The Odyssey Study Guide
The symbol of a long return home, “The Odyssey” written by Homer, is a true literature classic. The story is as old as the world, no wonder that its authorship is widely questioned. One thing is for sure – the greatness of “The Odyssey” is due not to a single individual’s talents, but is a result of a whole century oral heritage and cultural tradition once put into writing.
Today we know very little about the Bronze Age and the majority of population knowledge about this period is mostly based upon the story about Odysseus. Some of us first discover the book at school literature class, others later at college or university, some will watch a movie. But everybody is deeply touched and fascinated by the richness of its content.
Long time ago, when Gods roamed on the Earth and humans with heroic qualities lived to perform their valiant actions, Odysseus made a name for himself during the battle of Troy. Now Odysseus’s home in Ithaca is occupied by aspirants attempting to conquer his wife, Penelope, and occupy his kingdom. On top of that, a guileful plan to murder Telemachus, the son and the heir, is being conceived.
Meanwhile a nymph Calypso who desperately wants to keep him near her, entraps the main protagonist. With a help of his protector, goddess Athena, Telemachus discovers that his father is still alive and a plan to regain control of Ithaca is made. Despite continuous obstacles from one deities and thanks to assistance of the others, Odyssey builds a ship and returns home to his beloved wife, son and father.
“The Odyssey” is a genius poem that belongs to a world’s literary heritage. It lures the readers as a magnet and keeps providing new interpretations and concepts. Everybody will find something new and unique in this text.
Author: Arnold Campbell
New Essays
Everyone has a home. Regardless of its location, it is a place of acceptance and belonging. In a sense it's where the heart is. Though in The Odyssey, the concept of home is blurry and for the most part incomplete, it is the most important thing to Odysseus, and he is willing to go through utter...
The Odyssey Odysseus was always considered to be a great man and a great hero. He was known for his brain as well as his muscle. He was an epic hero of a narrative poem about the deeds of gods or heroes. He possesses qualities superior to those of most men, yet remains recognizably human. These...
The Women of the Odyssey Many people regard Homer's epics as war stories? stories about men; those people often overlook the important roles that women play in the Odyssey. While there are not many female characters in the Odyssey, the few that there are, play pivotal roles in the story and one...
In the epic the Odyssey by Homer (translated by Robert Fitzgerald) one of the most descriptive and best written passages in the entire epic is "The Slaying of the Suitors" (book 23 lines1-62). This is a good passage for many reasons, one of these is that it is a part of the story that has been...