what is a good thesis statement for the odyssey

The Odyssey

Introduction to the odyssey.

Odyssey is one of the best ancient epics and a masterpiece, written by the blind poet, Homer. It might have been written in the 8 th or 7 th century BC. The poem has won popularity in almost every culture and civilization despite belonging to the Grecian civilization and yet has kept its freshness despite having survived the odds of time until this day. The poem presents the story of Odysseus, the Greek king, and his homeward journey after the Trojan war, including other wars and trials and tribulations that he confronts on the way home. The epic has not only achieved the status of a cannon but has also become a classic.

Summary of The Odyssey

The Odyssey is the story, the epic of Odysseus or Ulysses in some texts. His journey begins when the city of Troy falls. Odysseus, the Grecian hero , does not return to Ithaca, his kingdom, in ten days as per the journey schedule takes almost ten years. Assuming Odysseus is dead, his wife, Penelope, is hounded by unruly and rowdy suitors wanting to marry her. They spend more time around her palace, pillaging the land around it. However, despite this continuous commotion of these suitors, she carries on delaying it with the argument that she is knitting a shroud for her husband and that she will not respond to their calls until she finishes it. Although she has her son, Telemachus, with her, she does not dare to throw this mob out of the precincts of her palace. Despite the fierce opposition and Antinous’s plans to kill Telemachus, she stays dedicated.

During Penelope’s trial, Odysseus goes through a lot of trials on the land as well as the sea. He is captured with his companions and imprisoned by Calypso, a nymph on her island, Ogygia. Having no ship to return to Ithaca, he longs to be with his family. Then Mount Olympus is in deep debate as the goddesses and gods argue about what to do regarding Odysseus’ fate. While Athena has a soft spot for Odysseus and wants to assist him and his son, Telemachus, some fiercely oppose her. She visits Telemachus, disguising herself as the friend of his grandfather, and asks him to call all the suitors into an assembly and warn them of their misbehavior. She also helps him visit Nestor and Menelaus, the associates of Odysseus, who inform Telemachus about his father and his imprisonment on the island of Calypso. When he is about to return, the suitors plan to eliminate him.

Sensing delay in Odysseus’ return, Zeus himself dispatches Hermes for his release. Finally, she succeeds in convincing Calypso about the likely release of Odysseus, who sets sail toward his homeland but finds himself trapped in a storm caused by Poseidon on account of blinding Cyclops Polyphemus, his one-eyed giant son. Here again, Athena comes to his assistance and brings him to land at Scheria, where Nausicaa with her parents, welcomes him warmly. The hosts become captivated by his exploits after he discloses his real identity and tells his purpose. They promise to extend all possible help to this great hero.

However, before he departs from the island, he narrates his exploits, including his time on the island of Calypso, his trip to the Land of the Lotus Eaters, his time with Circe, and the temptation of Sirens until the final journey to the underworld where he meets the blind prophet, Tiresias, and wrestles with Scylla after consulting him Tiresias about this menace. The next day, the Phaeacians help him return to Ithaca, where he reaches the hut of Eumaeus, his faithful colleague, in the guise of a beggar.

After this, he goes to meet his son and discloses his identity, after which both plan to eliminate the unruly suitors to gain control of their city. The next day, Odysseus reaches his palace, and the same mob of the suitors attacks him with insults and rebukes, after which he meets the old lady, Eurycelia, who does not disclose his identity due to the fear that the suitors should kill him. Penelope, on the other hand, arranges an archery competition of the suitors to engage them in stringing the bow of Odysseus, at which all of them fail except Odysseus, who is in the garb of a beggar. Following this, with the assistance of his son, Telemachus, he falls upon the suitors and eliminates all of them. Following this, he discloses his identity and goes to meet Laertes, his father. They face an attack from Antinous’s father but kill him, while Zeus asks Athena to bring peace to the land after Odysseus’s ordeal ends. It is important to notice that the entire journey of Odysseus takes 20 years in which ten years he fought the Trojan war and the next ten years he fight everything else to reach home.

