The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus – a man who left home in order to fight in the Trojan War and hasn’t been allowed to return home by the “deathless gods” of Olympus. The novel uses repetitive language and phrases feels as if it the kind of story that has been passed down from the ages – it is easy to imagine this being told by an old storyteller in the night. Odysseus as a character is both likable and hate-able at the same time – his strength, courage and perseverance make him kin to the heroes of old and yet his bloodthirsty-ness and ability to tell lies makes him a little frightening. You begin to wonder whether how far Odysseus is capable of going when at the end only Zeus’ lightning bolt and Athena’s words stop him from committing yet more murders. Throughout the novel women are also portrayed in mainly negative ways – with the exception of Athena, Penelope and Telemachus’ old maid – such as Calypso and Scylla. Women appear to be enchanting and wily temptresses in The Odyssey which is suprising because the people held the goddesses in revered positions and they were also women –  however after seeing how much Athena did and how her mere presence affected the people and Odysseus’ outcome it is also safe to say that even Athena, a goddess, is portrayed as a cunning character who meddles in the affairs of humans.

The novel was like a journey, you ended up traveling with Odysseus as he faced each of his challenges, the writing pulled you in and effectively made you a part of this lion’s journey home. The novel also does not end with his return home, there is more to the story, this is not just the end. The novel serves also as a beginning of another part of Odysseus’ life, of another journey which he must now undertake. Some scenes in the novel kind of shocked me and yet did not shock me at the same time. At time Odysseus appeared to have been left unharmed by his ordeal. Odysseus hacking down all of the suitors in such cold blood makes sense in one way as they plagued his helpless wife and son and yet at the same time there was such cold blooded-ness about the massacre that you realize that he has so much anger and the need for revenge inside of him that it is quite shocking. He really is like a “lion with his kill”.

First off, I’ll start by mentioning that I haven’t completed a book of this length in such a short amount of time in my life; even Harry Potter, with all it’s suspense, had me paced out over a few weeks. Second, I have a bit of knowledge about this epic coming into the course. I starred as Odysseus in a school play adaption of the Odyssey titled “The SeussOdyssey”. Yes, it pretty much explains itself as a shallow interpretation of the epic done told in a Dr. Seuss-like format. So hopefully if my impression of this comes off as a little informal, you’ll understand the biases I had coming into it…

The Odyssey tells the story of the grand hero Odysseus. Years after the Trojan War, the character Odysseus is on his way home to his palace of Ithica, where his son, Telemachus, and his beautiful wife, Penelope lie. On his way back, he gets shipwrecked, and many gods lay out a plan for his future, leading up to his arrival many years later (I think 20 by the time he makes it back to Ithica?). 

I could go into depth about many aspects of the story I enjoyed, but there is one thing that stood out to me, and it sure stood out like a sore thumb. Like a bastard at a family reunion. It could all be because I’m viewing the Odyssey with a meta ideology, but the powers of the Gods really ruined any climactic feeling to the story.

From the start of the book, Zeus promises to Athena that Odysseus will make it home safely. And, being a god, I took his word for it. And from then on, the events following Odysseus after he tells of his exploits to the people of Scheria (home of the Phaeacians) become entirely predictable. You know that Odysseus won’t die, and you reckon that the suitor problem will be taken care of.

On the subject of Odysseus telling his story, that was another aspect that kind of perturbed me. All the events could have been told in present tense and it would have made for a lot more suspense. That’s not to say that they were told badly because it was done in past tense, but the escapes from situations were predictable.

However, these are just little critiques. Despite what I said earlier, I still find The Odyssey to be an absolutely fantastic piece of literature. On top of that, my argument can be rendered invalid in a number of ways. Most notably, this piece is an epic, and not a page turning thriller. It wasn’t written to have you on the edge of your seat at all times. The conversations between the characters are supposed to tell the story. 

A good point of discussion can be brought up here too pertaining to my previous comparison; that literature can come in a variety of forms, and viewing it with certain expectations can ruin any true insight into the deeper elements of a story.

And that’s what it boils down to; Homer is a fantastic storyteller. He creates a world full of 6 headed creatures, nymph goddesses, timid characters, brave characters, gods, monsters and just sheer ecstasy.

Because of this, one could even say he channels himself through Odysseus.

