The Odyssey, By Homer Essay - 1679 Words

The Odyssey, a text written by Homer, originates from Ionia (a part of Asia Minor). This epic poem relates the journeys of both Odysseus and Telemachus. During their journeys, they encounter a wide variety of hosts. Telemachus provides Mentes a great meal and is later also given a feast from King Nestor. In addition, King Nestor also gifted Telemachus two horses and a chariot; Athena gave Telemachus the gift of wise advice, for which he used to go on his journey. And as their paths crossed in a meeting back in Ithaca, Odysseus is given food and allowed to rest by Telemachus just as his emotional need had been cared for by Alcinous through ending the lyre’s tune. The figures that host Odysseus and Telemachus during their travels highlight the importance of hospitality. As revealed by The Odyssey, the Ancient Greeks valued feasting, gift giving, and caring for the need of the guest as important values of hospitality. As a good host, Telemachus offers food to Mentes. Athena, in disguise as Mentes, is in Ithaca as a guest in the home of Penelope and Telemachus. Telemachus is in charge of Ithaca as the whereabouts of Odysseus are unknown. This feast, which is being given to Mentes, is described in a fanciful tone. In the company of the suitors, a â€Å"maid† brought out a â€Å"grateful golden pitcher†. Servants then set down â€Å"golden cups† to be filled with wine. The situation in Ithaca is dire as suitors are attempting to take over in the absence of Odysseus. Penelope and TelemachusShow MoreRelatedThe Odyssey by Homer1210 Words   |  5 Pages Homer’s â€Å"The Odyssey† takes place ten years after the events in â€Å"The Iliad†, to which the Odyssey is an indirect sequel, and the fall of Troy; even though the story is believed to have been composed some time during the eight century B.C.E. it is estimated to be set sometime between 1300 and 1000 B.C.E. in Mycenaean Greece during the Bronze age. In this novel all Greek heroes have returned home after the fall of Troy, except for Odysseus who after a three year journey has been held captive by theRead MoreThe Odyssey, By Homer1388 Words   |  6 PagesIs a hero only characterized by their success? If a leader’s last actions carry them to victory, are their flaws unimportant? The Odyssey by Homer narrates the ancient myth of a leader coming home from war in Troy who faces many trials, and despite returning home alone without any of his crew, he is looked upon as a hero for having survived. His ultimately sole success continues to define him, although the bitter truth being that he was the leader of his men when they all perished. As flaws of theRead MoreThe Odyssey By The Homer1976 Words   |  8 PagesThe Odyssey is known as one of the greatest western literature in the world. The book covers many details of the relationship between Gods and humans. The author focuses on Odyssey honor, honesty, bravery, creativity, and nobility. Though the Odyssey has received many criticisms compare to the author other best work such as The Iliad, it has also been praised for its sophistication, complexity and thematic consistency. The book talks about Odysseus journey home to find his son and wife. It also talksRead MoreThe Odyssey by Homer1316 Words   |  6 Pagesthe time’s culture appropriately. This has been a necessary course of action, to ensure their writing conveys the quest and its respective elements in a manner that will be understood by the responder in the relevant time period. The texts ‘The Odyssey (Homer 8th Century BC), In the Shadow of No Towers (Art Spiegelman 2004) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde 1890) have appropriated the archetypal quest in their respective time periods to reflect the values of their context. â€Å"The hero venturesRead MoreThe Odyssey, By Homer990 Words   |  4 Pages The Odyssey, written by Homer, is an epic poem that follows the victorious footsteps of Odysseus, a Greek hero, as he begins his journey to return home to Ithaca. The poem takes place between 750 and 650 B.C. in Greece, shortly after the Trojan War between the city of Troy and King of Sparta. Athena, daughter of Zeus and the goddess of wisdom, is a character that appears in disguise throughout the whole story. She controls when to disguise herself and when to make herself known; essentially havingRead MoreThe Odyssey by Homer1172 Words   |  5 Pages Homer’s, The Odyssey spins an exciting tale of war, fantasy, and magic spanning twenty years. However, the thrust of the story focuses on human relationships and Odysseus’s strong desire to reunite with his wife and soul mate, Penelope and their son Telemachus. However, to truly understand his desire return home, one must examine many facets of the epic. What is the significance of the turmoil experienced in the househol d during his absence? Is Penelope a cunning equal and meet spouse for OdysseusRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer1337 Words   |  6 PagesTaylor Michael CLAS342 Paper #2 November 28, 2014 The Odyssey is a work by Homer, written to take place ten years after the fall of Troy. In the Iliad Odysseus was not a crucial character, but this particular text follows him around and details his experience after the war. To give some background, He has yet to return to Ithaca in the beginning of the text, away from his wife now for the duration of the battles as well as these ten years following. While he was gone, his palace was overthrown byRead MoreThe Odyssey by Homer1275 Words   |  5 Pages The Odyssey is one of the two epic Greek poems attributed to Homer. The Odyssey is the sequel of The Iliad and mainly focuses on Odysseus’s return from the battle of Troy to his home, Ithaca. Odysseus’s travels take him beyond the realm of the known world and he encounters many mythological beings, which he has never met before. Every encounter with these creatures in The Odyssey is full of adventures, twists and most important of all, life lessons. If we assume Odysseus’s longRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer829 Words   |  4 PagesThe Odyssey by Homer tells the story of a Greek warrior named Odysseus, who faces challenges placed upon him by the supernatural, or more specifically, the Greek gods and monsters. His journey begins while sailing home from Troy, where Odysseus had won the Trojan war for the Greeks. Odysseus’ ship is forced to dock on many islands, most of which have hostile environments. Odysseus serves as the model for an epic hero, a fictional character who possesses many traits admirable to his or her societyRead MoreThe Odyssey By Homer s Odyssey Essay1314 Words   |  6 Pages8th century, The Odyssey, is Homer s epic of Odysseus 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. Odysseus defining character traits, such as nobility, courage, thirst for the glory and the appealing confidence in his authority dominated the storyline throughout. The many themes of this epic mainly focus around the Gree k hero Odysseus however in my essay I will attempt to analyze hospitality. Hospitality shaped an important part of social interactions in The Odyssey. Although Greek society