Major Themes in The Odyssey

• Hubris : The Odyssey shows the theme of hubris or excessive pride through Odysseus, who brags about his wins in the war until the gods turn against him and punish him for this hubris. The punishment continues until Athena favors him in bringing him home and assists him in overcoming his enemies on his way back home and also in his palace as suitors of his wife, Penelope troubles her. He faces Circe and the Cyclops and goes through the underworld. Despite his bragging, Athena supports him and saves him after he goes through this long punishment of near-fatal journeys after he has suffered enough for his pride.
• Homecoming: The theme of homecoming is apparent from the desire and longing of the hero, Odysseus, who recalls his wife, his son, and his hometown of Ithaca whenever he is in some difficult situation. It means that he always has his home in mind even when he is trapped by Circe or spends time with Calypso. Even when the Cyclops asks him the reason for staying there, he tells that he is on his homeward journey.
• Hospitality: The theme of hospitality goes side by side with other themes with its significance in the Grecian culture. That is why Odysseus enjoys the hospitality of Circe as well as the Cyclops, though he is their captive. The first one turns his people into animals , and the second starts satisfying his hunger by feeding on them. Even the Phaeacians demonstrate their trait of hospitality which is gentle rather than evil, as opposed to the first two cases.
• Temptation: Another theme of The Odyssey is a temptation that the Grecians considered a negative human trait. Although temptations are sometimes very strong and even drives Odysseus crazy such as at the Lotus-eater’s island, he always considers homecoming his major purpose in life, recalling Penelope and Telemachus. He also falls to the temptation of Circe’s beauty and sensuousness and stays for a while, but again moves forward and is able to overcome temptations.
• Heroism: Heroism is the greatest Greek virtue told in almost every epic, as reflected through the character of Odysseus is another theme. Despite having human traits, Odysseus shows exemplary character traits having courage , bravery, wit , and strength with some human aberrations of falling to the temptations as in the case of Circe and then the Lotus-eaters. However, he shows his courage when fighting against the Cyclops and even when going through his ordeal with Scylla and Charybdis.
• Deception: A minor theme, deception is shown as a human trait in The Odyssey that is necessary for survival. Odysseus comes to deception when he sees his survival is at stake. For instance, his return when he confronts Antinous. Odysseus has already done the same when confronting the Cyclops and tells him that he is a No-man, then blinding him while escaping under the sheeps’ belly. Even gods come to deceive others by adopting different guises, such as Athena does to help Odysseus.
• Free Will: Free will is another significant theme of the poem in that Odysseus is shown as a fiercely independent person having courage, bravery, and strength, yet he sometimes feels the divine act obstructing his paths, such as the magic of Circe or the deathly confrontation of the Cyclops. In such cases, it seems that the gods debate and determine his fate on Mount Olympus, and if Athena hadn’t pleaded his case with Zeus, he might not have survived at several points, such as in confronting Poseidon in a storm.
• Justice : The epic shows the theme of justice through debates between the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. It seems that sometimes the gods are forced to punish Odysseus, such as Poseidon does but again, a few god or goddess comes to take the punishment away from him to render justice.
• Revenge : The epic shows the theme of revenge through Odysseus’s act of blinding the Cyclops and killing the suitors, including Antinous. The gods also exact revenge, such as Poseidon does against Odysseus for killing his son, the Cyclops.

Major Characters of The Odyssey

• Odysseus: Odysseus is the main character and great heroic figure who goes through several adventures described in the entire epic, The Odyssey. He is a human with a fascinating combination of the presence of mind and strong body. He leaves to fight in Troy alongside Achilles and other kings while he is the ruler of Ithaca. He leaves Penelope, his faithful wife, and his son, Telemachus, behind. As his son is very young in his absence, his old father, Laertes, takes care of his kingdom. During his long journey toward home after the fall of Troy, he goes through various adventures, meets demons, avoids the wrath of gods, and confronts witches, nymphs, and monsters, yet he comes out of all these as victorious to lock horns with the characters like Antinous. Despite his tough and resilient frame, he sometimes has to use his mind to deal with Calypso or the Cyclops or to go through the land of Cicones. He goes on to use his wits until Athena, the goddess favoring him, asks him to stop and be at peace.
• Penelope: In The Odyssey, as well as in the Grecian literature, the status achieved by Penelope is hard to contest as a virtuous woman waiting for Odysseus. When the courtyard of her palace is full of suitors, creating a commotion for her hand, she uses patience and tricks to keep the men away. She continues knitting the shroud for her husband during the day and pulls them at night . And sending a word to the suitor that she would not respond until she finishes it, extending the time for her son, Telemachus, to be able to deal with them or for her husband to arrive. Finally, when Odysseus arrives, she informs him of the whole situation. However, this long period has tested her loyalty as well as integrity, on account of which she achieves this high status in literature and myths .
• Telemachus: As the son of Odysseus, it is natural for Telemachus to show qualities and bravery to lead Ithaca and protect his mother in Odysseus’ absence. Although he confronts the unruly suitors of his mother in the initial stages after Athena supports him, he could not resist that huge mob. His most important mistake is to allow the suitors to arm themselves to the teeth, which Odysseus has had a hard time overcoming by the end when he reaches Ithaca. Odysseus then advises him on how to protect the family’s honor and stature by the end.
• Athena: As a goddess, Athena is quite close to Zeus, but as a supporter of Odysseus, her role in The Odyssey is admirable. She saves Odysseus from several fatal accidents where it would have been hard to predict his survival. As the favorite daughter of Zeus, she holds sway on Poseidon, who is determined to take revenge on Odysseus for killing the Cyclops. She stops him from this and reaches out in different disguises to save Odysseus, who is not her son, yet becomes her favorite. In the end, she reaches out to Odysseus to help him in dealing with the wild mob of suitors.
• Poseidon: Poseidon is a divine character, but he develops animosity with the human, Odysseus, who must have been killed. He is stopped by Athena, who helps Odysseus. As a sea god, he raises storms in the way of Odysseus, lengthening his homeward journey. He, including his wife, goes against Athena, who is determined to save Odysseus from their wrath. In fact, Odysseus has blinded his son, the Cyclopes, and left him to die.
• The Cyclops : A one-eyed giant, the Cyclops, also known as Polyphemus, is the son of Poseidon, a god. He lives on a Cyclopean island in a cave where Odysseus and his men reach to take shelter during a storm. When he reaches his cave, he becomes happy to find men there and starts killing them one by one to eat them. To save the rest of his men, Odysseus deceives Cyclops. He becomes blind after Odysseus pokes a spear in his eye and leaves him on the island to die. Because of what is done to him, Poseidon is angry toward Odysseus when he blinds the Cyclops.
• Zeus: A divine figure and the chief god, Zeus is a significant character in the epic, The Odyssey. He is present during the debate between the gods and goddesses about Odysseus’ fate. When Athena supports Odysseus, he assists Athena in all of the exploits she takes upon herself to assist Odysseus in saving his life. He also allows Poseidon to cause some trouble for Odysseus but does not let him cause his death.
• Circe: Circe turns to Odysseus’s associates and turns all of them into animals after imprisoning Odysseus on her island. Odysseus falls to her magic and wins only with alertness given by Eurylochus. He finally overpowers her and wins freedom for all of his companions.
• The Suitors: The role of suitors is important to raise the status of Penelope, for they check her patience, loyalty, and integrity toward her husband. Especially, the unruliest one, Antinous, makes her stand on her toes all the time, She even has to pretend that she is weaving a shroud for her husband to keep them off. Finally, Odysseus comes and kills all of them after an archery contest.
• Tiresias: The popular Grecian prophet also appears in The Odyssey like several other myths and asks Odysseus to go to Ithaca after he lets him talk to the souls of the dead in the underworld of Hades.