This is my first time reading The Odyssey by Homer, and starting Homer’s tale was definitely a terrifying task for me. I wasn’t sure of how I would be able to handle the vast amount of Greek mythology contained in this particular book, but I actually managed to understand most of what was happening. With that being said, reading this novel was a new and surprisingly fun experience. With regards to The Odyssey itself, I gained much insight on the challenges that Odysseus was forced to endure. Throughout the course of the novel, Odysseus is required to overcome multiple challenges if he wishes to finally return to his homeland of Ithaca and reunite with his loved ones. The Odyssey reveals how the gods retain all power over the mortals, holding much power over many circumstances. Though perceived as a glorious, strong and superior king notable for his contributions during the Trojan War, Odysseus expresses the underlying pain and grief he feels, as he is constantly being tested and challenged. As his hopes of reaching his homeland becomes seemingly unreachable, the reader begins to learn of Odysseus’ vulnerability to the gods, as well as the power they have over him. At points in the novel he conveys a sense of defeat when he stays with Calypso for a prolonged amount of time; or when he grows powerless upon losing many of his shipmen during the journey home.  He grows defenseless and tiresome of the constant uphill battle he is forced to face, thus almost leading to his defeat and consequent demise. However, Athena constantly helps Odysseus on his journey, and provides him with the strength and optimism to push through his trials. Her role throughout Odysseus’ journey is of great importance, for at the end of the novel she expresses the immense power that the gods have. Athena manages to end the on-going feud in such a simple manner and restores peace between Odysseus and the others. Homer’s piece evidently explores not only the journey of a man’s life, but also that of his family. Aside from journeying with King Odysseus, we additionally grow to understand the affect that his absence has had on Telemachus, Penelope, and all those seemingly significant in his life.

Starting the Odyssey was quite a daunting task. I’ve never adventured into Greek literature of any kind, and my knowledge of Greek gods is limited at best. Yet as I read Homer’s great tale, the wide range of characters slowly began to grow on me, some which intrigued me, others which I disliked, and a select few which I liked. Ultimately it’s the characters which bring a story alive, and Homer’s tale is filled with a diverse cast of humans, gods, and other mythical creatures.

Right from the start of the book, a certain line stuck with me. It was Zeus, showing distate in the way mortals blamed and almost relied on the Gods, it starts on page 78, “Ah how shameless-the way these mortals blame the gods. From us alone, they say, come all their miseries, yes, but they themselves, with their own reckless ways, compound their pains beyond their proper share”. This quote has to be my favorite of The Odyssey. It shows that while the gods are… gods, they still have very human qualities. Zeus is almost annoyed at how the humans blame him, and he looks upon them as a squabbling group of children. From this quote, I began to understand that gods weren’t just benevolent entities filled with joy and kindness, each and every god had a deeper and more intricate personality, with their own principles and tempers. And so it isn’t just Telemachus, Odysseus, and other humans who are key characters throughout the story, the gods are part of the cast which makes this book so layered.

It’s from here that I slowly began to dislike a lot of the gods. With the exception of Athena, Hermes, and a few others, most gods are pretty selfish beings. Poseidon is only disturbed when he has to take vengeance for his murderous Cyclops son, and Zeus, while he shows some interest in protecting Odysseus and Telemachus, I always felt like he could’ve done more. And that’s not even starting to talk about Calypso, Circes, and some of the other nasty gods who trifled with Odysseus’s journey back home. It ultimately seemed like most of the gods were a pretty selfish bunch, not too worried about justice, or about interfering with human problems.

While I complain about the gods, Athena does really shine bright throughout the book. Like a straight-A student, she doesn’t seem to make a wrong move as she is always there to help out Telemachus, and later on Odyssues. Furthermore, one of my favorite things about the book was the fact that Odysseus built his bed from a tree. It showed how at the very foundation of everything in his life, is the love he shares with his wife. After all the toils and hardships he had to endure, at the end of the day he could return home, and crawl back into his bed, with his adoring wife. It’s almost as if it shows what he’s been surviving and fighting for, because at the center of it all, is the love of his life, Penelope, and that will never change.

I had not read the Odyssey before, or anything of that size from that era. I knew very little about the book itself outside of a brief plot summery before I cracked open the cover and began reading, which doubtlessly influenced my experience of it. I had no preconceived opinions on the characters portrayed within the pages and I was never entirely sure of just what would happen next. One aspect that surprised me was the language and way the book was written. Thanks to phenomenal translation, I found I could understand what I was reading without having to concentrate as intensely as I did when I read “The Prince” this past year in high school. That made reading The Odyssey significantly more enjoyable and I found, happily, that finishing this book was not an uphill battle for understanding. What struck me next was the uniqueness of the writing style and structure. I would call reading a hobby of mine, but despite this I have had little experience with tales as old as the odyssey. The flow and tone was interesting and different, the choice of words clearly well thought out. The repetition of certain phrases as the book went on, significantly the description of dawn and her “rose-red fingers”, was something that stuck with me, as I often remember specific lines that I favour in a book. It is not only the plot which must be skilfully weaved in the creation of a tale, but also the style and use of language.

