Hidden Themes from Homer’s Odyssey Essay

kor uses the psyche of lookual sprainth as one of his implicit in(p) themes in the Odyssey. He relates this message through with(predicate) various characters and their adventures or actions. uncanny growth is brought on by rough epochs, temptations, long travels, and even chasten times. Homer does a good job of hitting on every of these factors. Odysseus adventures and growth argon much more prevalent in the Odyssey than those of both other character. He begins on Calypsos island, where he has everything, shut out happiness. His sapidity is low as he longs for his homeland. Homer introduces Odysseus at a low point to emphasize the growth of Odysseus spirit from head start to finish up. If Homer had figuren Odysseus in a good spirit first, because the growth would non stick seemed as prevalent. Odysseus seems to see the light when he finds out that he leave behind be sailing home. He is tried and true first when Poseidon just near kills him off the coast of Scheria, the first island he r separatelyes. The Odyssey says, and trapped within that wake of the brine, Odysseus would arrest died before his time had not gray-eyed genus A accordinglye counseled him (Odyssey by Mandelbaum, 109). Athena releases Odysseus to experience the storm, except not die. She knows that it will select him realer for it. There is an experient saying, which goes along with this situation, what doesnt kill us makes us stronger. Odysseus is overly tempted when he and his crew pass the Sirens.He is the exclusively one to hear their var. and must be tied to a post in effect to keep himself restrained. Odysseus spirit is still weak as he is rivet with the Sirens power to foretell the future. He says, So did they chant with their entrancing voice. My center field longed so to listen, and I asked my hands to set me free (Odyssey by Mandelbaum, 243). The restraints allow him to struggle with the challenge and become stronger without being entangled with the evil. The suitors entice Odysseus when he returns home disguised as the beggar. But now, he has the strength and will power to reject those spoken oral communication. Homer expresses his ideas about pride and spirit when Odysseus encounters the Cyclopes. After out-smarting Polyphemus, Odysseus shouts out his own name in search for kleos. These were his words to Polyphemus, if any mortal man should ask about the shameful blinding of your eye, then tell him that the man who gouged you was Odysseus, ravager of cities (Odyssey by Mandelbaum, 185).Instead of being crushed by the experience, Odysseus tries to brag about what he has done. In reality, it was the gods who blessed him with the ability to escape his situation. Odysseus pays for this action as Poseidon makes his travel back more tough than it should have been. We see later in the Odyssey how Odysseus grows from this experience when he returns home. He is angered by the suitors and has the composure to keep his name sec ret until the adjust time. His spirit is more humble now with the idea of pride than it was on his travel home. Telemachus alike experiences ghostly growth, but Homer pomps it in a different manner. Whereas Odysseus growth is cin one caserned with situations, Telemachus is dependent upon a journey. He is direct international from home in search of his father. It seems as though the prince was so dependent on his father that he never really got away from home on his own. It took his fathers disappearance to force Telemachus into a leadership role.He visits friends of his fathers and experiences xenia as the normal offer of households do. Through his journey, he learns to depend on the gods and returns home a more spiritually inclined man. Telemachus learns how to make decisions and trust the instinct that the gods give to him. galore(postnominal) can talk the talk, but Telemachus had to walk the walk in recount to grow spiritually. And his maturity is displayed toward the e nd of the Odyssey. Homer shows many different types of spiritual growth throughout the Odyssey. But, he has one main idea the spirit with the most growth and strength is the one that is tested and weakened through the process. Telemachus spirit grows, but cannot comp ar to that of Odysseus because he was not weakened and tested as much as Odysseus. The weakening allows a person to grow stronger, not just grow.There are many layers of content in the fantastic world of Odysseuss tale. Loyalty has to be seen as a major theme in The Odyssey and can be seen as having a significant meaning to Odysseuss story. This section will discuss the idea of how Odysseuss loyal supporters still remain devoted to him even subsequently he has been away for nearly two decades as well as pose a question pertaining to Odysseuss own actions of infidelity. When reading The Odyssey deuce-ace main characters stand out that show their trustworthiness to Odysseus while he is away meshing in the Trojan War a nd trying to make his way back to Ithaca. It seems to me that the most loyal of all these characters could, somehow, easily be overlooked, but it would definitely have to be Odysseuss wife genus Penelope. however after nearly twenty old age apart from her husband, she still the Great Compromiser close to Odysseus and refuses to marry one of the awaiting suitors that hassle her twenty-four hours in and day out. There even came a time when Penelope told the suitors that she would wed erst she finished Laertes shroud, but stated, I would weave that mighty web by day but then by night, by torchlight, I undid what I had done (Odyssey 384). This only proves her complete and utter veneration to Odysseus.Along with Penelope, Telemachus and Odysseuss loyal swineherd Eumaeus were committed to the King of Ithaca. Telemachus, in one regard, shows his loyalty to Odyssues by going on a voyage to learn more about his father,Odysseus, and Eumaeus speaks highly of his king when Odysseus quest ions him upon returning to Ithaca saying, I call him my lord, although he is not here (Odyssey 278). But the main way in which I see the two of these characters remaining loyal to Odysseus is when they stand by him and watch on the feisty suitors to win back Odysseuss palace. It would have been highly difficult for Odysseus to do it on his own and either one of them could have not participated in the bout, but instead decided to stand by their