Writing Style of The Odyssey

The writing style of The Odyssey is exactly like that of classical poetry, which is elevated or formal. As it is written in poetic form, it is a dactylic hexameter with repetitive use of phrases and cliches common during those times. The use of deus ex machina has made it more interesting for general readers, while the metrical pattern has added to its melody. For literary devices , Home resorts to metaphors , extended metaphors , similes, and repetitions .

Analysis of the Literary Devices in The Odyssey

• Action: The main action of the epic comprises the homeward journey of the great Grecian hero, Odysseus. The rising action occurs when Odysseus gets freed from the clutches of Calypso and leaves her island for his home but faces a sea storm and loses his ship. The falling action occurs when he reaches home and joins his son, Telemachus, to kill the suitors.
• Anaphora : The below sentences are examples of anaphora , i. Not once have we held assembly, met in session since King Odysseus sailed away in the hollow ships. Who has summoned us now —one of the young men, one of the old-timers? (Book-II) ii. “Ah what a wicked man you are, and never at a loss. What a thing to imagine, what a thing to say! Earth be my witness now, the vaulting Sky above. (Book-V) These examples show the repetitious use of “one of the” and “what a thing” in the first part of the clauses of sentences ,or verses .
• Allusion : The best examples of allusions are given below, i. Zeus’s daughter plied, potent gifts from Polydamna the wife of Thon, a woman of Egypt, land where the teeming soil bears the richest yield of herbs in all the world. (Book-IV) ii. I’d died there too and met my fate that day the Trojans, swarms of them, hurled at me with bronze spears, fighting over the corpse of proud Achilles! A hero’s funeral then, my glory spread by comrades — now what a wretched death I’m doomed to die!” (Book-V) iii. Father Zeus, Athena and lord Apollo! if only — seeing the man you are, seeing we think as one — you could wed my daughter and be my son-in-law. (Book-VII) These examples show allusions of Zeus, Egypt, Achilles, and Apollo.
• Antagonist : Poseidon, the sea god in the house of Zeus, is the antagonist of The Odyssey even before he has blinded his son, the Cyclops. He is the main hurdle in his homeward journey.
• Conflict : The main conflict of the epic is Odysseus’s homeward journey and his struggles to overcome obstacles to achieve this end to save his wife from the suitors.
• Characters: The epic, The Odyssey, shows both static as well as dynamic characters. The young hero, Odysseus, is a dynamic character as he shows a considerable transformation in his behavior and conduct by the end of the epic when he meets his wife and son. However, all other characters are static as they do not show or witness any transformation, such as Cyclops, Poseidon, Circe, and even Zeus.
• Climax : The climax in the epic occurs when Odysseus arrives home after his long voyages and expeditions and sets upon killing the suitors for causing disrepute in his kingdom.
• Deus Ex Machina : The below sentences are the best examples of deus ex machina, i. But the other gods, at home in Olympian Zeus’s halls, met for full assembly there, and among them now the father of men and gods was first to speak. (Book-1) ii. As the sun sprang up, leaving the brilliant waters in its wake, climbing the bronze sky to shower light on immortal gods and mortal men across the plowlands ripe with grain — the ship pulled into Pylos, Neleus’ storied citadel. (Book-III) iii. Then Zeus’s daughter Helen thought of something else. Into the mixing-bowl from which they drank their wine she slipped a drug, heart’s-ease, dissolving anger, magic to make us all forget our pains. (Book-IV) The mention of gods, Olympian Zeus, sky, Helen, and magic potion shows the use of deus ex machina in the shape of supernatural beings coming down to the earth to help human beings.
• Hyperbole : The examples of hyperboles are given below, i. “Father Zeus on high — may the king fulfill his promises one and all! Then his fame would ring through the fertile earth and never die —and I should reach my native land at last! (Book-VII) ii. There colonnades and courts and rooms were overflowing with crowds, a mounting host of people young and old . The king slaughtered a dozen sheep to feed his guests. (Book-VIII) Both of these examples exaggerate things such as fame and rooms exaggerated as having capacity and capability.
• Imagery : The examples of imagery are given below, i. At last they gained the ravines of Lacedaemon ringed by hills and drove up to the halls of Menelaus in his glory. They found the king inside his palace, celebrating with throngs of kinsmen a double wedding-feast for his son and lovely daughter. (Book-IV) ii. Thick, luxuriant woods grew round the cave, alders and black poplars, pungent cypress too, and there birds roosted, folding their long wings, owls and hawks and the spread-beaked ravens of the sea, black skimmers who make their living off the waves. And round the mouth of the cavern trailed a vine laden with clusters, bursting with ripe grapes. (Book-V) iii. Here luxuriant trees are always in their prime, pomegranates and pears, and apples glowing red, succulent figs and olives swelling sleek and dark. And the yield of all these trees will never flag or die, neither in winter nor in summer, a harvest all year round for the West Wind always breathing through will bring some fruits to the bud and others warm to ripeness —(Book-VII) These examples show images of feeling, color, movement, and taste.
