Essays on Odysseus

Epic poems usually include larger than life characters going on a heroic quest to try and defeat the monster, or win the war. The main character mostly carries the attributes and values of classical heroism; a young mighty hero with a sword in hand, battling...

The philosopher Immanuel Kant is well known for his belief that there is ‘radical evil’ within human nature, which means that if given the option between virtue and vice, generally vice will be the predominant state. That is why there are strict laws in place...

Even though the stories in Greek mythology and heroes of divine ancestry who noted for superhuman courageous acts doesn’t exist in life nowadays, the characteristics of the heroes are just like any of us, as they not flawless, they not only made good choices but...

Penelope, as seen in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey and in Carol Ann Duffy’s poem Penelope, is presented as a woman dealing with unruly suitors and her missing husband in a clever manner, proving her intelligence and cunning through which she is shown to be...

Although the Odyssey, written by Homer, is a one in a lifetime story, there are many modern day heroes that relate to Odysseus. John F. Kennedy and Odysseus are two people that would classify as being similar. Kennedy and Odysseus have been through journeys that...

Euripides’ Greek playwright The Women of Troy is a historical tragedy performed to the Athenian audience in the aftermath of the Trojan war, evaluating the atrocities that were instigated by the Greeks. During wartime, a similar event occurred at both places Melos and Troy. The...

Quoting folklorist Alan Dundes, mythology refers to “a story that serves to define the fundamental worldview of a culture by explaining aspects of the natural world and delineating the psychological and social practices and ideals of a society”. As new myths continue to form over...

Some characters seem to have existed forever. Through time, they go through minimal variations but represent the paradigm of the collective imagination. One of these is legendary figure of Ulysses, originally known as Odysseus, which remains one of the most fascinating and controversial of all...

Greco-Roman paganism, embodied in the works of Homer and other epic poets, has an inherently tragic vision of humanity’s place in the Cosmos. Unlike the Christian and Enlightenment tradition, which holds that mankind has free will and is master of its own fate, the Greek...

The ripples of calm, still water turn into mountains of engraved waves. The darkness and isolation at sea changes into powerful water crashing down onto the ship. Odysseus and his men are tossed like ragdolls side to side, holding onto what is at reach. With...