king and put him back in the position that he once held.Through each of these three characters commitment and devotion to Odysseus, it can be expressed that loyalty has a major meaning in the world of Odysseuss tale, but I would like to end this section by posing a question to be belief about. Penelope is shown as the most loyal of all by staying faithful and true to her husband even though they are not to halther. She resists time and time again the attempts of the suitors for her hand in marriage. So, wherefore is it that Odysseus is so treacherous to his wife? He is unfaithful with at least two characters Circe, whom he stays with for a year and Calypso, where he is held captive for seven years but sleeps in her bed. Of all the characters that are so loyal to Odysseus, why is he so unloyal in return? persistencyBy Jeremy delightfulThe topic of our group is layers of meaning in the fantastic world of Odysseuss tale. There are a lot of different layers of meaning for each tale and the Odyssey itself, and there is more than one interpretation. In this perspective, the theme of the Odyssey is perseverance. perseveration is an important theme and is one that is seen throughout the whole play and by more than one character. First, there is Odysseus. Odysseus was greeted with perseverance at the very beginning of the epic. He was being held captive by Calypso on an island, and after being visited by Athena, he had the notion and the strong impulse to get home. Despite Calypsos insistence, he decided to leave. He also had an encounter with Circe, and was presented with temptation of all kinds. Odysseus with his wife and son still in mind took the sea once more and proceeded home. Also, Odysseus and his men came in turn over with the lotus-eaters. The lotus plants provided an excellent, relaxing feeling for all of the crew, and no one treasured to leave except for Odysseus who stayed his course. Perseverance is also displayed in his way of thinking, his desire to survive and at times conquer, are qualities that promote his perseverance.For instance, when Odysseus finally returns home, he plans to kill all of the suitors that have been courting his wife and he did so. He also earns his place as the basileus of his home again. Odysseus however isnt the only person to present this theme throughout the story. Penelope is another modeling of this theme. Penelope lived for years without Odysseus and everyone told her that he was most likely dead and then she should move on. Penelope however never los t hope. She often cried and was reprehensible thinking of the notion that he was dead, but she never moved on. Penelope was visited by many suitors and often housed the suitors. She would feed them and the suitors would take full value of her cordial reception and her kindness. She persevered over all the years that Odysseus was gone, and when he returned to her, she had no causa to feel guilty and was still fully his. Finally, Telemacus also displayed perseverance.He was in very much the same situation that Penelope was, except that he wasnt a believer until after Athena visited. He could have ignored what Athena said and just given up right there, but he created his course and stayed, going on voyages and discovering the truth about his father and also grew as a person at this time. Perseverance appears to be one of the strong themes of this story and also a strong characteristic of Odysseus and his family. The fact that they all have this characteristic and that they all disp lay it at different times and apart from each other shows that they each mean a lot to one another. It also displays the importance of the family in ancient Greek history.HospitalityBy John KelleyOdysseuss journey takes place in a world very different than ours. Civilizations are separated by vast uninhabited land where both infixed and unnatural obstacles are always present. Hospitality is what makes travel even possible in a world like this. It allows people to rest from their utmost journeys and escape from looming troubles. Because of the extreme importance of cordial reception, those who break this code of conduct are severely punished by the gods. When people follow the code of hospitality they are generally rewarded. There have been many situations throughout the Odyssey where both Odysseus and Telemachus were shown swell hospitality. Early in the story when Telemachus sets off on his journey to find out about his father he is shown great hospitality by Nestor and Menela us even before they know his identity. Meanwhile, back at home, the suitors at his house plot their hosts death upon his return.Here, the Odyssey shows the great contrast between good and evil, using hospitality as the comparison. Odysseus is also shown great hospitality when he arrives at the shores of Scheria and is welcomed by the Phaeacians. After his visit, the Phaeacians load up up a ride for Odysseus to travel on, and send him off. Soon Poseidon learns of this and turns the boat into a stone, sinking it to the bottom of the ocean. This is an example where hospitality is not rewarded. This shows that genus Zeus will reward hospitality as long as it does not interfere with the other gods. Zeus did not want a confrontation with his brother Poseidon, therefore allowing Poseidon to punish the Phaeacians. There have also been situations where hospitality was not shown and punishments were provided. One example was when Odysseus and his men went to Ismarus and met Polyphemus. He, at first, showed signs of hospitality but soon turned hostile and killed several of Odysseuss men.The rest of the men were locked away, but the gods gave Odysseus the cunning ability to escape and blind Polyphemus. Telemachus was also protect by the gods from the evils of the suitors, who had plotted his murder. When both Telemachus and Odysseus had returned home disguised, Arnaeus, another beggar, challenged Odysseus to a fight but Athena gave Odysseus extra strength and stature to win the fight. The gods then help Odysseus and Telemachus kill the suitors and once again take charge of their home. In the Odyssey, it is the gods that rule over the mortal. This caused a fear that drives mortals to behave in a way that they feel will be rewarded by the gods. Perhaps the mortals in the Odyssey are not great gentlemen that love their fellow men, but show hospitality in fear of punishment.