• Invocation: The below sentence is a good example of invocation, i. Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy. This invocation is an example in epic style writing followed by all the great poets of every nation including John Milton . Homer here invokes Muse, the Grecian goddess of poetry, to empower him to sing in the praise of that great hero.
• Metaphor : The following sentences are good examples of metaphor , i. Just as that fear went churning through his mind a tremendous roller swept him toward the rocky coast where he’d have been flayed alive, his bones crushed if the bright-eyed goddess Pallas had not inspired him now. He lunged for a reef, he seized it with both hands and clung for dear life, groaning until the giant wave surged past and so he escaped its force, but the breaker’s backwash charged into him full fury and hurled him out to sea. Like pebbles stuck in the suckers of some octopus dragged from its lair —so strips of skin torn from his clawing hands stuck to the rock face. (Book-V) ii. And out he stalked as a mountain lion exultant in his power strides through wind and rain and his eyes blaze and he charges sheep or oxen or chases wild deer but his hunger drives him on to go for flocks, even to raid the best-defended homestead. So Odysseus moved out…(Book-VI) iii. There’s nothing better than when deep joy holds sway throughout the realm and banqueters up and down the palace sit in ranks. (Book-IX) These examples show that several things have been compared directly in epic such as the first one shows the comparison between fear and a roller, the second shows the comparison of a man and a mountain, and the last one shows joys compared to men.
• Motif : Most important motifs of the epic, The Odyssey, is storytelling, disguises, and magic.
• Personification : The following sentences are good examples of personifications, i. Someone may tell you something or you may catch a rumor straight from Zeus, rumor that carries news to men like nothing else. (Book-I) ii. As Dawn rose up from bed by her lordly mate Tithonus, bringing light to immortal gods and mortal men, the gods sat down in council, circling Zeus the thunder king whose power rules the world. (Book-V) These examples show as if the rumor and dawn have life and emotions of their own.
• Protagonist : Odysseus is the protagonist of the epic. The epic, after the invocation, starts with his entry into the world and moves forward as he starts his homeward journey until he reaches home.
• Rhetorical Questions : The examples of rhetorical questions are as follows, i. Who has summoned us now —one of the young men, one of the old-timers? What crisis spurs him on? Some news he’s heard of an army on the march, word he’s caught firsthand so he can warn us now? Or some other public matter he’ll disclose and argue? (Book-II) ii. She called out to her girls with lovely braids: “Stop, my friends ! Why run when you see a man? Surely you don’t think him an enemy, do you? (Book-VI) This example shows the use of rhetorical questions posed by different characters not to elicit answers but to stress upon the underlined idea.
• Setting : The setting of the epic, The Odyssey, is spread over several places such as Mount Olympus, Ithaca, Aeaea, Ogygia, Scheria, etc.
• Simile : The examples of similes are given below, i. When young Dawn with her rose-red fingers shone once more the true son of Odysseus sprang from bed and dressed, over his shoulder he slung his well-honed sword, fastened rawhide sandals under his smooth feet and stepped from his bedroom, handsome as a god. (Book-II) ii. Here’s my prophecy, bound to come to pass. If you, you old codger, wise as the ages, talk him round, incite the boy to riot. (Book-II) iii. Strangers have just arrived, your majesty, Menelaus. Two men, but they look like kin of mighty Zeus himself. Tell me, should we unhitch their team for them or send them to someone free to host them well?” (Book-IV) iv. As Dawn rose up from bed by her lordly mate Tithonus, bringing light to immortal gods and mortal men, the gods sat down in council, circling Zeus the thunder king whose power rules the world. (Book-V) These are similes as the use of the word “like” shows the comparison between different things. For example, the first example shows the beatify of Odysseus compared to gods, the second shows the person compared to time, the third shows people compared to the relatives of the god, and the last one shows the dawn rising like a person or a living thing.

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The Odyssey Summary and Analysis

Home » Literature Explained – Literary Synopses and Book Summaries » The Odyssey » The Odyssey Summary and Analysis

The Odyssey Summary – Introduction

The Odyssey is an epic poem written by the celebrated Greek poet in approximately 700 B.C. The companion poem to The Odyssey is The Iliad which was published around 750 B.C. This work follows the brave and famed hero, Odysseus, who is trapped far away from his family with the nymph Calypso.

