What Role Do The Gods Play In The Odyssey

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In the Odyssey, the gods play a significant role in the fate of the mortals for Odysseus to find his family after fighting at Troy, and his long journey home. There was belief in destiny by not just Odysseus, but the gods in the story too, and in the story, they are able to change the destiny of a human. Odysseus’ journey from Troy back home to Ithaca was remarkably longer than planned, due to many antagonists this took 10 years, but relying on fate and love got him through this voyage.
The first major antagonist that I found important in the Odyssey, was Calypso. After Odysseus washes up on the island of Ogygia, he soon meets the goddess and nymph, Calypso. She had kept Odysseus captive, she was madly in love with him and by no means wanted …show more content…

After they landed on the island there was an incident with the cyclops, Polyphemus, blinding it to escape the island, of course this upset Polyphemus. Little did Odysseus and his crew know that Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, who is disgusted about what happened to his son, would later put Odysseus goal of returning home at risk. Poseidon is called the Earthshaker because of how he uses his power toward the earth and sea which can cause great destruction. Although Zeus is the only one that Poseidon will listen too, he cannot save Odysseus from the wrath that Poseidon brings toward him. “Poseidon Earthshaker raised up a great wave—An arching, cavernous, sensational tsunami—And brought it crashing down on him” (The Odyssey 352). After Poseidon stirs up a great storm to wreck Odysseus’ boat in the middle of the ocean, and with no help from Zeus, you would think his luck with fate and destiny has run out. Leukothea is another goddess that Odysseus comes across, that help prevent him from drowning, and he begins a long swim to shore. “Odysseus’ strong hands clinging to the rocks Until the skin was ripped off” (The Odyssey 354). Odysseus was able to swim for days, and survive an epic storm caused by Poseidon, and save himself from death proves that his fate wasn’t to die just yet. storm almost takes the life of Odysseus, but

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