Another aspect that stuck with me was the portrayal of women in the book. As is expected from a tale of this age, the strongest mortal characters were male, and the mortal women were considerably less of a focus. Penelope, a main character of the epic is of course admired for her devotion to her husband and stereotypically feminine traits, rather than traits such as bravery and determination, which her son and husband possess. Though this is of course to be expected of a book as old as this, as gender roles and expectations have changed and evolved, and feminism has come into a stronger light. And it must be acknowledged that the immortal females, prominently Athena, are significantly more strong, decisive, and independent. Certainly though, I’m looking forward to delving into the gender portrayals in the Odyssey, if such a discussion arises.

This was an interesting and intriguing read, unlike anything I’ve encountered beforehand, and I’m looking forward to Monday’s lecture to see what an intellectual and analytical perspective will reveal about The Odyssey.

I have finally finished my task of completing The Odyssey. Although the style of writing was difficult to comprehend compared to most works I have read, the story itself was full of excitement and unexpected twists. From the long journeys with temptresses on islands, to the battles with gigantic cyclopes, Odysseus clearly demonstrated his novelty. Many parts of the story were far-fetched, such as his ability to fend off seventy suitors with nothing more than his son and a few servants. The idea of each man being able to fend off dozens of angry suitors seems impossible, but perhaps that is simply what the inclusion of Athena was for…

What I’ve learned from reading The Odyssey is the fragility that each individual faces throughout life. Just as Odysseus was the strongest and most loved man in Ithica, the same cannot be said of his trips into other islands in which he was attacked and enslaved. This humbling theme allows, but more importantly, reminds any reader to constantly strive in their life. They must realize that although they may find success in one facet of their life, this ability can and will always be challenged by other parts of this world. Telemachus for example, was once a young boy, loved and respected by the suitors. He held the valiant position of prince to Odysseus. However, upon his dislike for the actions of the suitors, his position, regarded by the suitors became that of an enemy. He was from that point forward a target to be killed.

I believe that Homer works wonders to demonstrate how important it is for us all to experience our own Odyssey, to show how different things are on the other side. This is the side we cannot know until we unveil it.

After learning a few days ago that I was assigned to read the entire Odyssey by Monday, I made it my mission to set aside some time every day to relax and enjoy the story of Odysseus, instead of binge-reading in only a sitting or two. Reading the Odyssey would have been more pleasurable had I been allotted more time to get through it. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the story as a whole, as well as some specific parts of the epic poem that struck me as interesting. Specifically, I enjoyed the use of repetition and personification throughout the story. For example, the sun rise was always paired with the line, “When young Dawn with her rose-red fingers shown once more…”. Lines are often repeated throughout the poem, and this is apparently because the story of Odysseus began as a tale passed orally from person to person. Repetition in the story was used as a memory aid for the story-teller.

Something I found very interesting was the intense respect that mortals paid to the gods each and every day. Sacrifices and libations set aside for the gods by the mortals were plentiful in order to show respect to the immortals on Mount Olympus, and to keep them on their good side. Also, most characters that were encountered in the book proved to be strangely generous towards strangers and guests. If a stranger would roam up to a king’s palace, the king would usually demand that his guest be treated to food and wine before even asking the guest his name or his intentions. Nowadays, it would be pretty extraordinary for somebody to welcome a complete stranger into his home and offer him gifts, food, and drink before even asking who he was or what he wanted. If I knocked on the door of a house, and demanded the finest steak and wine that the family inside had, I would have the door slammed closed on me faster than you could say “Homer!”. Enough rambling, but the stark contrast between our current society and the society that Odysseus lived in is extremely interesting. Aside from homicide meaning little to nothing back in the day, it seemed like Odysseus was living in a society where many lived lavishly lazy lives, the lives of royalty. The Odyssey was an extremely interesting read, and I look forward to discussing the story further in class.

