The Odyssey Essays

College

The Odyssey

Humans are complex beings, each with individual traits, and an individual set of traits that they value in others. Despite this individuality, cultures are formed, in part, by the values they possess and nurture in their society as a whole. In the...

12th Grade

The Odyssey

In the Odyssey, the hero of the story, Odysseus, is depicted as a courageous, brilliant man. He keeps much faith in the gods, which pays him good dividends. He is also smart and cunning, always able to escape several of the most difficult...

11th Grade

The Odyssey

In the novella “The Penelopiad” written by Margaret Atwood, Ancient Greek values predominant in “The Odyssey” are reshaped, including Penelope’s contemporary perspective on justice as one that portrays the maids and suitors as unworthy of losing...

10th Grade

The Odyssey

Modern renditions of classics are notorious for misrepresenting the cherished old works they try to depict, but when they are successful they add modern twists and embellishments while still maintaining the timeless message. In O Brother, Where...

College

The Odyssey

In The Odyssey by Homer, and the Epic of Gilgamesh the titular protagonists of their respective narratives, Odysseus and Gilgamesh face their own perilous journeys, by their own hands and at the caprice of the fickle gods. Odysseus is left to his...

12th Grade

The Odyssey

The element of disguise is often associated with deception and suspense. This literary device is seemingly ubiquitous throughout Eastern and Western folklore, and is seen in Homer’s Odyssey and the Turkish epic The Book of Dede Korkut. Despite the...

College

The Odyssey

Penelope of The Odyssey is a widely disputed and studied character. She is often understood as unique to Greek mythology in her rejection of the stereotypical femininity that is apparent in most other female characters, like Nausicaa of The...

10th Grade

The Odyssey

Though pride can have a negative connotation and is often thought of as a synonym for being full of one’s self, it can also be an honest and healthy feeling of genuine satisfaction with one’s own achievements. In other instances, pride can also...

College

The Odyssey

The Ancient Greek society that birthed the Odyssey, written around the eighth century BC by Homer, differed greatly from individualistic modern culture. Whereas today civilization can be defined in terms of technology, wealth, or healthcare,...

College

The Odyssey

The Odyssey by Homer tells the story of the hero Odysseus’ decade long journey home. Throughout this journey the characters use lying to for a variety of reasons, and occasionally, they lie for no reason at all. The lies in The Odyssey do not have...

9th Grade

The Odyssey

J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, and Homer’s Odyssey are what many consider to be the greatest fantastical stories of their times. While the heroes differ in many ways, their circumstances bear multiple similarities. Both characters...

College

The Odyssey

In Homer’s The Odyssey, tears are a reencountered motif that lends insight to the characters’ motives, true emotions, and defining qualities. The Odyssey splits tears into two categories-- restrained and unrestrained. The criteria for making the...

College

The Odyssey

Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home has the polished surface appearance of a charming comic about a young girl’s coming of age and struggles with self-identity. Bechdel’s strong personal voice emanates from the text with a captivating candor that renders ...