Odyssey Theme Paper Essay, Research Paper

The Odyssey Theme Paper

The Odyssey is chiefly about the trials of a great hero ; that hero would be Odysseus. Although Odysseus does non look in this heroic poem until the 5th book, he is still the chief character. Odysseus, whom I will name the hero, has many trials in this heroic poem. Read on to see what I mean.

This narrative starts right after the Trojan War ; the Greeks have won, thanks to one of Odysseus? great thoughts. All the male monarchs are now seeking to acquire back place to their households. Odysseus, nevertheless, will hold the most jobs.

The first topographic point Odysseus goes after the war is the land of the Ciconians. He and his work forces raid the island and destruct the small town. However the following twenty-four hours, more Ciconians arrive and defeat Odysseus and his work forces. Several work forces are killed, and Odysseus experiences his first of many sorrows and trials. Next, the hero goes to the land of the stargazers. Some of his work forces eat the Nelumbo nucifera works and immediately want to remain at that place and ne’er leave. Odysseus manages to acquire his work forces off from the island, and they leave.

Then the hero arrives at the place of Polyphemos. Polyphemos is a immense Cyclops and besides a man-eater. Odysseus and 12 of his work forces are trapped inside Polyphemos? cave and can? t acquire out. Polyphemos comes back and eats some of the hero? s work forces. The following dark Odysseus gets the Cyclopss drunk on vino, and when it falls asleep, Odysseus and his staying work forces blind it with a big pole. He and his work forces hardly escape with their lives and go on on the ocean trip.

The hero shortly lands on Aeolus? island. ( Aeolus is the Keeper of the Winds. ) He helps Odysseus on his manner by giving him the right winds to take him place to Ithaca. The hero gets within site of his place but a hurricane blows him all the manner back to Aeolus? island. This clip Aeolus turns Odysseus off, and he is forced to go on his journey. The hero and his work forces next terminal up in the Land of the Midnight Sun, where the Laestrygonians live. The Laesrtygonians attack the work forces and drop 11 of the 12 ships. Merely Odysseus? ship and 44 work forces escape to safety. This is one of the most painful trials Odysseus faces on his journey.

Soon afterwards, Odysseus and his now little crew arrive on Circe? s island.

Circe transforms some of the hero? s crew into hogs ; nevertheless, Odysseus overcomes the enchantress and she turns the work forces back to normal. Odysseus stays with Circe for a twelvemonth, but shortly his work forces get ungratified and make up one’s mind to go forth. The hero has to travel to the Underworld to speak to the blind prophesier, Tiresias. He completes this undertaking and finds out how to populate a long and happy life before puting out once more.

Odysseus overcomes the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybis before set downing on the island of the Sun God. There the work forces kill the Sun God? s cowss and have a banquet ; Odysseus, nevertheless, knows better and does non take part. The crew sets sail for place one time more, but the ship wrecks and all the work forces are killed except Odysseus. The hero eventually washes up on the shore of Ogygia. This subdivision of the narrative is where Odysseus faces his last trial with his crew and, as you see, finally loses them.

The hero spends seven long old ages being held confined by Calypso before she eventually lets him travel. When he leaves, he is caught up by another storm and wrecks on the island of Scheria. There he meets the Phaeacian people and they help him acquire place. Although Odysseus is eventually place, he still has many trials to come.

All the clip Odysseus has been gone, his married woman, Penelope, has been invariably pestered by 108 suers who want to get married her. The suers believe Odysseus is dead and will non accept? no? for an reply. When Odysseus arrives on his island, Athena meets him and disguises him as a mendicant. Dressed as a mendicant, the hero visits his pigman and so goes to his castle. He analyzes the state of affairs and learns about the suers and discovers which of his retainers are still faithful to him. All of this leads up to Odysseus? most of import trial, killing the suers. Then one twenty-four hours, with the aid of Telemachos, Eumais, and Philochtes, Odysseus manages to get the better of all the suers. He besides kills 12 unfaithful amahs by hanging them. Now that this concluding test has been completed, Odysseus reunites with his married woman and his male parent and the heroic poem comes to a stopping point.

As you can see this narrative contained many trials, some large, some little, some of import, and some minor. The fact that Odysseus survived all these obstructions proves that he is a great hero and that is portion of what makes this book so good.