Held hostage out of obsessive love, Odysseus is unable to return home to his family in Ithaca. In his absence, a team of suitors take up residence at his palace and attempt to court his wife and murder his son, usurping Odysseus’s rulership. However, the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus intervene on his behalf and after a series of trials and grand adventures, he is able to return home and restore order.

Literary Elements

Type of Work: Poem

Genres: Epic  

Published Date: Unknown, but estimated to be written around the year 700 B.C.  

Setting: Greece during what is known as the Bronze Age, twelfth/thirteenth century B.C.  

Main Characters: Odysseus, Telemachus, Athena, Penelope

Protagonist/Hero: Odysseus

Antagonist: Many monsters and evil forces threaten Odysseus’s journey back home. A mob of evil suitors waits for him at home, pillaging his palace and trying to court his wife and murder his son.  

Major Thematic Elements: The power of the mind over physical strengths; the dangers of temptation; the dangers of isolation; how maturity comes from trials and triumphs  

Motifs: Characters in disguise; storytelling traditions; temptress characters

Exposition: It has been 10 years since the fall of Troy and the people of Ithaca are still awaiting the return of their hero, Odysseus. A mob of suitors have overrun his palace and are courting his wife, Penelope. However, she does everything she can to remain faithful to her husband, believing he will return, despite their plots to take control of Odysseus’s kingdom by any means necessary.

Conflict: Odysseus has to get home to get rid of the suitors who are trying to win over his wife and take control of his kingdom. His son, Telemachus, is faced with the need to mature early to protect his family’s honor and to secure his place as ruler of Ithaca should his father not return home.

Plot: Chronological, jumping between Odysseus’s current location and his home in Ithaca

Major Symbols: Food and feasts; Odysseus’s bow; characterizations of temptation

Climax: The beggar in the palace reveals his identity as Odysseus in Book 22.

Literary Significance of The Odyssey

Furthermore, audiences of all ages throughout the millennia have enjoyed stories in which brave heroes face insurmountable challenges and then preserve. The thematic elements of The Odyssey speak to the triumph of good over evil and that even a human man can withstand temptations and persevere until he is reunited with what is important to him. This speaks to the boldness of the human spirit, which is always a winning idea in literature. Historically speaking, the poem also conveys a nice peak at the values that were important to ancient Greeks.

Homer’s Odyssey Summary

However, Odysseus is still alive and is being kept from returning home by the nymph Calypso. She has fallen into an obsessive love for the brave hero and is keeping him captive on her island, Ogygia. Although he wants to return home to his family, he has no way to take on the journey, being utterly alone and without a crew to help him sail.

While Odysseus is held captive, the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus are debating his fate. His strongest supporter in Mount Olympus is the goddess Athena. She decides she will take the charge to protect his son, Telemachus. She arrives to Odysseus’s palace disguised as a friend of Telemachus’ grandfather, Laertes. She convinces Telemachus to call an assembly during which he will condemn the mob of suitors. Afterwards, he is convinced to embark on a journey to appeal to some powerful friends of Odysseus, the kings Pylos and Menelaus, of Pylos and Sparta. Through his travels, he learns that Odysseus is alive and well, but trapped on Ogygia. While Telemachus returns home, Antinous and the other suitors are preparing to ambush and kill him as he returns to port in Ithaca.

He spends the night telling them of his travels and all the interesting creatures and foes he met along the way. When he finishes, they make good on their promise and deliver him safely home. For safety, Athena has disguised him as a lowly beggar upon his arrival. His old friend Eumaeus receives him warmly, unaware of his true identity. Before long, he encounters his son and reveals his true identity to him. Telemachus was able to survive the ambush of the suitors and the two work together to plan a massacre of the suitors and regain control of the palace.

The next day, Odysseus shows up at the palace, still disguised as the beggar. Although he is mocked and abused by most of the people present in the palace, his wife, Penelope, takes interest in him and suspects he may be more than what he seems. Picking up on the fact that this beggar may be her husband in disguise, she decides to organize an archery contest the following day. She promises to marry any man who is able to string Odysseus’s bow and accurately shoot an arrow through a row of twelve axes. During the contest, none of the suitors are able to make this happen. Odysseus takes up the task, still under disguise. He turns his bow on the suitors and Telemachus leaps into action and together they kill each suitor.

After this is accomplished, Odysseus reveals his identity to who is left at the palace. He is able to reunite with his wife, and then he visits his father, Laertes. The family members come to attack them, consumed with thoughts of vengeance. Laertes, however, is so overjoyed at his son’s return that he musters the energy to fend off the attackers. Once again, Athena arrives to restore peace after these long trials. Finally, Odysseus is able to control full power of his kingdom once more and to be peacefully reunited with his family.

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"There is no safety in unlimited hubris" (McGeorge Bundy). The dictionary defines hubris as overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance. In The Odyssey, Homer embodies hubris into the characters Odysseus, the Suitors, and the Cyclopes. Odysseus shows hubris when he is battling the Cyclopes, the...

The Odyssey and The epic of Gilgamesh (Similarities and Differences) Both The Odyssey and the Epic of Gilgamesh are two incredible stories written long ago everyone knows this but what a lot of people don't is that these two epics share many of the same concepts. Such as the nostro (the Greek term...

