the Trojan War and an excellent parallelism to Odyssey. In my opinion, the story before Aeneas reaches Latium in The Aeneid borrows a similar structure in narrating the story from The Odyssey. There are numerous scenes show up in both epics: long period of sailing, discovering and exploring new lands, meeting new creatures, the assist and punishment from gods etc. However, the underworld chapter at each epic is the part with most similarities: Both Aeneas and Odysseus are introduced
They want to meet their parent, Anchises and Anticleia and they do talk with their parents and realize what happen in the real world. They see the ghost (or spirit) of numerous significant people including Odysseus’s fellow like Agamemnon, Achilles and Ajax, also the famous Romulus, the founder of Rome and Augustus. Most importantly, they enter and leave the underworld without any damage. Underworld is not a simple place like a convenient store that we can enter anytime we want; it is a sacred place that only the dead may enter, and no flesh may get away from underworld. Since both of them succeed in having a journey in the underworld, we can consider the narration of underworld in both epics as the praise for both of them. Besides that, the journey to underworld acts as a transition in both epics that the heroes changes their antagonists from anything in
In Odyssey, Odysseus shows abundant characteristics such as cunningness in countering cyclops, arrogance to Ajax in the underworld, cleverness in passing sirens’ voice, and most importantly, he is sentimental. He misses his wife in Calypso’s island; he is heart-broken when his crews are killed or captured by the creatures or other people; he is deeply touched by the story of Eumaeus; he is furious and tries to kill Cerci as the punishment to turn his crew to pigs etc. Odysseus is a hero, but he is also a human. His emotions in Odyssey actually reflects the truth that even a hero also has his difficulties. With such amount of addressing on emotion, Homer succeeds in illustrating a real mortal figure. However, in Aeneid, there is a great reduction on illustrating Aeneas’s personal feeling, which sometimes the story confuses the readers. The creepiest part should be Aeneas falls in love with Dido in Carthage. We surely know that Dido is deeply attracted by Aeneas because Vigil spends many lines on Dido’s reaction when she is driven mad by Cupid. Nevertheless, we barely sees how Aeneas feels to Dido’s love. More ridiculously, when Aeneas is warned by Jupiter, he just flees like a rat, not even leaving a message to Dido for explaining. Then there is the tragedy of Dido. Absolutely I was confused when I read this chapter, how can

Show More
Related

  • Comparing the Hero in Homer’s The Odyssey with the Modern Hero Described in Whitman’s I hear America Singing

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the main similarities in ancient Greek epics is that there are always great heroes who overcome many difficult and daunting challenges and goes on long adventures. The issue of heroic stature and the character of the hero have a great importance on the epics itself. Classical Greek heroes are usually born to do great things, go on epic journeys and in the end they would receive a reward for their troubles.

    Read More

  • Is Odysseus A Hero? in the Poem The Odyssey by Homer

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are numerous heroes throughout “The Odyssey,” but none of them are as significant as Odysseus. “The Odyssey” is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Throughout the Odyssey, Odysseus a prominent Greek epic hero is on a quest to return back to his home in Ithaca; to his wife Penelope, and his son Telemachus. Just like real life, not all heroes are picture-perfect; they all have imperfections. In this case, Odysseus is sometimes insolent, and discourteous; but he is still considered an epic hero because of the many heroic qualities he endures. Odysseus proves himself to be an outstanding hero in various ways such as showing loyalty, intelligence, bravery, strength, and courage which are all some of the most momentous qualities found in a hero. If a true hero can prove they are a true hero, makes them a true hero.

    Read More

  • Themes of the Odyssey

    701 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the Odyssey there are many themes that Homer uses to portray different people and events. To name a few, there are the themes of Betrayal and Revenge,Greed and Glutony, Hospitality, Role of the Gods and Wealth (the amount of money one had determined the status he held in the greek society, and this explains Odysseus's love for plunder).

    Read More

  • Compare Aeneas and Odysseus as Heroic Figures

    439 Words  | 1 Pages

    Odysseus and Aeneas are very alike in some ways and very different. They are both epic heroes except that one is Greek and the other is a Trojan. Odysseus is from the Greek tale The Oddessy, which was written by the famous Greek poet Homer. His quest is to find his way back home after a long journey. Aeneas is from the roman tale The Aenied, written by Virgil a famous Roman poet. Aeneas’s mission is to find a new home for him and his family. Both these characters had many similarities and differences in their ways of fighting.

    Read More

  • Parallels between Virgil’s The Aenieid and Homer’s The Odyssey

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Virgil’s The Aeneid, there are many parallels found in Homer’s The Odyssey. In each epic, the heroes, Aeneas and Odysseus, are on a journey “home.” Aeneas is on the search of a new home for he and his companions to settle since Troy has been destroyed, Odysseus on the other hand is attempting to return to his home he left years earlier to fight the Trojan War. They both have Gods against them and helping them, both Aeneas and Odysseus are both held back by women, both voluntary and involuntarily, and they both have experiences visiting the Underworld. Despite these similarities, there are differences between the two characters and it reflects their values and the society they live in. Aeneas relies on his strength as a warrior, where as Odysseus uses his deception to survive which reflects how Aeneas is truly Roman is versus Greek.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Underworlds in Dante’s Inferno and The Odyssey

