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In book nine Odysseus has to confront Polythemus, the Cyclops who is Poseidon’s son. Odysseus and his men where trapped within Polythemus’s cave, which had wine and other luxuries in it. But the Cyclops is intent on eating every last one of them and saving Odysseus, or “Nohbdy,” as Odysseus presented himself to the Cyclops, for last. Odysseus later blinds Polythemus with a burning stick, leaving him aggrieved and in pain. Writhing in pain, he opens the rock, letting Odysseus’s crew escape. This is just a primal form of the myth, but by injuring Polythemus Odysseys is released, illustrating the productive side of violence.…
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The gods have played their part altering the course of the hero’s voyage. Seemingly, in the epic harmony does not last long and challenges follow Odysseus like a plague. Calypso, the audience believes holds the last installment of the global journey, our hero has yet more battles ahead of him. In fact, the king of Ithaca wandered the Mediterranean and its coastal lands for 10 years before finally arriving home. As waves crash against the raft, “he was seen sailing the ocean”(284). The sea near the land of the Phaeacians is only one region Odysseus has been driven to. All these occurs as a number of loyal citizens and a hopeful family await his return, a period when others dependence on him shines through. As Odysseus is under the angry waters…
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Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War. Little did he know the gods and fate would make him take the long way home. He almost losses his title as King, his wife Penelope, Telemachus his son and his land. Odysseus is justified in severely killing every last treacherous and decent suitor to get Penelope back, save his son’s life, rid his land of these wooers and return to his throne. Love motivate him to push through all the challenges he faced and do whatever was necessary to protect his…
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odysseus was a warrior that fought for his land. he built it with his own strength and sweet. every thing he did was for his village and for the future of his family. he didn't like the idea of men coming to his home and disrespecting it.all those men were going crazy while he couldn't come home because poseidon was punishing him. they eat and drank all there food and treated bad the people of the village and the servants.also he didn't like that they didn't listen to what his wife was telling them, she wasn't going to marry no one because she knew he was going to come back.…
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Poseidon seeks revenge involving Odysseus. In order to escape from the cave of the Cyclops Odysseus blinds Polyphemus. Unfortunately, Odysseus blinded Poseidon’s son. As a result, “But now Poseidon, god of the earthquake, saw him- / just returning home … it made his fury boil even more … with that he rammed the clouds together- both hands / clutching his trident- churned the waves into chaos.” (5. 309-322). This represents after Odysseus is released from Calypsos Island onto his voyage to Phaeacia, Poseidon ship wrecks him. This is important because Poseidon is Odysseus’s worst enemy. He cannot kill Odysseus, but will help fulfill his blinded sons wish that he come home to Ithaca late and alone. Odysseus is lucky because his fate is returning to Ithaca, but on the other hand he’s one of the unluckiest men alive considering all the horrible events he went through. Revenge is a tricky concept because say holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the idea to throw is at someone, who gets burned? In other words, revenge is almost like a temptation something you shouldn’t give into because it’s simply not worth the…
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Throughout Homer’s “The Odyssey,” Odysseus’ actions and choices are the driving point of the plot. When he and his crew encounter Polyphemus the Cyclops, he tries to secure his legacy by shouting his real name, and giving other important information away. The Cyclops prays that a curse befall him and his friends and Poseidon hears him. After this, half of Odysseus’ men are turned into swine when they encounter an enchantress and give into temptation, and though no men are killed, the crew is again delayed in their journey by a year. Misfortune and death are prevalent throughout the consequent chapters, where men are constantly lost, and those that survive begin to lose faith in their leader. By the end of chapter 12, all of the men have died,…
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In Homer’s The Odyssey, Great Odysseus, King of Ithaca, struggles to get home to his wife and kingship for over 20 years. During his absence, suitors try taking the throne of King Odysseus and stealing his wife, Penelope. Throughout his journey, Great Odysseus encounters Circe’s island, the island of Calypso, the island of Polyphemus, and Poseidon’s torture at sea, that slow down his journey getting home; but these moments show his heroism.…
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On the island of Helios all of Odysseus’ men were killed. After, Odysseus set sail alone on the open sea. Then a terrible storm hit and the waves become treacherous. When his boat gets wrecked, he stays afloat by, “...lashing mast and keel together ,” riding the frightful storm(797-798). He works so hard by trying the parts of the boat together just to keep afloat. If he hadn't done this he would have died in the ocean and would have never made it home to his family. This is representing his will to survive and his loyalty to his journey. After all his hardships and sacrifices, he finally made it back to his home of Ithaca. When he sees his wife Penelope for the first time in twenty years, “...he wept at last..” knowing that his wife was “clear and faithful in his arms”(1408-1409). THis let him know that the hardships that he faced were worth it. He finally made it home to his family and his…