The Odyssey has much to teach us about the feminine psyche. The feminine psyche is the way that the female mind and soul react to and process situations. Females are generally faithful, giving, and respectful to their mates. We have an insight into the feminine psyche in several things that...

Homer, name traditionally assigned to the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, the two major epics of Greek antiquity. Nothing is known of Homer as an individual, and in fact it is a matter of controversy whether a single person can be said to have written both the Iliad and the Odyssey...

Homer's poem The Odyssey depicts the tendency of people to ignore the consequences of their actions. Odysseus punished Penelope's suitors without thinking of consequences that he would have to endure. He did not acknowledge the consequences because that would prevent him from doing what he wants...

1 018 words

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...

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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...

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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...

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...

In any discussion concerning roles of male and female in the “Odyssey,” it seems natural to concentrate mainly on the evidence having to do with the situation on Ithaka, both because Ithaka is the most complex and the most fully described society in the Odyssey. All the women met...

A long time ago people believed that gods ruled the world. Each god was responsible for a certain element of nature, and all those gods are described in the well-known “Odyssey.” In this article, we’ll provide you with the way Poseidon was described in the poem. Poseidon was...

The feeling of self-confidence is a positive feature as long as it does not turn into arrogance. Hubris is one of such traits when people have too much pride in themselves, and this leads to disasters or problems. Odyssey is a great example of a character whose actions are sometimes ruled by his...

Recently, an approach of researchers to problems of the Homeric epic has changed significantly. In the field of their view, new problems are increasingly emerging. One of the widely discussed topics is a theme of hospitality in the “Odyssey”. From our perspective, this is one of the...

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daisy Buchanan is an important woman character, but only in relation toga Gatsby dream. Ever since Gatsby had come back from the army, he had longed to have Daisy back in his life, and so everything he did and built up was in some way for her (e...

1 667 words

An epic is best described by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as a long narrative poem in elevated style recounting the deeds of a legendary or historical hero. Epics like "Beowulf" and "The Odyssey" are perfect examples of this definition; they are each centered on the deeds and triumphs of their...

2 689 words

Many of the tragic pitfalls of Odysseus and his men were from their own weaknesses to women. The temptations that the crew submits to always either anger the gods or distract them from their goal- returning home. In The Odyssey, by the legendary poet Homer, Odysseus and his crew desire to complete...

Pankaj Selvam English 10 Honors Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth Chosen Monomyth: The Odyssey 1. Hero introduced in his ordinary world Odysseus is a strong ruler of Ithaca (Greek city-state), however lacks experience in war. He is also the son of Laertes 2. The call to adventure He wins the Trojan war...

Joel Schain Period 2 3/28/10 Book 9: In the Eyes of Polyphemus This morning was like any other day. I got up to see the sun rise, and then I went into the forest to find something to eat for breakfast. Most days were quiet in the land of the Cyclopes. All you could hear were your own thoughts, and...

Reflective journal 1 The Odyssey Date due MB and ME: 23rd January 2014 at 8:30am – via Blackboard – – Submission to VeriGuide – Choose ONE of the following question groups and write a short essay, about 400-600 words in English or 700-900 characters in Chinese. (* A question may break down into a...

Odyssey by Homer, The

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55 Unique Odyssey Essay Topics & Research Paper Titles

If you have been tasked to write for The Odyssey , you have probably begun noting down ideas. This epic poem, just like many other Ancient Greek works, is bursting with content. We understand that it can be tricky to organize the process when the possibilities are endless.

This is precisely why here we have compiled a list of The Odyssey’s essay topics and research paper ideas. You will find all possible suggestions – from writing about characters to comparing the epic to other works. Feel free to browse through our collection to write a fantastic The Odyssey essay.

⛵ Odyssey Essay Topics on Themes

• A comparison of the themes of kleos and nostos in The Odyssey.
• The importance of loyalty throughout Homer’s Odyssey .
• Gender in The Odyssey – what were the Ancient Greek gender roles, and how are they expressed in Homer’s epic?
• A deconstruction of the theme of fate in The Odyssey: how did the gods influence Odysseus’ fate?
• How is cunning the most celebrated quality in The Odyssey ?
• What are the parallels between loyalty to Odysseus and loyalty to the gods in The Odyssey ?
• Homer’s commentary on hubris through his criticism of kleos in The Odyssey .
• The impact of perseverance on Odysseus’ journey.
• Xenia in The Odyssey and what it tells us about the hospitality customs in Ancient Greece.
• Why is the theme of disguise so prevalent throughout Homer’s Odyssey ?

🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏽 The Odyssey Essay Topics on Characters

• How did Telemachus grow and develop throughout The Odyssey ?
• A comparison of monsters and people in The Odyssey.
• Athena and Poseidon – what was the gods’ influence on Odysseus’ journey?
• An analysis of the Greek expectations of heroism through Odysseus.
• Was Odysseus’ revenge on the suitors justified?
• Examining the role of the servants in The Odyssey .
• How did Odysseus succeed and fail as a husband to Penelope?
• ‘Man of twists and turns’ – an analysis of Odysseus as a morally gray character.
• A study of the antagonists in The Odyssey : what differentiates friend from foe.
• What is the role of ghosts in Odysseus’ journey?
• Penelope’s character in The Odyssey – how Odysseus’ wife is different from other women in the epic.
• An examination of the family relationships in The Odyssey .

