The Tragedy Of Odysseus And The Odyssey - 951 Words

People in ancient Greece, like many modern religious individuals, blame their misfortune on their gods. Unlike modern theology, though, Greeks also have Fate to blame. The gods and Fates both work together and against each other to control human lives in Greek literature. The Fates’ prophecies set outlines for human lives, like when they survive, who they kill, and how they die. The gods have the power to effect all other aspects of human lives. Humans can, in some ways, reject the attention of the gods. In The Odyssey, Odysseus deals with all three in order to return home. The cause of Odysseus’ decade long journey home from Troy cannot be narrowed down to one entity; instead, it is caused by a complex combination of the gods’ meddling, the fate’s predictions, and humans’ free will. The Fates, gods, and humans in The Odyssey each have a certain role in Odysseus’ problems. In ancient Greece, the Fates are three immortal women who spun every h umans’ future. Their prophecies were unavoidable and gods were not allowed to interfere, although they may have the power to. Instead, the gods delay or quicken the Fates’ decisions. They set events into motion, prevent something from happening, or even effect other deities’ actions to change mortal’s lives. Humans, however, seem to have more power over their lives than the gods. They can accept or reject the deities help and even affect the gods’ actions. They are trapped by their destiny, though; every decision they make is inShow MoreRelatedHistory, Symbolism, and Characters in Homer’s The Odyssey 1118 Words   |  5 Pages In The Odyssey, it takes Odysseus twenty years to make it home from the Trojan War. On his journey home, he runs into many obstacles and creatures that he must overcome. He encounters the sirens, the Cyclops, and others. Each event in this epic poem has a symbolic meaning behind it. Homer writes about the history, symbolism, and the characters in The Odyssey. The Odyssey is about the Greek gods and heroes and their adventures (Makman). Odysseus is the main character, and he is going on a questRead MoreWomen in the Odyssey1646 Words   |  7 Pagesliterature of various time periods, however there are texts in which contrary to the patriarchal society models, women are given substantial importance within the plot. Homer`s The Odyssey, Heart of Darnkness by Joseph Conrad and Aeschylus`s Oresteia each demonstrate or conceal female importance in a given society. The Odyssey was written in a time when men played the dominant role. In ancient Greece, women occupied a subservant position. Women were valued, but vastly for their sex appeal, beauty orRead MoreAs I Lay Dying and The Odyssey: Books of Epic Quests with Incredible Odds805 Words   |  4 Pages As I lay Dying and the Odyssey As I lay dying and the Odyssey can both be considered books of epic quests with incredible odds. Faulkner takes the title of As I Lay Dying from a line spoken in the Odyssey by the Greek warrior Agamemnon. Agamemnon tells Odysseus when he travels to the Underworld, â€Å"As I lay dying, that woman with the dog’s eye would not close my eyes as I descended into Hades.† Both books give off extraordinary characters, with what some may call outlandish behavior, to possiblyRead MoreLiterary Genres In Oresteia1280 Words   |  6 Pagesfiction and nonfiction, and other narrow literary genres include tragedy and poetry. Both fiction and nonfiction appeals to broad audiences because it deepens their understanding of worldviews. On the other hand, a tragedy portrays a series of tragic events that leads to the downfall of the protagonist. As for an epic, it tells a story poetically about the deeds and adventures of a hero during a particular time period. The tragedy, Oresteia cons ists of three plays that describes how majority of theRead MoreEssay about Women in Greek Stories: The Odyssey by Homer725 Words   |  3 Pagesto the stereotypical woman of the time. The Greek writers used women who possessed these traits to progress the plot and evoke the emotions famous in Greek drama and tragedies. In Homer’s â€Å"The Odyssey† Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, plays a pivotal role in advancing the plot through her mental strength and wit. While Odysseus is away, Penelope is bombarded by suitors wishing to take his as her husband. Penelope is forced to use her wit in order to ward off the will of the suitors. For exampleRead MoreWhat Is The Importance Of Storytelling In The Odyssey1111 Words   |  5 PagesJane Horovitz Jennie Woodard Honors 111 9/25/17 Storytelling in the Odyssey The Odyssey is a story made up of stories. Because there is very little action that happens in the present, the presence of storytelling within the Odyssey is something that characterizes it and makes it unique. The spreading of stories serve to form legends and myths that can have the effect of shaping a culture. In addition, since stories were such an important aspect of entertainment in Greek culture, stories also shapeRead MoreComparative Analysis of the Aeneid, Odyssey, and Iliad Essay962 Words   |  4 PagesComparative Analysis of the Aeneid, Odyssey, and Iliad The Iliad and the Odyssey are two of the best Greek epics written by Homer. Despite their popularity, almost nothing is known about the author beyond the existence of his masterpieces. Surprisingly enough no concrete evidence of his existence is available; not even to confirm the same person created the two works. The authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey were debated even in the times of the ancient Greeks. Many scholars have arguedRead MoreEssay about odyssey664 Words   |  3 Pages In Homer’s The Odyssey, many happenings interfere with Odysseus’ journey to return home to his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus. Self-determination is a strong characteristic that Odysseus portrays in The Odyssey. The three traits that Odysseus portrays as evidence of his self-determination are: endurance, perseverance, and courage. Odysseus, like most humans, has his doubts of confidence, but seems to overcome them. Out of this great tragedy, he has become a greater man to regain his kingdomRead MoreOdyssey Archetype Essay996 Words   |  4 Pages Odyssey Archetype Essay The Odyssey, a ten long epic journey consisting of love, war, and despair; the odyssey dives into human tragedy that no man would ever want to experience. This is a reason why the odyssey is so significant to today s literature. The Odyssey occurred ancient Greece times. The odysseys genre is an adventure but has aspects of all other genres. In this essay I will be explaining the archetypes in the odyssey that are most relevant in the Odyssey. I will be going into fullRead MoreThe Odyssey Archetype998 Words   |  4 PagesOdyssey Archetype Essay The Odyssey, a ten year long epic journey consisting of love, war, and despair; the odyssey dives into human tragedy that no man would ever want to experience. This is a reason why the odyssey is so significant in today s literature. The Odyssey occurred ancient Greece times. The odysseys genre is an adventure but has aspects of all other genres. This essay be explaining the archetypes in the odyssey that are most relevant in the Odyssey. This essay will be going into