The Odyssey was originally composed in Homeric Greek in around the 8th or 7th century BC and, by the mid-6th century BC, had become part of the Greek literary canon. In his absence, Odysseus was assumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus had to contend with a group of unruly suitors who were competing for Penelope's hand in marriage. After the war, which lasted ten years, his journey lasted for ten additional years, during which time he encountered many perils and all of his crewmates were killed. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his journey home after the Trojan War.
As with the Iliad, the poem is divided into 24 books. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. The Odyssey ( / ˈ ɒ d ɪ s i/ Ancient Greek: Ὀδύσσεια, romanized: Odýsseia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. In fact, Homer refers to his protagonist throughout the epic as "wily Odysseus.15th-century manuscript of Book I written by scribe John Rhosos ( British Museum) Odysseus's most memorable quality is not his bravery or strength - though he is brave and strong - but rather his cleverness.The extraordinary length of Odysseus' return trip, which should take a matter of weeks, is due to his many antagonists, including the god Poseidon, the many mythical creatures he encounters, and Odysseus' often greedy and lazy crewmen. The journey of Odysseus from Troy to Ithaca takes ten years - the same amount of time that the Trojan War itself lasted.And many epics, probably including The Odyssey, were written to be performed to musical accompaniment. Some epics were composed in order to be performed from memory, and so they include poetic devices to make them more memorable. The Odyssey is an epic, a very long poem on a single subject.The three most important aspects of The Odyssey:
Movie Versions: Ulysses (1955) The Odyssey (1997) Major Symbols: Laertes' shroud Odysseus' bow the sea Ithaca
Major Thematic Topics: hospitality loyalty perseverance vengeance appearance versus reality spiritual growth Main Characters: Odysseus Penelope Telemachus Athena (Pallas) Polyphemus (the Cyclops) and King Alcinous Circe and Calypso The Odyssey ends as Odysseus wins a contest to prove his identity, slaughters the suitors, and retakes the throne of Ithaca.įirst Published: probably around 700 B.C. While Odysseus battles mystical creatures and faces the wrath of the gods, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus stave off suitors vying for Penelope's hand and Ithaca's throne long enough for Odysseus to return. The Odyssey is Homer's epic of Odysseus' 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War.
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