✒️ Literary Analysis of The Odyssey : Essay Topics

• Why are Homeric similes in The Odyssey effective?
• The role of metaphors in The Odyssey and how Homer used them.
• The uses of irony throughout The Odyssey ’s books.
• Why was The Odyssey written out of chronological order?
• Dactylic hexameter as one of the most significant literary devices in The Odyssey .
• An analysis of the last book of The Odyssey : how it differs from the rest of the epic.
• The role of allusions to The Iliad in The Odyssey .
• How and why is sarcasm expressed throughout The Odyssey ?
• An examination of the narrator in The Odyssey and its relation to the oral tradition.
• Symbols in The Odyssey – an analysis of the most common motifs appearing in the epic.
• The language of Homeric epic poems: its iterations in The Odyssey .
• How different translations of The Odyssey change our perspective on the subject matter of the epic.

🆚 The Odyssey & Other Stories: Compare and Contrast Essay Topics

• The study of Greco-Roman cultures through The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh.
• A comparative literary analysis of The Odyssey and The Aeneid.
• The contrasting themes of The Iliad and The Odyssey .
• The portrayal of women in epic poems through a study of The Odyssey and Oedipus Rex .
• In what ways did James Joyce’s Ulysses draw inspiration from The Odyssey ?
• An analysis of humans through the lens of The Odyssey and Rig Veda.
• Contrasting depictions of heroism between Beowulf and Odysseus.
• A comparison of Homer’s Odyssey and Dante’s Divine Comedy as epic poems.
• What can we learn about the Ancient Greek gods through The Odyssey and Theogony ?
• Ideas of morality in Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid.
• A literary analysis of the Homeric Hymns and The Odyssey : do they really have a different author?

📚 The Odyssey Research Paper Titles

• The role of women in The Odyssey and Ancient Greece.

Describe the most notable women in the epic. How do they aid/deter Odysseus’ journey? Analyze their purpose in the story. What does Homer’s portrayal of femininity tell us about the treatment of women in Ancient Greece?

• Exploring the ideas of loyalty through Odysseus’ crew.

Mention what we know about Odysseus’ crew and how he leads them. Analyze the incidents with Circe, Elpenor’s death and burial Talk about the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and the Cyclops. Why does Odysseus’ crew stop listening to him? How are they punished for it?

• How does Homer celebrate nostos in The Odyssey ?

What is nostos ? How is it portrayed in The Odyssey ? Explain why coming home is the most important thing to Odysseus. Reflect on his encounter with Achilles in the Underworld. What is Homer trying to teach us with that brief scene?

• The relationship between Odysseus and Athena in The Odyssey .

Describe both characters separately. Why does Athena aid Odysseus? In what ways does Odysseus repay the goddess for her assistance? Summarize the importance of being favorable to the gods.

• The difference in portrayals of violence in The Odyssey .

Examine what role violence plays in Ancient Greek culture – i.e., Athena is the goddess of war. Mention violent incidents with monsters such as the Cyclops and Laestrygones. Analyze the slaughter of the suitors and the torture of the unfaithful servants. What is the difference between Odysseus’ violence and the violence done to him?

• The Odyssey’s portrayal of fatherhood and father-son relationships.

Look at the relationships between Telemachus and Odysseus, Polyphemus and Poseidon, Odysseus and Laertes, Orestes and Agamemnon. What are the responsibilities of the father in each of these cases? What are the sons’ responsibilities? How are father-son relationships characterized in the epic?

• What stands in the way of Odysseus’ return home?

Examine all of the trials that Odysseus had to go through. Why is it that the sea is never on his side? What obstacles keep extending his journey? Mention Poseidon and Polyphemus, Circe, Aeolus, and Helios, and their impact on Odysseus.

• How does hospitality in The Odyssey differentiate monster from man?

Explain the importance of xenia in Ancient Greece. Provide good examples of hospitality from the epic, such as those of Telemachus and Penelope, kings Mentes and Nestor, and Circe. Contrast them against the bad instances, such as the Cyclops and the suitors. What does hospitality tell us about a person’s character?

• Homer’s representation of justice in The Odyssey .

What lesson is Homer trying to teach his audience about justice and gods? Analyze Odysseus’ struggle against the suitors and the omens around it. Explore the incident with Poseidon and the Phaecians and the role of divine prophecy. How are we to understand what is just in The Odyssey’s world?

• The Odyssey: a subversion of the hero’s journey.

How are the events of The Odyssey different from a typical epic poem? How are they similar? Analyze Odysseus’ character and the changes he goes through. Examine the idea of returning home rather than leaving to set out on an adventure. Thanks for reading! If you haven’t found what to write about, use our topic generator and get more original ideas. For more information about The Odyssey, check the links below.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Odysseus — Analysis Of Odysseus As A Good Leader

Analysis of Odysseus as a Good Leader

• Categories: Odysseus The Odyssey

About this sample

Words: 912 |

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 912 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

The essay explores the intrinsic leadership qualities of Odysseus, a pivotal character in "The Odyssey," asserting that his bravery, thoughtfulness, and cleverness substantiate his role as an exemplary leader. Odysseus's bravery is underscored through his numerous fearless encounters and persistent resolve during precarious situations, such as confronting Cyclops and navigating through Poseidon’s wrath. His thoughtfulness emanates from his unyielding concern for his men’s wellbeing and meticulous planning, illustrated when rescuing his crew from different adversities, like the spell at the Land of the Lotus Eaters. His cleverness shines through strategic maneuvers and cunning plans, notably when deceiving the Cyclops and orchestrating the Trojan Horse strategy, further solidifying his astuteness in leadership. The essay underscores that Odysseus’s adept combination of these qualities not only navigates him and his crew through treacherous journeys but also rightfully garners him respect and the esteemed title of a king in Ithaca.