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As Odysseus makes his final steps to returning to Ithaca, the reader witnesses Odysseus’ struggles, achievements, and emotions throughout The Odyssey. Odysseus is a very proud warrior who’s been through a lot of hardship and loss. When he makes his biggest decisions to return home for the duration of books 13-24, the reader begins to recognize this desire and vulnerable side of Odysseus. Disguised as a beggar, due to Athena, he evaluates the suitors and others that are destroying his home before he begins his slaughter; he needs to analyze the situation before diving head first. The reader sees him on the verge of letting go all his rage and longing for home; yet he remains composed and steady-minded. Odysseus’ self control and struggle to…
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In The Odyssey, Homer gives Odysseus qualities of cleverness and skill while he overcomes his obstacles. Odysseus and his men face these challenges when Poseidon’s son, Polyphemus, curses Odysseus and his men when Odysseus tells Polyphemus who blinded him. Polyphemus then prays to Poseidon who asks for chaos on Odysseus’ voyage home, and he would rather have him dead than return home hurt. Because of this, Odysseus faces many decisive tasks ahead of his embarkment back home. When he lands at the island of the Lotus-Eaters, he saves his men and he forces them to stay on the ship. He decides to tie himself to a pole because he wants to hear the sirens, but he doesn't want his ship to go towards them. He decides between Scylla and Charybdis, and Odysseus makes a decision because he wants his men to stay alive. When Odysseus arrives home to Ithaca, he is sneaky when learning about the suitors in his palace. Odysseus uses his…
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The events in the Odyssey occurred because of character choice, as shown with Odysseus’ ignorance. In The Odyssey Odysseus’ ignorance causes him to stay in the Cyclops, Polyphemus’ cave and then Odysseus continues to unknowingly insult Polyphemus. Odysseus says to Polyphemus, “Have care for the gods, courtesy; Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest” (1049). So Odysseus stays in the Cyclops’ cave and then tells the Cyclops that he has to be hospitable it just makes the Cyclops angry when Odysseus stupidly says this. After leaving the Cyclops’ island Odysseus and his remaining men start their journey home, on their way there they stop at an island, on that island are the cattle of the sun god and Odysseus has been warned not to eat the cattle. Odysseus tells the rest of the story, “Now, that day tranquil cattle with broad brows were grazing near, and soon the men drew up around their chosen beasts in ceremony” (1073). Odysseus’ men are not supposed to kill the sun god’s cattle because if they do then they will be killed, but after a few months they run out of food and decide to kill the sun god’s cattle which causes their death. When Odysseus and his men pass this mysterious island, Odysseus is stupid and decides to send some men to explore the island. Odysseus says “They fell in, soon enough, with lotus eaters who showed us no will to do us harm, only offering the sweet Lotus flowers to our friends, but those…
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In Homer’s Grecian epic The Odyssey, Odysseus is the heroic main character. Throughout his countless escapades, Odysseus can best be described as reckless, clever, and loyal. In The Odyssey, Odysseus’s journey is a long and tedious one, which partially can be attributed to his careless decisions along the way. Nevertheless, whether he is outwitting Polyphemus or defending his crew, Odysseus’s shrewdness and loyalty always seem to be his saving grace.…
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In addition, Odysseus slays the dozens of suitors plaguing the halls of his palace. After returning to his palace in Ithaca, he commences a bloodbath. He begins by shooting the villainous Antinous through his neck. The text describes that “The point passed clean through his tender throat...His life-blood gushed from his nostrils in a turbid jet.” (Homer, 329) Odysseus begins to take back his right as the master of the palace. The lifeless state of Antinous stresses his looming wrath. In spite of the suitors’ attempts to bargain their wealth for being spared, Odysseus asserts the punishment which they deserve for their crimes. He says “...not if you made over all your patrimony to me...would I keep my hands from killing until you Suitors had…
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Telemachus’ house is overrun by suitors trying to marry his mother, Penelope, since Odysseus has been gone for years and is presumed dead by almost everybody. The suitors embody what it means to be an awful guests and “feed on another’s goods and go scot-free” (Homer 1.187). They all make fun of their host and have intruded on their space for years on end trying to marry Odysseus’s wife while consuming all of Telemachus’ food and drink. All of the suitors were punished my Odysseus and Telemachus when “Odysseus aimed and shot Antinous square in the throat” (Homer 22.15) which started the blood bath. Odysseus and Telemachus got help from the gods to rid their home of the suitors. Because of their bad behavior they get punished by the gods. This also happened on Odysseus’ journey when he landed on the island of the cyclops and met Polyphemus. When Odysseus asked him to be hospitable towards him and his men, the cyclops replied by saying “you must be a fool, stranger, or come from nowhere,/ telling me to fear the gods or avoid their wrath!” (Homer 9.307-308). Polyphemus, one of the worst hosts in The Odyssey, started eating Odysseus’ shipmates and locked them in his cave when he caught them stealing some of his cheese. Odysseus wanted to kill him then and there but wouldn’t be able to get out of the cave, so he soon came up with the plan to get him and…
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Odysseus is a good leader but had some flaws. He could have been a better leader if he was more humble and was open to accepting help, but insisted on doing things his own way which cost him men, time and energy. One of the first examples in the poem is when Odysseus lacks humility he has a chance to thank Poseidon for help and he does not which makes Poseidon angry which and extends…
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