    2100 Words  | 5 Pages

    Dante’s Inferno is a narrative poem, with a very complicated rhyme scheme, originally written in Italian. It documents the author’s, Dante, trip through hell, where he learns how hell is organized and the way in which sinners are punished. Dante is guided by the great poet Virgil, who leads him throughout hell. The Odyssey, is an epic authored by the Greek, Homer. The epics centers on Odysseus’ protracted journey home. The protagonist, Odysseus, visits the underworld for a very short amount of time. The two literary works contain many common elements, such as characters being punished, the protagonists interacting with those in the underworld, repeating characters, and the misery of the underworlds. There are also differences between the two works including the types of interactions between the protagonists and those they encounter, the reasons for each protagonists visit to the underworlds, and how the underworld operates. These differences and similarities can be attributed the Dante’s and Homer’s religion, the time period and culture in which they wrote their respective works, and the purpose for the visits to the underworlds in each work. Although there are many similarities between the underworlds in Dante’s Inferno and The Odyssey, the two works ultimately offer two different visions of the underworld due to the authors’ different religious beliefs and culture, as well as the role of the underworld in each literary work.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    1023 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homer’s poem The Odyssey depicts the tendency of people to ignore the consequences of their actions. Odysseus punished Penelope’s suitors without thinking of consequences that he would have to endure. He did not acknowledge the consequences because that would prevent him from doing what he wants to do. Odysseus wanted to kill the suitors; they ate away at his fortune. Finding consequences for murdering the suitors would force Odysseus to realize what he is about to do is not a good idea. Odysseus chose to ignore the consequences and killed the suitors anyway. Odysseus had absolutely no reason to kill the suitors; they had the right to stay in his home because Penelope made them feel welcome, Penelope and Telemachus both told them that Odysseus was dead, and although Telemachus told them to leave, he did not have the right to do so.

    Read More

  • Homer’s The Odyssey

    1262 Words  | 3 Pages

    Homer compares the crying Odysseus to a woman who weeps for her husband who died in battle. The weeping woman is described in a very dramatic scene in order to reflect the intensity of the sorrow that Odysseus is experiencing. The “woman weeps, flinging herself across the fallen body of her dear husband.” As she is “clinging to him, [she] wails,” and then “the enemies behind her strike her back and shoulders, then they carry her away to slavery and trials and misery.” The woman goes through a great deal of hardship, which explains why “her cheeks are wasted with pain.” Not only does her husband die, but the enemies strike her with their spears and take her away to suffer more. By comparing Odysseus’s crying to the woman weeping in this intense scene of misery, Homer is able to show the reader the degree of sorrow that Odysseus is feeling.

    Read More

  • Attitude Towards Women In Virgil's Aeneid

    409 Words  | 1 Pages

    We also see in the story what someone must sacrifice in order to fulfill their goals. Though Aeneas's destiny was much more grand than many of our own, we still must make choices that can sometimes hurt others. I really thought that Vergil captured our inner emotions with the affair between Dido and Aeneas.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Aeneid and the Odyssey

    2715 Words  | 6 Pages

    Both the Odyssey and the Aeneid represent their cultures very well, but they express different ideas on what one should strive for in life.  There are also different forces that pushed both epics to be written.  The Aeneid expresses the Roman idea of pietas which means to show extreme respect for one’s ancestors. We see this in Aeneas when he is pictured caring his father away from burning Troy.  He has pietas because he cared so much for his father that in fleeing from Troy he took up his father over his shoulder to save his from certain death.  This is not the only major idea in the Aeneid.  There is also a very political focus.  The Roman were very interested in politics which comes through in the Aeneid. The Odyssey has the Greek idea of arete trapped somewhere among the many themes.  Arete is a strive for perfection in both mind and body.  It is a much more personal and individual idea than the Roman pietas. In the most basic seance the Aeneid and the Romans have a much more political focus and duty to the state ( republic ) than the Greeks who honor tradition , family , and arete.

    Read More

  • Compare Aeneas And The Odyssey

    1405 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although both epics justify a status quo, codify a national mythology, preserve cultural memories, and establish literary tropes, they are united by sensibility and are traditionally poetic. They both almost have the same exact core values such as in the end, but project influence into a number to areas of cultural identity. Once more, after analyzing both texts, it is possible to conclude that Aeneas is the better leader, and The Odyssey is the greater epic. Knowing that this is the proper proposition made, this affects the readers of both well-known stories.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    Homer’s epic Greek poem, The Odyssey, in which Odysseus and his men must fight their way home to Ithaca after battling in the ten-year Trojan War, can easily be compared to a journey of life. Odysseus and his men begin their journey with their departure from Troy, aiming for Ithaca to be their final destination. Along the way, the men are forced to overcome unsurmountable obstacles, are faced with grueling decisions and are postponed by many strenuous stops throughout their voyage. Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, is like a journey of life because in it Odysseus must undertake an exciting, perilous journey over a long period of time to reach his goal of getting home and is also faced with many stops, obstacles, and decision along the way.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Character Analysis

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Homer’s The Odyssey is a Greek story that follows the journey of its primary character, Odysseus, back to his home in Ithaca after the Trojan War. Odysseus encounters many challenges in his journey home, from encounters with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the witch Circe and even the ghosts of dead Greeks. Meanwhile, his household in Ithaca is being threatened by suitors of his wife, Penelope, all wanting to inherit Odysseus’ possessions in the belief that he was already dead. Like many epic heroes, Odysseus possesses many admirable qualities. Three good characteristics of Odysseus are—cleverness, bravery and strength—here are some supporting instances from the epic that demonstrates Odysseus possession of such characteristics.

    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

  • Comparing The Epic of Gilgamesh with The Odyssey

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... of these epics share quite many similarities. For example, the archetypes used, the types of settings, and the themes are a few of plenty of comparabilities found among The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh. However, the most important similarity is that both of these epics are timeless; they have been passed down through generations spanning thousands of years, and they will continue to be read for many years to come.

    Read More

More about Underworld In The Odyssey

Open Document