Works Cited:

• Gopnik, A., & Schulz, L. (2007). Causal learning: Psychology, philosophy, and computation. Oxford University Press.
• Hume, D. (1975). An enquiry concerning human understanding. Oxford University Press.
• Locke, J. (2017). An essay concerning human understanding. Princeton University Press.
• Plato. (2016). Meno. Princeton University Press.
• Pinker, S. (1994). The language instinct: How the mind creates language. William Morrow & Company.
• Quinton, A. (1975). The innate and the acquired. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 76, 165-188.
• Saffran, J. R., Aslin, R. N., & Newport, E. L. (1996). Statistical learning by 8-month-old infants. Science, 274(5294), 1926-1928.
• Simon, H. A. (1976). From substantive to procedural rationality. In Method and appraisal in economics (pp. 129-148). Springer, Dordrecht.
• Spelke, E. S., & Kinzler, K. D. (2007). Core knowledge. Developmental science, 10(1), 89-96.
• Tomasello, M. (2009). The cultural origins of human cognition. Harvard University Press.

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Rejoice! Voyager 1 is back from the dead

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Anjana Ahuja

Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.

The writer is a science commentator

A ghost has come back to life. Voyager 1, a spacecraft dispatched in the 1970s that had been sending signals back to Earth continuously until it malfunctioned in November, has been revived. Nasa engineers revealed last week that, thanks to some clever workarounds, they had remotely fixed the corrupted memory in one of its three onboard computers.

Gone is the melancholic string of ones and zeroes that signalled little beyond a pulse. Voyager 1, now outside the solar system and the most distant man-made object at 24bn km away, has begun sending meaningful signals once again.

The news feels both uplifting and bittersweet. Uplifting, because it embodies a golden age of space exploration that kicked off in the 1950s, put men on the moon, and gave us the first true glimpse of our planetary neighbourhood. Bittersweet, because this craft feels like a relic from a different era — one in which horizons were literally expanding, ambition and optimism were abundant, and technology seemed built to last.

The twin Voyager mission was launched in my childhood and, ever since, it has been hard not to romanticise it as a fellow traveller: sent off alone into the wilderness; writing home; reaching milestones; and now weakening as it glides into the void between stars. For those of us of a certain age, its timeline mirrors our own. Voyager 1 arrived at Saturn as I started secondary school, and its sister craft, Voyager 2, reached Uranus as I left. The latter approached Neptune while I danced at university balls. For me, it is more than a nostalgic cultural touchstone: its data featured in my doctoral thesis.

This week’s resuscitation is the epilogue to a sequence of historic missions to the outer planets, beginning with Pioneer in the early 1970s. Pioneer 10 became the first spacecraft to travel beyond Mars and through the asteroid belt; it beamed back the first close-up pictures of Jupiter and sent its last signal to Earth in 2003. Pioneer 11 journeyed successfully to Saturn, where it discovered a new ring and two moons — but went quiet in 1995.

This laid the groundwork for Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, launched a few days apart in 1977. That year, Jimmy Carter entered the White House, Pelé hung up his football boots and I queued with my brother at the cinema to watch the original Star Wars . The launch took advantage of a rare planetary alignment — happening just one every 175 years — that provided gravitational kicks along the journey, saving on propellant and time.

The twin spacecraft exceeded expectations at every orbital turn. Thanks to some nifty remote programming after launch, the mission to Jupiter and Saturn expanded into a four-planet odyssey, with Voyager 2 taking in fly-bys of the ice giants Uranus and Neptune. This “grand tour” rewrote planetary textbooks, furnishing new images and measurements of the outer planets, many moons and their associated magnetic fields.

Voyager 1 left the solar system in 2012. Its companion, also still functioning, exited in 2018. Today, signals from Earth to Voyager 1 — and vice versa — take more than 22 hours to arrive. Its power should last a few more years yet, during which scientists hope it will reveal characteristics of interstellar space.

As the sun runs out of fuel and dies in a few billion years, so will life on Earth (if it hasn’t before then). Assuming the pair survive the interstellar dust, the analogue technology on board will become a memento of a vanished civilisation. Each craft carries a Golden Record, with contents overseen by American astronomer Carl Sagan. Each 12-inch gold-plated, engraved copper disk contains sounds and images of life on Earth, including spoken greetings in 55 languages.

The Hebrew message is “Peace”. If Voyager 1 had its own voice, that would surely be its message back to us. 

Letters in response to this article :

Advanced extra­ter­restri­als find Voy­ager 1. Just ima­gine  /  From Ros­ario A Iaconis, Adjunct Pro­fessor, Social Sci­ences Depart­ment, Suf­folk County Com­munity Col­lege, Mineola, NY, US

When the Starman cometh / From Marc Hudson, Stone, Staffordshire, UK

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