Homer’s The Odyssey has been recognized the world over as one of the great literary epics. It’s tale depicts extravagant, fantastic adventures, such as facing the wrath of vengeful gods and the seduction of sirens. However, upon reading the work, I became aware not so much of the adventurous plot, but of the discrepancy between how we view civility and evil. I first became aware of this notion during  Telemachus’ speech to the suitors. The prince discloses the horrific, brutish nature of the men, but, in response, they defend their own behaviour, blaming their beastliness upon the “… queen of cunning.” This represents our own society’s attempts to place our own faults on another. Far be it from us to take the blame if we can merely shift it to another.

It was also interesting to see the emphasis on the wretchedness of women. To begin, a large amount of the terrors faced by Odysseus were women, such as the sirens and Calypso. Also, when remarking at the atrocious actions of King Oedipus, Odysseus only remarks at the fault of his mother, stating it, “… a monstrous thing she did…” (258). Also, Telemachus tells his father to only examine the women, not the men, in their loyalty. These events exemplify the common beliefs of the era that women were sinful beings, luring men to their caves.

The amount of bird imagery was astonishing as well. Many times, eagles were seen snatching up smaller, or more benign, birds, such as geese. Despite the obvious symbolism of the day Odysseus will return, or the abuse of the suitors, they also symbolize the nature of humanity. Birds are typically seen as being free creatures, their wings carrying them to wherever they desire. This represents the free will of man, where each has the capability to destroy or create in accordance with his own desire. This, however, juxtaposes the idea of the gods controlling the actions of man. It is frequently seen that man is the submissive being, only fulfilling his fate. This contrast creates an interesting questions; is it our own free will that creates the monster, or simply a ploy of circumstances?

Finally, the idea of desperation was very prominent. In Book Twelve, The Cattle of the Sun, Odysseus sternly warns the men of the danger of slaughtering the cattle of Helios. Whilst all their needs are met, the men comply willingly. However, as soon as the prospect of starvation approaches, their fears overpower their knowledge of justice, and they utilise the sacred herd for their own mortal needs. Thus, each decent man may be rendered incapable of decency in a given circumstance.

Overall, after reading The Odyssey, I view it not so much as a heroic adventure, but rather as a warning of justice. Despite the apparent benefits given to the malicious suitors, and the hardships of virtuous Odysseus, it is only a matter of time before the wrongful are given their penance. The easy gains of vile behavior will ultimately be thrown down by the hand of good.

When I think of well versed bards reciting The Odyssey to a crowd of people many, many years ago, it makes me realize a number of things about stories. On the one hand, not much has changed at all. I suppose Homer came about in the early days of epic journey tales, and he seems to have set the stage for many more recent books with similar themes. I spent a good portion of the novel waiting for Odysseus to arrive at Mt. Doom or meet an Orc army, so striking were the parallels between this and the work of Tolkein. I did however, come across a number of things that caused me to raise an eyebrow or feel vaguely uncomfortable; things I wasn’t used to. One of the first was the superficial nature of the characters, immortal or not. I sort of cringed every time Athena would make Odysseus tall, muscular, and handsome so that he would get some respect, or when a character would exclaim something along the lines of “Well, that chap is good looking and has an ephemeral glow, he must have good blood. Pour him some drinks!” Perhaps it’s the element of truth that disconcerts me.

There is a black and white sense of morality in this book. Distinctly old fashioned, as of course is appropriate for a poem written in 8th century BC. Grisly acts of murder and torture are accepted as rational and heroic, as long as they are justified. The whole text reads as an “eye for an eye” battle, but it did make me think a lot about the concept of right and wrong, and how different people might interpret it.

The Gods seem to be obsessed with material goods. A greek soldier could be as kind and loving as any, but if he forgets to burn some sheep thighs or pour out some libations to the Gods, he will have a rough go of it. I’m told this is just the way of the Greek Gods, but it is rather fun to point out their puerility. To be honest it’s actually really refreshing. You hear so much about the untouchable perfection of Gods that reading about them argue like teenagers and thinking about “revenge” is kind or nice. Homer portrays them as being very accessible. You can’t get away from the Gods, that’s for sure.

My last great mystery was what felt like an unfinished ending. Odysseus never made peace with Poseiden, never did what he was told to do in the prophecy. It just ended. I hear that the Odyssey has a lost sequel, explaining some of the suddenness of the ending; its a shame.

In summary, it was brilliant. What I originally saw as a very traditional, classic piece of text made me think about character far more then I thought I would. It snuck up on me, so to speak.